Nitrogen (N) is the plant nutrient most often applied to crops as a fertilizer. It is the nutrient responsible for the green leafy growth—insufficient nitrogen results in poor crop growth and low yields. For your plants to be healthy and vibrant, the soil in your field must be rich in essential nutrients like Nitrogen. Therefore, with the help of a soil nutrient tester in the USA you can ensure that your plot of land has the right amount of Nitrogen for crop growth.
Plants require more amounts of Nitrogen (N) than any other nutrient, but only a tiny portion of the Nitrogen in the soil is available to plants; 98% of the Nitrogen in the soil is in organic forms. Plants cannot take up most forms of organic Nitrogen except some small organic molecules.
In contrast, plants can readily take up the mineral forms of Nitrogen, including nitrate and ammonia. However, the mineral nitrogen in soils account only for 2 % of the Nitrogen in soil. Soil microorganisms again convert organic forms of Nitrogen to mineral forms when they decompose organic matter and fresh plant residues. This process is called mineralization.
Role of Nitrogen in Crop Production:
Nitrogen is a chemical element essential for the growth and development of plants, animals, and several other organisms. Nitrogen is crucial for plant life because it is required to produce chlorophyll, which is fundamental to photosynthesis and is essentially how plants receive their food. Besides, Nitrogen is necessary for plant growth since it serves as a “building block” for the amino acids, membrane proteins, DNAs, enzymes, the majority of coenzymes, the auxins, and cytokinins, as well as cells.
Because of this, it is essential to avoid and effectively manage the nitrogen deficiency in plants, which ultimately slows down growth and reduces yields. Moreover, nitrogen fixation and an adequate supply of Nitrogen for plants are essential to maintain healthy plant development and maximize yields. Another significant disadvantage is that it results in much lower quantities of protein in cereals, such as maize and wheat.
Source: Freepik
Nitrogen Deficiency in Plants:
Symptoms:
A nitrogen shortage in plants is called a nitrogen deficiency. It may occur when organic materials with a rich carbon content are introduced to the soil.
An example of this would be sawdust. Plants cannot get Nitrogen because soil microbes consume it, so they may continue decomposing carbon sources. This practice is also called “robbing” the soil of its nitrogen content. It may affect almost every kind of vegetable except nitrogen-fixing legumes.
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Pale Green to Yellow Leaves:
This results from insufficient chlorophyll production in leaves. Nitrogen is a critical component of chlorophyll in plants, so its deficiency affects chlorophyll production, the substance responsible for the green pigmentation in the leaves and stems.
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Stunted Plant Growth:
This is a visible sign of nitrogen-deficient soil. Nitrogen is necessary for the cell division and enlargement activities, and a shortage of this nutrient slows growth and development.
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Reduced Crop Yield and Protein Content:
This results from poor growth and development during the plant’s life cycle. Low protein is especially devastating in grain crops such as bread wheat, where the protein content judges the grain quality.
Causes:
The significant causes of deficiency of Nitrogen in plants include:
- N deficiency is common in the sandy, well-drained, fast-leaching soils.
- Overwatering from irrigation and rain causes a deficiency of Nitrogen in plants.
- Adequate soil aeration delivers sufficient O2 to aerobic and facultative aerobic nitrogen-fixing micro organisms, preventing the nitrogen famine. However, denitrifying bacteria consume NO2/NO3 in the low-oxygen soils. Poor aeration also turns the plant-useful nitrates into greenhouse gas N2O.
- Temperature impacts nutrient solubility and the microbial activity, releasing plant-available Nitrogen levels. Lower soil temperature reduces the crop nutrition.
- High zinc, magnesium, and potassium chlorides often create nitrogen deficiency in plants.
- Due to the osmotic pressure, soil salinity cuts down nitrogen uptake.
- High or low pH impacts the crop nitrogen availability.
- Damaged or impacted roots absorb nutrients inadequately when infected by pests or diseases.
- Eventually, it influences the nitrogen uptake.
- High nitrogen solubility promotes Nitrogen deficiency in plants, as it is readily washed away.
- Organic matter is crucial for Nitrogen; low levels suggest poor plant-available Nitrogen.
Evaluating Soil for Nitrogen Deficiency:
Soil nitrogen levels are mainly determined by doing a soil test analysis. In addition, a grower can observe for plant deficiency symptoms or do a plant analysis to know if his soil is Nitrogen-deficient. You can buy a kit for testing soil or send your soil to be tested.
Most garden centers and hardware stores provide soil testing kits, which you may use to test your soil at home. Even though the results from the home tests are less exact than those conducted by professionals, you may still use them to get a good idea of whether your field’s soil is deficient in Nitrogen.
Source: Freepik
How to Prevent Nitrogen Loss in Soil?
When crops are young and small, they have low nitrogen demand. As the temperatures rise, crops enter a rapid growth phase, and the need for Nitrogen dramatically increases. So, the best method for loss prevention is to match your nitrogen application with crop demand through precision agriculture. Splitting the total amount of nitrogen fertilizer into multiple applications can ensure the crops use the Nitrogen you applied. For example, apply a small amount of Nitrogen in your starter fertilizer to match nitrogen availability with crop demand. Follow it up with multiple side-dress nitrogen applications.
How Do We Fix Nitrogen Deficiency in Soil?
Nitrogen deficiency can have very detrimental effects on plant growth and productivity, but it can be effectively addressed with the right strategies.
Gardeners and farmers can successfully fix plant nitrogen deficiency by implementing a comprehensive approach that includes comprehensive soil testing, organic matter incorporation, a balanced fertilization, leguminous cover crops, foliar feeding, and systematic crop rotation.
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Soil Testing:
Before implementing any corrective measures, conducting a soil test to evaluate the nutrient levels, including Nitrogen, is crucial. Soil testing also provides precious insights into the current nutrient composition and permits for appropriate adjustments.
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Compost and Organic Matter:
Incorporating organic matter into the soil is a compelling long-term solution for nitrogen deficiency. Organic materials like compost, manure, and cover crops contain Nitrogen in organic forms that gradually releases into the soil, providing a much-sustained source of nutrients.
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Balanced Fertilization:
Applying nitrogen-rich fertilizers can quickly balance the nitrogen deficiency. However, it is crucial to strike a balance and avoid over-fertilization, as excessive Nitrogen leads to imbalances in plant growth and environmental pollution. Consult an expert or refer to soil test recommendations to determine the correct amount of nitrogen fertilizer needed.
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Leguminous Cover Crops:
Introducing leguminous cover crops into the rotation can improve the availability of nitrogen in the soil. Legumes uniquely can form symbiotic relationships with nitrogen-fixing bacteria, converting the atmospheric Nitrogen into a plant-usable form.
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Foliar Feeding:
In cases where any immediate action is necessary, foliar sprays can provide a highly temporary solution for nitrogen-deficient plants. Liquid Nitrogen-rich fertilizers can also be applied directly to the leaves, allowing rapid absorption and addressing the deficiency in the short term.
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Crop Rotation:
Rotating nitrogen-demanding crops with the nitrogen-fixing plants or cover crops can also help maintain soil fertility and minimize the occurrence of any nitrogen deficiency. This practice also prevents nutrient depletion by diversifying the plant species and their nutrient requirements.
How Do You Calculate Nitrogen for Plants in a Fertilizer Bag?
Refrain from being misled by the colossal nitrogen figure shown on the fertilizer bag; this number comes first in the N-P-K analysis. To calculate the total Nitrogen in a pack of fertilizer, estimate the pounds of Nitrogen per thousand square feet.
Multiplying the weight of the fertilizer bag by the percentage of Nitrogen contained in the fertilizer will allow you to calculate the amount of Nitrogen contained in the load in pounds. After that, divide the total pounds of Nitrogen by the surface area the bag claims.
It will calculate the number of pounds of Nitrogen needed per 1,000 square feet of plants. Note that such fertilizer is often sold in bags of about 5,000 or 10,000 square feet.
In Conclusion:
Nitrogen is an essential nutrient that helps crops grow. Therefore, it is important to balance the amount of Nitrogen in your soil, as Nitrogen deficiency can damage your plants. Nitrogen not taken up by plants can be lost to runoff (draining), erosion, or leached into groundwater. Excess Nitrogen does not benefit anyone. Therefore, farmers and agricultural professionals have implemented these different methods to ensure Nitrogen’s proper use and application.
To ensure your soil has the right amounts of every essential nutrient for healthy plant growth, contact our experts at SoilOptix® to conduct a regular soil test. Visit https://soiloptix.com now!
