Ammonium Sulfate, a most Popular N and
S-containing Fertilizer |
| It is one of the oldest N and S-containing fertilizers, and is still popular around the world. |
| The product is used directly or for blending with other fertilizers. Improvements in the ammonium sulfate formulation processes allow for increasing shares of larger-sized granular material, which is easy to handle and suitable for bulk blending. This has greatly increased application options and spreading performance. Ammonium sulfate is also popular in Europe in the manufacture of compound fertilizers, now deliberately being added to increase their S content. |
| Good source of both N and S |
| The main advantages of ammonium sulfate are low hygroscopicity and chemical stability. It is a good source of both N and S. Its use may be undesirable in acidic soils already in need of liming and when it is applied at nitrogen rates. Also, when applied as direct application as an N source, much more S is applied incidentally than is required by most crops. |
| Suitable for bulk blending with other fertilizer materials. |
| Ammonium sulfate now can be obtained as a granular material, which is easy to handle and suitable for bulk blending with other fertilizer materials. Segregation problems can occur in bulk blends when its product size is not well matched with those of N, P, and K materials. This difficulty can be minimized by carefully controlling uniformity and sizing of ammonium sulfate used in blends. |
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Can be used as liquid fertilizer |
| It can also be used in clear liquids to make solutions of fertilizer containing N and S. Sulfur concentrations in solutions based on ammonium sulfate can vary from 9%. In NPS blends formulated with ammonium sulfate, the usual S concentrations range from 1% to 3 %. |
| Yield-increasing effects are pronounced |
| Ammonium sulfate is suitable for sulfur-deficient soils and alkaline soils, and yield-increasing effects are more pronounced on sulfur-loving crops such as citrus, soybeans, sugar cane, sweet potatoes, peanuts, and tea. |
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