With UAN, this is especially applicable to the urea portion of the fertilizer (comprising 50% of the UAN), which has to be converted into ammonium before the plant can use it. Enhancing a sidedress UAN application with Extract PBA, which accelerates nutrient mineralization and recycling, can ensure that the crop has the nitrogen it needs in that 21-day period of rapid uptake without falling short.
Extract PBA, a proprietary formulation of our proven Accomplish biocatalyst and ammonium thiosulfate, is designed to increase the efficiency of sidedress UAN by influencing both applied and residual nitrogen sources, helping to get nitrogen into a plant-available form and into the crop. This is supported by data from numerous trials over the past decade showing an average yield increase of ~10.1 bushels/acre with Extract PBA. With current commodity prices, it takes less than 3 bushels/acre of yield increase to break even on Extract PBA, providing a high likelihood of positive ROI.
For optimal nitrogen uptake, UAN sidedress applications should be made around the V4 to V8 growth stages. Using Extract PBA at this critical juncture can maximize nutrient use efficiency by increasing the availability of the applied nitrogen.
You can find out more about corn nutrient needs in this short presentation by Dr. Fred Below, who explains the importance of having nitrogen in the system prior to the period of rapid nitrogen uptake by corn.
Learn more about using Extract PBA to enhance sidedress nitrogen applications by downloading the sidedress booklet.