New product from Dow looks to reduce nitrogen losses

Dow AgroSciences is developing a product to help farmers safeguard against losses from nitrogen use.

The product (code name GF-2747) is a nitrogen stabiliser that inhibits bacteria which cause the conversion of ammonium to nitrite.

Principal Biologist for Dow AgroSciences Andy Bailey says: “GF-2070 is based on the active ingredient nitrapyrin, which keeps nitrogen in the preferred positively charged ammonium form for up to 12 weeks.

"Inhibiting nitrosomonas bacteria, during the critical post-application period, appears to offer an effective way to better manage losses from applied nitrogen to air and water – leading to better crops, reduced greenhouse emissions and more reliable yields.”

GF-2747 is being trialled for Dow AgroSciences by farm business management company Velcourt and ADAS on oilseed rape and wheat in the UK. In Europe it is being trialled on maize crops.

It is still in the development stage but is hoped to be available in the near future to give farmers a new tool to better manage nitrogen fertilisers.

The product is already widely used in the United States.