# The Importance of Nitrogen for Healthy, High-Yielding Crops

- Link: https://rd2.co.nz/the-importance-of-nitrogen-for-healthy-high-yielding-crops/
- Published: 2024-03-11T05:05:52+00:00
- Author: RSF Admin

Nitrogen is one of three macronutrients, or primary nutrients, required for healthy
plants, the other two being Phosphorus and Potassium. (Of course, there are many
other nutrients essential for plant health, but required in smaller amounts). Plants
use large amounts of Nitrogen for development and reproduction and a deficiency 
will present itself with obvious symptoms. 

Nitrogen has numerous roles, including increasing protein content and producing 
chlorophyll used in photosynthesis. Without proteins, plants will wither and die.
Without chlorophyll, plants are unable to photosynthesise and create starches and
sugars used for food.

There is a delicate balance at play in the Nitrogen cycle and maintaining and nurturing
this cycle is vital for sustainable farming.  Too little Nitrogen and plant growth
will be negatively affected, too much Nitrogen and plants produce excess biomass,
such as stalks and leaves, at the expense of flowering and fruit.  In addition, 
excess Nitrogen can leach into waterways causing eutrophication, and runoff into
drinking water can pose serious problems for human health.

**Recognising Nitrogen Deficiencies**

Nitrogen deficiency may present with the following symptoms:

 * Yellowing leaves (chlorosis) – first at leaf tips, then across all leaves
 * Slow, small growth
 * Nitrogen is very mobile, transporting itself through the plant. Generally, older
   leaves will show yellowing first when there is a deficiency as the Nitrogen moves
   to the newer growth.

Nitrogen deficiency is common in sandy, well-drained, fast leaching soils and over
watering and excess rain will also have an impact on Nitrogen levels. However, there
are myriad reasons for why your crops may not be getting the nitrogen they need 
including drought conditions, pH too high or too low and low organic matter in the
soil, which is often completely overlooked.

**Choosing the right Organic Nitrogen Input**

It is extremely concerning that, globally, 80%^(1.) of Nitrogen fertilisers are 
lost each year to the environment, leaching into waterways, drinking-water sources
and emitted into the air.

As a grower you will be looking for a product that is easy to apply, fast-acting
and readily absorbed by your crops as well as positively impacting the environment
and sustainable farming goals.  Economy is also an important part of the equation
and it is easy to get blind-sided by the seemingly cheap Nitrogen products on the
market.  However, sometimes ‘cheap’ just means low quality and if the product does
not deliver, ultimately it can end up costing you more in the long run.

Many of the commonly used organic nitrogen fertilisers contain very low levels of
N, between 2-9%. At low levels, the organisms in the soil may consume all the available
nitrogen immediately, leaving none for the plants!  These mainly fish fertilisers
may not be 100% water soluble and clog spray nozzles, have a strong odour and are
often very high in salt.  

Whilst they seem an economical option for growers, how much Nitrogen is actually
getting to where it needs to be, and how many applications do you need to make?

At Roots, Shoots & Fruits, our Biomin Nitrogen is a highly bio-available, non-fish
Nitrogen fertiliser that is water soluble and designed for soil and/or foliar applications.
It contains 14% organic Nitrogen and 85.5% Organic Matter.

The L-Amino Acids in Biomin Nitrogen chelate minerals to ensure a high absorption
rate and reduction of leaching. L-Amino acids are crucial to the health of your 
crops, helping with, but not limited to:

 * Protein biosynthesis
 * Stress resistance
 * Photosynthesis
 * Pollination and fruit formation
 * Soil flora 

Nitrogen from Biomin N is absorbed by plants quickly and is then translocated, saving
the plant biochemical energy needed for growth. This is in comparison to other Nitrogen
inputs which mostly go through multiple conversions before being available in a 
form the plant can recognise and utilise.

**Maintaining levels of trace elements and Nitrogen **

Maintaining levels of both micro and macronutrients is critical to ensure longevity
in both production and yield, and to maintain the health of your plants and soil
for the long term.

Biomin Booster is an amino acid chelated multi-mineral which contains all the essential
trace elements required for productivity.  It also contains sufficient levels of
Nitrogen to maintain that delicate Nitrogen cycle without the issues of leaching
and possible contamination of waterways. 

When N deficiency becomes a problem and must be addressed, Biomin Nitrogen is compatible
with Biomin Booster and together will ensure any issues are quickly remedied.

To learn more about Biomin Nitrogen and Biomin Booster, click here: 

 * ![Biomin Nitrogen - Glycine Chelated Mineral Fertiliser - Organic](https://rd2.
   co.nz/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Nitrogen-Label-332.2-KB-300x300.png "The Importance
   of Nitrogen for Healthy, High-Yielding Crops 1")
 * Biomin Nitrogen – Glycine Chelated Mineral Fertiliser – Organic
 * $633.22
 * [View Product](https://rd2.co.nz/product/biomin-nitrogen-glycine-chelated-mineral-fertiliser/)
 * ![Biomin Booster V-Glycine Chelated Multi Mineral Fertiliser-Organic](https://
   rd2.co.nz/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Booster-V-Label-340.4-KB-300x300.png "The
   Importance of Nitrogen for Healthy, High-Yielding Crops 2")
 * Biomin Booster V-Glycine Chelated Multi Mineral Fertiliser-Organic
 * Rated **5.00** out of 5 based on 1 customer rating
 * [View Product](https://rd2.co.nz/product/biomin-booster-v-organic-trace-mineral-fertiliser/)

1._Frontiers1819\_ch4  https://www.unep.org/interactives/beat-nitrogen-pollution/#
section_