How Do Ammonium Sulfate and Gypsum Differ?
2
Click here to load reader
-
Upload
christopher-dill -
Category
Business
-
view
47 -
download
0
description
You’ve heard the saying, “the right tool for the right job.” In agricultural production, the saying should be changed to “the right chemical for the right job.” Ammonium sulfate and calcium sulfate, commonly known as gypsum, are both products that are important to agriculture. They share one trait in common – the chemical sulfur is part of their makeup – but that is where the similarities end.
Transcript of How Do Ammonium Sulfate and Gypsum Differ?
How Do Ammonium Sulfate and Gypsum Differ?ind-svcs.com /blog/ammonium-sulf ate-gypsum-dif f er/
Ammonium Sulfate and Gypsum
You’ve heard the saying, “the right tool f or the right job.” In agricultural production, the sayingshould be changed to “the right chemical f or the right job.” Ammonium sulf ate and calcium sulf ate,commonly known as gypsum, are both products that are important to agriculture. They share onetrait in common – the chemical sulf ur is part of their makeup – but that is where the similarit iesend.
Ammonium Sulfate, (NH4)2SO4
Ammonium sulf ate is a non-hazardous, nitrogen-rich f ertilizer that also helps lower soil pH. Thenitrogen in ammonium sulf ate tends to be stable, so it is available throughout the growingseason. This reduces the need f or repeated applications. Applying ammonium sulf ate to alkalinesoil not only adds needed nitrogen, its acidif ying capability helps make soil micronutrients such ascalcium, boron and magnesium more readily available to growing plants. Ammonium sulf atef ertilizer can be used on acidic soils as well, but will require alternate lime applications to preventthe soil pH f rom decreasing.
Ammonium sulf ate is highly soluble, so itsimpact on soil f ertility and pH is immediate. Itssolubility also makes it an ideal addition toglyphosphate-based herbicide applications bysubstantially increasing herbicide ef f ectiveness;using a slightly acidic spray allows the liquid tobetter penetrate plant t issues which makes theherbicide more ef f ective. Hard water is alsoknown to bind with the glyphosphate moleculesand render them inef f ective; ammonium sulf ateadded to the water counteracts hardness. It hasbeen f ound that ammonium sulf ate f ertilizer isone of the best nitrogen sources f or soil crops such as soybeans and increases the productionof sulf ur-bearing amino acids in legumes and alf alf a. Ammonium sulf ate is a non-hazardousbyproduct derived f rom the production of Caprolactam.
Gypsum, CaSO4·2H2O
By contrast, gypsum is a soil amendment rather than a f ertilizer. It contains no nitrogen or othermacronutrients, so f or the purposes of f ertilization, gypsum needs to be used in conjunction witha nitrogen source such as urea. Gypsum does help to stabilize the nitrogen in urea f ertilizer andreduces volatilization. Gypsum is used primarily to loosen clay soils and to reduce the sodiumcontent of sodic soils as well as to add calcium. Gypsum is mined f rom rock sources, pulverizedand ref ined; it takes a long period of t ime to degrade completely into the soil. This is a posit ivewhen it is used to reduce soil compaction and increase the f riability of clay, but tends to be anegative when the need f or increased soil calcium is urgent. Even though gypsum is a sulf atecompound, it does litt le to change soil pH; one soil testing lab has stated that it is the impurit iesin lower grades of gypsum that act to change pH. A high grade gypsum is pH neutral.
Virginia soils range in pH f rom acidic in the
eastern regions to alkaline in the mountainousareas. Find out your soil’s pH and f ertility levelthrough soil testing, and then purchase andapply the right products in the right amounts tomake any needed adjustments. CommonwealthCIS is a distributor of high quality ammoniumsulf ate and can provide your f arm withammonium sulf ate by the 50 pound bags, 3000pound bags or supersacks. Commonwealth CISalso provides ammonium sulf ate to manuf acturing f irms and to the tanning industry.
Image Credit:
Soil Component Name in Virginia, By J. Albert Bowden II
Post Emergence Stomp, by Chaf er Machinery
Gypsum, by Kevin Walsh
Contact Us
Need Help Purchasing, Storing, Or Shipping Ammonium Sulfate?
Contact Commonwealth Industrial Services Today!
Contact Us
Industrial Services
Commonwealth Industrial Services, Inc. (CIS) is an industrial services companylocated in Hopewell, Virginia. Although historically a service business, CIS’ primaryprof it center is the packaging and resale of ammonium sulf ate.Follow Us
Latest posts by Industrial Services (see all)
How Do Ammonium Sulf ate and Gypsum Dif f er? - April 7, 2014
10 Great Reasons to Use Sulf -N Ammonium Sulf ate - April 7, 2014
