AGROTAIN® PLUS is a fertilizer additive intended to reduce ammonia volatilization. Targeted specifically for liquid manure or UAN (urea ammonium nitrate) fertilizers, AGROTAIN® PLUS contains the nitrification inhibitor dicyandiamide (DCD) as well as the urease inhibitor NBPT.

Like AGROTAIN®, AGROTAIN® PLUS slows urea hydrolysis to reduce ammonia losses, but the DCD can also increase nitrogen efficiency by depressing the activities of the Nitrosomonas bacteria over a period of time, therefore delaying the bacterial oxidation of the ammonium-ion (NH4+) into nitrite (NO2-), which is then transformed into nitrate (NO3-) by Nitrobacter and Nitrosolobus bacteria.

Nitrification inhibitors, including DCD, have been used regularly in agriculture to slow down this typically rapid conversion of ammonium-N to the nitrate form.

AGROTAIN®, AGROTAIN® PLUS, and SUPERU™ are related products manufactured and marketed by Koch Agronomic Services. All three products are sold to agricultural producers with the claim that they will improve nitrogen use efficiency and thus improve productivity. The expectation is that when N is limiting, effective urease and nitrification inhibitors will improve crop yield.

The map below shows trial locations for corn. The trial locations have been superimposed over the Technology Extrapolation Domains (TED) Framework. The TED Framework is described further on the AGROTAIN® PLUS and TED Framework page.

NutrientStar reviewers found no published research results from field scale strip trials for AGROTAIN® PLUS.

An intensive an extensive review of the literature was completed to assess the effectiveness of AGROTAIN® PLUS to increase yield of corn. All the research was completed on small plots. Plot sizes varied, but no plots were larger than .15 acres in size.

The average yield increase measured for AGROTAIN® PLUS when AGROTAIN® PLUS-treated UAN was compared with non-treated UAN was 2 bushels/acre, with a 95% confidence interval range from -2 to 6.5 bu/acre.

To see if AGROTAIN® PLUS trial locations are relevant to your operation, visit the AGROTAIN® PLUS and TED Framework page.

To view the complete research report, including references, please visit the AGROTAIN® PLUS Research Findings page.