Thio-Sul and KTS Can Extend Your UAN Supply
When making your liquid nitrogen selection, consider adding higher rates of Thio-Sul®, a concentrated liquid containing both nitrogen and thiosulfate sulfur. By adding more Thio-Sul to your UAN solution, you can effectively stretch the nitrogen fertilizer while providing essential sulfur nutrition to the growing crop. In addition to providing sulfur, Thio-Sul is a proven nitrification inhibitor that helps protect nitrogen from common loss pathways such as leaching and denitrification, ensuring more of the nitrogen gets into the plant where it belongs.
The most common blend of UAN solution and Thio-Sul currently used on the market is a 28-0-0-5S, consisting of roughly 80% UAN 32 and 20% Thio-Sul. This is a proven blend that provides both nitrogen and sulfur, along with nitrification inhibition. However, increasing the level of Thio-Sul in the blend can provide higher sulfur levels and enhanced nitrogen protection. Growers have seen success with blends consisting of higher levels of Thio-Sul both due to the increased sulfur nutrition as well as the improvement in nitrogen use efficiency.
This is especially true when applied in a concentrated band application. The potential for improving nitrogen use efficiency has also been recently documented in peer reviewed research, published in Soil Science Society of America Journal. Additionally, recent field work has shown that banding 15-30 lbs of sulfur from Thio-Sul with UAN can effectively protect applied nitrogen (N) as shown in the graph below. At roughly 28 days after application, an additional 42 lbs of ammonium N/ac was present in the 30 lbs S with Thio-Sul + UAN treatment. Ammonium nitrogen is less prone to leaching and denitrification losses thus representing a significant protection for the grower’s nitrogen fertilizer investment.
In addition to using higher rates of Thio-Sul in UAN blends, KTS®, our potassium thiosulfate fertilizer can also be used. Growers interested in applying supplemental potassium in their nitrogen and sulfur blends may consider adding KTS along with Thio-Sul®. This blend provides the nitrification inhibition and sulfur benefits listed above as well as essential potassium. This highly soluble form of potassium can be quickly absorbed by developing roots ensuring optimal plant nutrition. In addition to providing highly soluble potassium and thiosulfate sulfur, KTS was shown in university research to significantly inhibit nitrification when applied in a banded application, allowing more nitrogen to remain in the stable ammonium form.
Below are several blend recommendations designed to stretch existing UAN supply while increasing sulfur nutrition and improving nitrogen use efficiency. Because UAN solution, Thio-Sul, and KTS can be blended in many different ratios, the options for custom blends are limitless. Please reach out to your local fertilizer dealer or to one of our sales specialists or agronomists for more information.
| Recipe by Weight | 26-0-0-7.8S 1 | 24-0-0-10.4S 2 | 21-0-2.5-7S 3* | 24-0-2-5S 4* |
| Lbs. per ton | Lbs. per ton | Lbs. per ton | Lbs. per ton | |
| Thio-Sul® | 600 | 800 | 408 | 280 |
| KTS® | 0 | 0 | 200 | 160 |
| Water | 0 | 0 | 232.5 | 165 |
| UAN 32 | 1400 | 1200 | 1159.5 | 1395 |
| Total lbs. | 2000 | 2000 | 2000 | 2000 |
1. 70% UAN 32, 30% Thio-Sul 2. 60% UAN 32, 40% Thio-Sul 3. 58% UAN 32, 20.4% Thio-Sul, 10% KTS, 11.6% Water 4. 69.7% UAN 32, 14% Thio-Sul, 8% KTS 8.3% Water
* Water must be added to UAN 32% prior to adding KTS to avoid salting out. Please refer to our application guide for more information.