A smarter approach to nitrogen and sulphur efficiency

Improving nitrogen efficiency remains one of the most important – and challenging – objectives in UK crop production.

With only around half of applied nitrogen typically recovered by the crop, growers continue to face significant losses through leaching, volatilisation and denitrification.

At the same time, sulphur deficiency has become increasingly widespread. With atmospheric inputs now a fraction of historic levels, the majority of UK soils require active sulphur management to support crop performance.

Taken together, these two factors point to a clear conclusion: nitrogen and sulphur must be managed as a single, integrated system.

This is the principle behind Nitrasol^{® –} Formulated with Thio-Sul^®.

Find out more.

Why sulphur is critical to nitrogen performance

Rob Buck, UK Sales Director for Nitrasol Liquid Fertilisers, outlines why sulphur is so important. “Sulphur plays a vital role in nitrogen utilisation, helping crops maximise the value of every unit of nitrogen applied.

“Without sufficient available sulphur, nitrogen efficiency can be compromised, reducing the return on your fertiliser investment.”

Where sulphur is deficient, nitrogen uptake and conversion are impaired, resulting in:

• Reduced nitrogen use efficiency
• Lower yield response to applied nitrogen
• Compromised grain quality

Rob goes on to say, “While some liquid fertilisers rely on ammonium sulphate as a sulphur source, Nitrasol innovated the advanced N+S formulations, including 30N + 10SO₃, using Thio-Sul (Ammonium Thiosulfate) alongside our efficient production processes.

“These concentrated grades are designed to optimise nutrient availability, improve crop performance, and support more sustainable fertiliser use.”

© Nitrasol

Formulated with Thio-Sul^®: A more efficient sulphur source

Thio-Sul^® (ATS) provides a distinct advantage over conventional sulphate-based sulphur fertilisers.

“Rather than delivering all sulphur in an immediately available form – prone to early-season loss – Thio-Sul^® provides immediately available and slow release-forms, gradually converting to plant-available sulphate through natural soil processes.

“This creates a more sustained nutrient supply, better aligned with crop demand.” explains Eugene Lugovskyi, UK Agronomy Manager for Tessenderlo Kerley, producers of Thio-Sul^®.

Under UK conditions, where rainfall and soil type can lead to significant leaching, this controlled release is particularly valuable. It helps ensure that sulphur remains available later in the season, when crops are actively building yield.

Eugene adds that “Field experience consistently shows that crops receiving Thio-Sul^® maintain stronger, more uniform growth and improved reproductive development -even where total sulphur inputs are lower, compared to ammonium sulphate controls.”

© Nitrasol

Nitrasol^®: Delivering more from every application

By integrating Thio-Sul^® directly into its formulation, Nitrasol^® offers more than a conventional liquid fertiliser blend. It provides a complete nitrogen and sulphur delivery system, designed for both performance and practicality.

Key advantages include:

• Improved nitrogen efficiency Thio-Sul^® supports better nitrogen retention in the soil by reducing losses and slowing nitrogen conversion into leachable nitrates. This increases the proportion of applied nitrogen available to the crop – maximising return without increasing application rates.
• Balanced nutrition in a single pass Nitrasol^® delivers nitrogen and sulphur together in a clean and clear solution, ensuring consistent nutrient ratios across the field and eliminating the need for separate applications.
• Reliable liquid performance As a manufactured liquid sulphur source, Nitrasol^® – Formulated with Thio-Sul^® avoids the compatibility and crystallisation issues sometimes associated with ammonium sulphate-based liquid systems, ensuring consistent handling and application.
• Higher nutrient density Thio-Sul^® enables a more concentrated formulation, allowing more nutrient to be applied per hectare with less product volume – improving efficiency in transport, storage and field operations.
• Designed for UK farming conditions UK growers operate in a challenging environment, with high rainfall, variable soils and increasingly tight application windows. Nitrasol^{® –} Formulated with Thio-Sul^{® –} is specifically suited to these conditions.
  Its combination of controlled sulphur release and enhanced nitrogen efficiency helps ensure that nutrients remain available when crops need them most, rather than being lost from the system. 
  This is particularly important in high-value crops such as oilseed rape, where maintaining nutrient supply through key growth stages is critical to achieving consistent yields.

Maximising return on nutrient investment

With fertiliser representing a significant proportion of input costs, the focus is shifting from simply applying nutrients to ensuring they are used as efficiently as possible.

Nitrasol^® offers a practical solution:

• More effective use of applied nitrogen
• Improved sulphur availability throughout the season
• Reduced losses and better nutrient recovery
• Greater operational efficiency from a single liquid system.

The future of liquid fertilisation

As nutrient efficiency and environmental performance continue to come under scrutiny, integrated solutions that deliver both agronomic and practical benefits will become increasingly important.

Nitrasol^{® –} Formulated with Thio-Sul^{® –} represents a step forward in this direction, combining proven chemistry with modern liquid fertiliser technology to support more efficient, more reliable crop nutrition.

For growers looking to get more from every hectare, the message is clear: better sulphur leads to better nitrogen performance – and better results in the field.

Find out more about Nitrasol^® or read our blog post.