Urea 46-0-0

Urea 46-0-0 Specification

Granular urea, the highest-analysis solid nitrogen source available. The declared analysis and supply detail for Urea 46-0-0 are set out below. A Certificate of Analysis is issued on request against the batch you actually receive.

Nutrient Content of Urea 46-0-0

One tonne of Urea 46-0-0 supplies 460 kg of nitrogen (N), 0 kg of phosphate (P₂O₅) and 0 kg of potash (K₂O) — a total of 46 nutrient units per 100 kg.

Nutrient supplied at different rates

What one hectare actually receives at a given spreading rate of Urea 46-0-0. Use it to work back from a nutrient target to a product rate.

Indicative conversion only. Set application rates against a current soil test and confirm them with a qualified agronomist.

Where Urea 46-0-0 Is Used

Urea drives canopy and tiller development rather than root establishment or grain fill, so it belongs in the part of the season where leaf area is what limits yield.

Cereal topdressing

Wheat, barley and oats through tillering and stem elongation, where nitrogen decides tiller survival and grain protein. Rate is set against the soil test and the yield you are chasing, not against the bag.

Pasture and forage

After grazing or a cut, to push the next round of growth. Split applications through the season usually beat one large one, because pasture takes nitrogen up as it grows rather than storing it.

Sugarcane, cotton and other heavy feeders

Crops with a long season and a large nitrogen demand, where the cost per unit of N matters more than anything else in the fertiliser budget. Urea is the cheapest solid nitrogen per unit in Australia and usually the default for these.

Dissolved for fertigation and liquid nitrogen

Urea is highly soluble and goes through drip and sprinkler systems without residue. It cools the water noticeably as it dissolves, so give it time and agitation in cold weather. If the solution is going on as a foliar spray, ask us for the biuret figure on the Certificate of Analysis — biuret is a by-product of urea manufacture, and foliar applications need it low.

As the nitrogen half of a blend

Urea blends readily with DAP, MAP and potash. Some combinations do not hold — urea with single or triple superphosphate draws moisture and goes sticky in the bin. Tell us the analysis you want and we will tell you which blends stand up to storage and which need to be spread fresh.

Getting the Nitrogen into the Crop, Not the Air

This is the one thing that separates a good urea application from an expensive one, and it applies to urea more than any other nitrogen fertiliser.

Once urea hits moist soil, an enzyme called urease converts it to ammonium. On the surface, part of that ammonium escapes as ammonia gas before the crop ever sees it. Losses are worst when the surface is warm and damp, when the soil is alkaline, and when urea lands on heavy stubble — stubble is loaded with urease.

• Water it in. Around 10 mm of rain or irrigation within a couple of days of spreading moves urea into the soil where the ammonium is held. This is the single most effective thing you can do.
• Incorporate it where the operation allows — drilling or light cultivation removes the problem entirely.
• Watch the forecast. Spreading onto a warm, wet surface with no rain coming is the worst case. Cool conditions and dry soil are far more forgiving.
• Consider a urease inhibitor if you are topdressing into warm, moist conditions and cannot water in. Tell us with your enquiry if you need treated product and we will confirm what we can supply.

None of this is a reason to avoid urea. It is a reason to put it out at the right time.

Urea, CAN or Ammonium Sulphate?

All three supply nitrogen. They are not interchangeable.

Not sure which the test points to? Send us the soil test and we will match a product and a rate to it.

Packing and Quantities

Urea 46-0-0 is supplied in bulk, in 1,000 kg and 500 kg bulka bags, and in 50 kg and 25 kg bags. Minimum order is 10–25 MT, depending on the product and the destination. Packing formats, 20ft container loading figures, and bagging and marking are set out in full on our Delivery & Freight page.

Handling and Storage

Store Urea 46-0-0 dry, off the ground and out of direct weather. Nitrogen and ammonium-based fertilisers draw moisture from the air and will cake if left exposed — full handling and storage guidance is on the Delivery & Freight page.

Urea 46-0-0 — Common Questions

How much nitrogen is in a tonne of urea?

460 kg. Urea is 46% nitrogen, so every tonne carries 460 kg of N and nothing else. At 100 kg per hectare you are applying 46 kg of N per hectare.

What is the difference between granular and prilled urea?

Granular urea has larger, harder, more uniform particles that spread evenly at wide bout widths and stand up to handling. Prilled urea is smaller and softer, and is more common where the product is dissolved or spread by hand over short widths. Tell us which your spreader needs and we will confirm what is available for your tonnage.

Can urea be dissolved and applied through irrigation?

Yes. Urea is highly soluble and leaves no residue in emitters or filters. It absorbs heat as it dissolves, so the mixing water gets cold and dissolution slows in winter — allow time and agitation. For foliar use, ask for the biuret figure on the Certificate of Analysis.

Will urea damage my seed?

It can, at high rates placed in direct contact with seed, because the ammonia released during hydrolysis affects germination. Band it beside or below the seed rather than with it where rates are high.

How should urea be stored?

Dry, off the ground, out of direct weather, with bags closed until use. Urea is hygroscopic — it draws moisture from the air and will cake if left open. Full handling and storage guidance is on our Delivery & Freight page.

Urea 46-0-0 Data Sheet

A Certificate of Analysis for your delivered batch and the Safety Data Sheet are both available on request. The analysis in the data sheet is the nominal specification; where a Certificate of Analysis is issued for a batch, that certificate governs.

Related Reading

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