Limus®

Limus® is a urease inhibitor that protects urea-based fertilisers. Limus® improves nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) by minimising nitrogen losses from volatilisation and ensuring optimal nitrogen is available for your crop. Limus® is available as Limus® protected, granular urea.

Introducing Limus®:

Limus® is a highly effective and unique, dual-active urease inhibitor from BASF that protects urea-based fertilisers. We have partnered with a number of urea importers who will apply Limus®, a liquid formulation to their urea granules to produce protected urea.

For a quick overview of Limus protected urea, please click here.

Benefits:

  • Limus® delivers equivalent yields to CAN
  • Limus® reduces greenhouse gas and ammonia emissions on farm
  • Limus® improves yield by 5% versus unprotected urea
  • Limus® contains two actives for optimal efficacy
  • Limus® offers more than 12 months storage stability

Why Limus®?

Published Teagasc trials show that protected urea consistently yields as well as CAN and is efficient in Irish grasslands, offering both environmental and economic benefits.

Teagasc trials data: https://www.teagasc.ie/crops/soil--soil-fertility/fertiliser-types/protected-urea/

We have also been extensively testing the yield performance of Limus® protected urea versus CAN in the field for a number of years, and across a range of crops. Based on 74 BASF trials, Limus raised the yield performance of urea up to the level of CAN.

These equivalent yields highlight that provided ammonia losses are minimised, urea - when protected with a urease inhibitor (i.e. protected urea) - is as reliable a source of nitrogen as CAN.

Protected urea enables farmers to reduce nitrogen losses of both ammonia (compared to urea), and the greenhouse gas, nitrous oxide (compared to CAN).

The global warming potential of nitrous oxide is 298 times that of carbon dioxide so even small nitrous oxide losses represent a significant environmental impact.

Ammonia is an air pollutant. It is a key component of smog and binds to other pollutants and particles in the atmosphere, leading to negative impacts on human health.

We have rigorously tested the efficacy of Limus® in reducing ammonia emissions in both laboratory conditions and in the field. Across 93 BASF trials, up to 98% reduction of ammonia was achieved, with an average reduction of 70%. Whilst in the laboratory, we have assessed its performance on a range of different soil types. Ammonia reductions of up to 98% were also achieved with an average reduction of 83%.

We have been extensively testing the yield performance of Limus® in the field for a number of years, across a range of crops. Across 107 BASF trials, Limus® protected urea/UAN improved yield by an average of 5%, demonstrating that the reduction in losses achieved with Limus® ensured greater availability of nitrogen for uptake, resulting in higher yields.

Limus® is the only urease inhibitor available with two active ingredients (NBPT and NPPT). NBPT and NPPT target different urease enzymes in the soil, thus more effectively protecting the urea from ammonia volatilisation, compared to a urease inhibitor with only one active ingredient. Across 107 BASF trials, Limus® protected urea/UAN delivered 2.2% higher yield than urea/UAN protected with NBPT alone.

The stability of urease inhibitors when added to urea can be limited. Limus® is a liquid formulation and contains our BASF patented polymer technology, providing longer a.i. stability on urea granules compared to generic NBPT and 2-NPT formulations. Even at 20°C Limus® is stable for more than 12 months, giving confidence that even if purchased a year in advance, Limus® protected urea will still work effectively.

The innovative, liquid formulation negates the need to apply additional active ingredient during the production process to compensate for potential losses during storage. It also enhances the movement of the actives into the granule, further helping to prevent losses during application. During abrasion tests 97% of the actives remained on the granule.

Limus® in action:

For an overview of Limus® protected urea, please find a summary sheet here.

For further information on nitrogen losses and Limus®, please find our brochure here

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