Author: Lee Menhenett, Senior Technical Agronomist, Incitec Pivot  

 
Key messages 

  • EASY N® is a high analysis liquid nitrogen (N) fertiliser suitable for boomspray applications. 
  • Fungicides are an essential management tool for the control and prevention of multiple fungal diseases. 
  • Combining both fungicide and EASY N® provides a one pass solution for N application and disease control.  
  • EASY N® can cause foliar damage to crops. 
  • Understand contributing factors to foliage burn and how these factors can be mitigated.  

Cereal fungal diseases 

Fungal diseases in cereal crops can cause significant yield loss if not managed through variety resistance, paddock rotation, stubble management, and importantly, timely fungicide applications. Disease pressure is largely associated with wetter seasonal conditions as the foliage remains wet for extended periods. Larger crop canopies in particular hold in leaf wetness and reduce air flow. Various diseases establish in cereal crops at different growth stages and at varying thresholds which often requires multiple fungicide applications. 

Cereal N requirements 

As crops progress though physiological growth stages and dry matter is accumulated, the demand for N increases. Crop yield is built through four critical periods: 

  1. The number of spikes (tillers)/m2. Tiller accumulation will occur from 3 leaf and finish at stem elongation.  
  1. The number of spikelets/head (number of grain positions along the head). Occurs from 3 leaf and is completed at stem elongation. 
  1. The number of positions/spikelet (number of grains wide in the head). Occurs from mid tillering to mid flowering.  
  1. Grain weight, influenced by the length of the season finish. 

Any crop stresses during these periods, such as N deficiency, frost, drought, or excessive waterlogging, can negatively impact yield. Figure 1 demonstrates the N accumulation in whole wheat tops at various growth stages. Until the fully tillered growth stage, only a small percentage of the total N has been accumulated. Once the crop moves into the reproductive growth phase, N demand significantly increases to meet dry matter accumulation. 

Figure 1: Cumulative N accumulation through the growth stages of a 5.5t/ha wheat crop. Source: Incitec Pivo, 2026. 

There is a balance between N applications up to the fully tillered growth stage to encourage tillering and causing excessive vegetative growth, which could have a detrimental effect on yield. Soil mineral N and crop variety are the two main factors that need to be considered. If soil mineral N levels are low or a main season wheat variety is being grown, then the risk of excessive dry matter is low, however, winter wheat varieties tiller strongly reducing the percentage of total N during vegetative growth stage maybe warranted. N needs to be present in the soil at stem elongation to meet the high demand period. In dryland cropping systems, taking advantage of significant rainfall events to get applied N into the soil is the priority.   

EASY N 

EASY N is a high analysis liquid nitrogen solution applied through boomsprays. The product contains 42.5% N (w/v) and is comprised of three N forms: 

  • Nitrate (25%) – immediately plant available through the roots and leaves. Non-volatile. 
  • Ammonium (25%) – taken up through leaves and roots. Conversion to nitrate will take weeks. Volatile in presence of calcium carbonate. 
  • Urea (50%) – taken up through leaves and roots. Conversion to ammonium takes days, conversion to nitrate takes weeks. Volatile. 

EASY N has a solution pH of 6-7 – an important product attribute which helps reduce volatilisation losses. The slightly acidic to neutral pH drives less ammonia production coupled with half of the N in nitrate and ammonium forms, which have lower volatility. Figure 2 shows the lower volatilisation losses of EASY N compared to urea in volatilisation trials conducted in 2024 and 2025. Reduction in ammonia losses between EASY N and urea ranged from 4% to 54% with the average loss from all trial data being 38%. 

Figure 2: Volatilisation losses of EASY N over 14 days compared to Urea at various locations (rain excluded). Source: Incitec Pivot Volatilisation Trials 2024 and 2025. 

 In addition to the agronomic benefits there are also operational benefits in using EASY N: 

  • Use the same wheel tracks 
  • Even application across the boom with <5% variation between nozzles 
  • Less wind influence on application evenness compared to granules. 

Leaf scorch 

Foliar applications of EASY N can lead to leaf scorch. This damage is caused through osmotic pressure from high salt concentration on the leaf surface drawing moisture from within the low concentration leaf. Leaf scorch can also be attributed to high ammonium accumulation in the leaf due to limitation in N assimilation capacity (Castro et al. 2022). The contributing factors leading to an increase in the degree of leaf scorch are the: 

  • rate of EASY N applied  
  • environmental conditions: Rapid drying on the leaf – higher temperatures and wind 
  • droplet size – fine to medium droplets 
  • addition of oils/wetters/surfactants or chemicals that cause phototoxicity effects on crop 

Crop growth stage is important to consider when foliar applying EASY N. Leaf scorch during vegetative growth stages will lead to yield penalties, however causing significant damage once the crop is reproductive can negatively impact yield. The flag leaf (less contribution for barley) and the three leaves prior significantly contribute to yield. Damage to these leaves should be minimised. The head and peduncle are also significant yield contributing plant parts. Figure 3 presents trial data from Incitec Pivot trial work where EASY N (fan nozzles) is expressed as percentage of yield, protein and N recovery compared to urea at 40kgN/ha. The data shows that the performance of EASY N compared to urea is more negatively affected at GS39 compared to GS31, however performs better than urea at GS65. 

Figure 3: Wheat yield, protein and N recovery as a percentage comparing EASY N applied through air inducted flat fan nozzles to broadcast urea at 40kgN/ha at three growth stages (94l/ha EASY N, 87kg/ha Urea). Source: Incitec Pivot, 2026. 

Figure 4 uses the same set of trials to present EASY N applied through streaming nozzles compared to broadcast urea. At each growth stage there is minimal difference in yield whereas protein and N recovery are greater using EASY N at GS31 and GS65 and lower at GS39. Streaming nozzles are a management tool to minimise leaf scorch when applying high rates of EASY N.  

Figure 4: Wheat yield, protein and N recovery as a percentage comparing EASY N applied through streaming nozzles to broadcast urea at 40kgN/ha at three growth stages (94l/ha EASY N, 87kg/ha Urea). Source: Incitec Pivot, 2026. 

Combining fungicides and N 

Once a determination on fungicide and N requirements has been made, there is an opportunity to combine both products and then apply through a boomspray. Eliminating an operation allows for: 

  • machinery efficiency (move onto the next operation and reduce machine hours) 
  • time (labour savings)  
  • minimising wheel track damage (in wet conditions multiple passes increase wheel track marking). 

There are no known incompatibilities of fungicides with EASY N, however, it is always prudent to do a jar test combining products in the correct ratios to assess. The correct order of mixing is: 

  1. Water (at least 20% of spray volume)  
  1. Fungicide 3.  
  1. Wetter*(if required). *Will increase leaf scorch 
  1. 4. EASY N – maintain agitation and apply within several hours.  

Rates of EASY N inclusion can be up to 100 L/ha prior to GS31, however, once past this growth stage there needs to be careful consideration to rate and environmental conditions. EASY N should be applied at <50 L/ha. Foliar scorch is very visible, so there should be an understanding that applications will cause some damage. Figure 5 demonstrates the effect on yield, protein and N recovery of EASY N + Prosaro (200ml) + wetter as a percentage of urea. The comparison of yield loss to EASY N at the same rate with no fungicide and wetter (Fig.3) reduces yield by an additional 3%. 

Figure 5: Wheat yield, protein and N recovery as a percentage comparing EASY N + fungicide (Prosaro + wetter) applied through air inducted flat fan nozzles to broadcast urea at 40kgN/ha at GS39 (94l/ha EASY N, 87kg/ha Urea). Source: Incitec Pivot, 2026. 

Photos in Figure 6 are taken from a wheat trial site at Dookie in 2014. The left-hand photo shows leaves in pairs from the urea 87kg/ha treatment compared to the EASY N 94 L/ha + Prosaro + wetter. From the top of the photo the first leaf pair is flag, flag -1, flag -2 and flag -3. Leaf damage is worse at the tip and extends down the leaf. The centre photo shows clumps of crop taken from the various treatments. The third clump from the left is the EASY N + Prosaro + wetter treatment and clearly shows an increase in leaf scorch.  The clump on the left is EASY N (with no chemical addition) and shows significantly less leaf scorch. The photo on the right clearly shows the EASY N + Prosaro + wetter treatments.  

Figure 6: Left – (top to bottom) Wheat flag, leaf -1, leaf -2, leaf -3 no foliar spray and 94/ha EASY N + Prosaro + wetter. Centre – (left to right) Wheat plants at GS39 – EASY N flat fan 94l/ha, EASY N streaming nozzles 94l/ha, EASY N flat fans 94l/ha plus Prosaro + wetter, Urea 87kg/ha). Right – trial photo showing foliar scorch in the EASY N + Prosaro + wetter treatments. Source: Incitec Pivot, 2026. 

Summary 

EASY N offers many agronomic and operational benefits. There is a risk of leaf scorch if applied through fan nozzles. Expectations around leaf scorch need to be explained with an understanding of environmental conditions, product rate of application and crop growth stage. Streaming nozzles are a management tool to mitigate leaf scorch. 

The combination of EASY N with fungicide applications provides a one pass solution where both products are required. Check physical compatibilities of the fungicides with EASY N with a jar test prior to application. Fungicide addition in cereal crops should not increase leaf scorch when applied to EASY N, however if oils/wetters/surfactants are also added to the tank mix, then leaf scorch will be significantly increased, and rate of EASY N or omission of EASY N should be considered. This consideration is particularly important when crop growth stage has moved past 1st node. 

Combining agronomic and operational benefits makes a compelling case to have EASY N storage on farm. 

Further information 

For more information on EASY N feel free to contact Lee Menhenett at lee.menhenett@incitecpivot.com.au  

References 

Castro SAQd, Kichey T, Persson DP, Schjoerring JK (2022) Leaf Scorching following Foliar Fertilization of Wheat with Urea or Urea–Ammonium Nitrate Is Caused by Ammonium Toxicity. Agronomy 2022, 12, 1405.