By Todd Neeley
DTN Staff Reporter
OMAHA (DTN) -- Five retail fertilizer prices were lower in the first week of August, according to prices tracked by DTN, with four of the prices dropping by $4 per ton since the first week of July.
None of the eight fertilizer prices moved a significant amount, which DTN considers 5% or more.
MAP had an average price of $530/ton, down $2; anhydrous $580/ton, down $4; DAP had an average price of $494/ton, down $4; urea $428/ton, down $4; UAN28 $272/ton, down $4.
Three fertilizers were higher compared to the previous month. That includes 10-34-0 $486/ton, up $4; UAN32 $320/ton, up $3 and potash $393/ton, up $1.
On a price per pound of nitrogen basis, the average urea price was at $0.47/lb.N, anhydrous $0.35/lb.N, UAN28 $0.49/lb.N and UAN32 $0.50/lb.N.
All eight of the major fertilizers are higher compared to last year. DAP is 1% higher, MAP is 5% more expensive, 10-34-0 is 10% higher, potash is 11% more expensive, UAN28 is 13% higher, UAN32 is 15% more expensive, while anhydrous and urea are both 17% higher compared to last year.
Researchers at Oxford University and Cambridge University are developing a new method for better fixing nitrogen in wheat and corn.
According to a news release from Oxford, http://www.ox.ac.uk/…, scientists have engineered what they are calling a novel plant-microbe signaling pathway using synthetic biology techniques.
Scientists found a way to engineer a molecular dialogue between plants and the bacteria surrounding their roots. Enhancing the root microbiota has potential for improving crop yields in nutrient-poor soils and reducing chemical fertilizer use, Oxford said in a news release.
"Plants influence the microbiota of their rhizosphere by sending out chemical signals that attract or suppress specific microbes," said Dr. Barney Geddes from Oxford's department of plant sciences. "Engineering cereal plants to produce a signal to communicate with and control the bacteria on their roots could potentially enable them to take advantage of the growth-promoting services of those bacteria, including nitrogen fixation."
Scientists selected a group of compounds normally produced by bacteria in legumes called rhizopines. They were able to transfer the synthetic signaling pathway to a number of plants including corn and wheat.
DTN collects roughly 1,700 retail fertilizer bids from 310 retailer locations weekly. Not all fertilizer prices change each week. Prices are subject to change at any time.
DTN Pro Grains subscribers can find current retail fertilizer price in the DTN Fertilizer Index on the Fertilizer page under Farm Business.
Retail fertilizer charts dating back to 2010 are available in the DTN fertilizer segment. The charts included cost of N/lb., DAP, MAP, potash, urea, 10-34-0, anhydrous, UAN28 and UAN32.
| DRY |
| Date Range | DAP | MAP | POTASH | UREA |
| Jul 30- Aug 3 2018 | 488 | 505 | 355 | 366 |
| Aug 27-31 2018 | 487 | 513 | 357 | 365 |
| Sep 24-28 2018 | 494 | 520 | 361 | 385 |
| Oct 22-26 2018 | 499 | 518 | 366 | 406 |
| Nov 19-23 2018 | 501 | 530 | 368 | 407 |
| Dec 17-21 2018 | 508 | 532 | 377 | 407 |
| Jan 14-18 2019 | 512 | 534 | 383 | 407 |
| Feb 11-15 2019 | 512 | 537 | 385 | 405 |
| Mar 11-15 2019 | 510 | 534 | 386 | 402 |
| Apr 8-12 2019 | 505 | 532 | 387 | 404 |
| May 6-10 2019 | 501 | 527 | 391 | 418 |
| Jun 3-7 2019 | 497 | 527 | 392 | 434 |
| Jul 1-5, 2019 | 498 | 532 | 392 | 432 |
| Jul 29-Aug 2 2019 | 494 | 530 | 393 | 428 |
| Liquid |
| Date Range | 10-34-0 | ANHYD | UAN28 | UAN32 |
| Jul 30- Aug 3 2018 | 443 | 498 | 242 | 279 |
| Aug 27-31 2018 | 446 | 480 | 233 | 271 |
| Sep 24-28 2018 | 449 | 493 | 236 | 278 |
| Oct 22-26 2018 | 457 | 499 | 243 | 284 |
| Nov 19-23 2018 | 457 | 520 | 246 | 287 |
| Dec 17-21 2018 | 457 | 565 | 265 | 304 |
| Jan 14-18 2019 | 462 | 580 | 270 | 305 |
| Feb 11-15 2019 | 470 | 596 | 271 | 318 |
| Mar 11-15 2019 | 469 | 596 | 269 | 318 |
| Apr 8-12 2019 | 481 | 592 | 271 | 317 |
| May 6-10 2019 | 487 | 595 | 267 | 310 |
| Jun 3-7 2019 | 487 | 591 | 271 | 314 |
| Jul 1-5, 2019 | 482 | 584 | 276 | 317 |
| Jul 29-Aug 2 2019 | 486 | 580 | 272 | 320 |
Todd Neeley can be reached at [email protected]
Follow him on Twitter @toddneeleyDTN
(KD/CZ)
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