CAN 26%

The Calcium Ammonium Nitrate Fertilizer

CAN 26%, or Calcium Ammonium Nitrate, is a highly effective and widely used nitrogen fertilizer that provides plants with both nitrogen and calcium, two essential nutrients for promoting healthy plant growth and improving soil structure. Containing 26% nitrogen, this fertilizer is well-suited for a wide range of crops and soil types, offering a balanced nutrient solution that supports vigorous plant development and enhances crop productivity. The unique combination of nitrogen and calcium makes CAN 26% especially beneficial for improving soil conditions, promoting strong root growth, and ensuring efficient nutrient uptake.

CAN 26% contains both ammonium nitrogen (NH4) and nitrate nitrogen (NO3), providing plants with a quick-acting nitrogen source as well as a longer-term nitrogen supply. This dual nitrogen form ensures that crops can absorb nitrogen immediately while benefiting from sustained nitrogen availability throughout their growth cycle. The calcium component in CAN 26% helps improve soil structure, allowing better water retention and aeration, which ultimately leads to healthier and more resilient crops

As a versatile fertilizer, CAN 26% can be used in both agriculture and horticulture, supporting a wide range of crops, including cereals, fruits, vegetables, pastures, and ornamental plants. Its compatibility with all soil types makes it a go-to fertilizer for farmers looking to enhance soil fertility and maximize crop yields.

Composition and Production of CAN 26%

CAN 26% is a blend of ammonium nitrate and calcium carbonate, combining the benefits of both nitrogen and calcium in a single, easy-to-use fertilizer. The nitrogen component consists of 13% ammonium nitrogen and 13% nitrate nitrogen, ensuring a balanced nitrogen supply. Calcium makes up the rest of the composition, acting as a soil conditioner that helps prevent soil acidity and enhances nutrient availability. 

CAN 26% is typically produced as granules or prills, making it easy to handle, store, and apply in the field. Its high solubility in water ensures that the nutrients are quickly available to plants, leading to immediate improvements in crop growth and productivity

Applications of CAN 26%

1. Agricultural Crop Fertilization

CAN 26% is an ideal fertilizer for field crops such as wheat, barley, corn, rice, and sugarcane. Its balanced nitrogen content supports early-stage growth and enhances the development of roots, stems, and leaves. The added calcium improves soil structure, helping to prevent soil compaction and improve the soil’s ability to retain water and nutrients. This makes CAN 26% particularly useful in soils with low calcium content or those that are prone to acidification.

2. Horticultural Use

CAN 26% is also widely used in horticulture, where it promotes healthy growth in fruit trees, vegetables, and ornamental plants. The combination of nitrogen and calcium ensures that plants receive the nutrients they need for vigorous growth, flowering, and fruit development. The calcium content is especially beneficial for preventing blossom-end rot in tomatoes and other calcium-sensitive crops, improving both yield quality and plant resilience.

3. Pasture and Forage Fertilization

CAN 26% is an excellent choice for fertilizing pastures and forage crops, where it helps maintain a consistent nitrogen supply for grass growth while also improving soil health. Calcium promotes better root development and increases the uptake of nutrients, ensuring that pasture grasses remain productive throughout the growing season. This makes CAN 26% particularly useful in dairy farming and other livestock operations where high-quality forage is essential.

4. Top-Dressing and Side-Dressing Fertilizer

CAN 26% is often applied as a top-dressing or side-dressing fertilizer, providing crops with a quick nitrogen boost during critical growth stages. Its granular form ensures that it can be easily spread across fields, either manually or using mechanical spreaders. The quick-release nitrate nitrogen provides immediate nourishment to crops, while the slower-releasing ammonium nitrogen continues to supply nutrients over a longer period.

5. Soil Conditioning and pH Management

In addition to supplying nitrogen, CAN 26% acts as a soil conditioner by providing calcium, which helps neutralize soil acidity and improve soil structure. Calcium plays a crucial role in improving the tilth of the soil, allowing for better water penetration, root growth, and nutrient exchange. By preventing soil compaction and acidification, CAN 26% ensures that crops have access to the nutrients they need for sustained growth.

Benefits of CAN 26%

1. Balanced Nitrogen and Calcium Supply

CAN 26% offers a balanced supply of nitrogen and calcium, making it an ideal fertilizer for promoting healthy plant growth. Nitrogen is essential for leaf development and photosynthesis, while calcium plays a key role in strengthening plant cell walls and improving root health. This combination helps plants absorb nutrients more efficiently, leading to stronger, more resilient crops.

2. Improves Soil Structure

The calcium content in CAN 26% helps to improve soil structure by preventing compaction and enhancing water retention. This allows for better root growth and improves the plant’s ability to absorb nutrients from the soil. By enhancing soil structure, CAN 26% also helps prevent issues like soil erosion and runoff, ensuring that nutrients remain available to plants.

3. Quick and Sustained Nitrogen Release

CAN 26% contains both nitrate nitrogen and ammonium nitrogen, providing crops with an immediate source of nitrogen as well as a longer-term nitrogen supply. The quick-release nitrate nitrogen is immediately available for plant uptake, supporting fast vegetative growth, while the ammonium nitrogen is absorbed more slowly, providing sustained nutrition throughout the growing season.

4. Prevents Soil Acidification

One of the key benefits of CAN 26% is its ability to prevent soil acidification. The calcium in CAN helps to neutralize soil acidity, improving soil pH and ensuring that plants can absorb nutrients more effectively. This makes CAN 26% particularly useful in acidic soils, where other nitrogen fertilizers may exacerbate soil pH problems.

5. Ideal for All Soil Types and Crops

CAN 26% is versatile and can be used in a variety of soil types, from sandy soils to clay soils, and is suitable for a wide range of crops, including cereals, vegetables, fruit trees, and pastures. Its ability to provide both nitrogen and calcium ensures that crops have access to the nutrients they need for robust growth, regardless of soil conditions.

Environmental Considerations

When using CAN 26%, it is important to follow best management practices to minimize nitrogen losses through leaching or volatilization. Farmers should aim to incorporate CAN 26% into the soil or apply it before irrigation or rainfall to ensure maximum nitrogen uptake by plants. The calcium content helps improve soil health, reducing the risk of nutrient runoff and promoting long-term soil sustainability.

Global Market and Demand for CAN 26%

The demand for CAN 26% continues to grow as farmers worldwide seek balanced fertilizers that support soil health and crop productivity. Its ability to provide both quick-release nitrogen and long-lasting calcium makes it a preferred fertilizer in regions such as Europe, North America, Asia, and Africa, where it is widely used in agriculture, horticulture, and pasture management.

Conclusion

CAN 26% is a highly effective nitrogen and calcium fertilizer that enhances both plant growth and soil health. Its combination of fast-acting nitrogen and calcium makes it a versatile solution for a wide range of crops and soil types, ensuring vigorous plant growth, improved soil structure, and increased crop yields. Whether used in agriculture, horticulture, or pasture management, CAN 26% is a reliable choice for farmers looking to improve soil fertility and promote healthy, productive crops.