Ammonium sulfate (or ammonium sulfate) is a neutral salt of sulfuric acid and has the chemical formula (NH4)2SO4. It appears as a white, yellowish, or gray-blue crystalline substance, highly soluble in water (769 grams per 1 liter at room temperature). It poorly absorbs moisture, so it hardly caking, unlike ammonium nitrate and retains its free-flowing nature.
Ammonium sulfate contains about 21% nitrogen and 24% sulfur, which is why it is widely used as a nitrogen-sulfur fertilizer. Nitrogen and sulfur are essential nutrients for agricultural crops, as they are components of proteins and amino acids. This is why ammonium sulfate is a very valuable mineral fertilizer.
In addition to its nutritional value, ammonium sulfate is cheaper than other nitrogen-containing fertilizers. The cost of 1 ton of nitrogen in ammonium sulfate is approximately twice lower than in ammonium nitrate and urea.
Excellent results are achieved by applying ammonium sulfate to cereal and fodder crops: rapeseed, rice, potatoes, sunflower, sugar beet, vegetable crops, melons. Good effects are also obtained by applying ammonium sulfate as a top dressing for perennial grasses.
However, prolonged use of ammonium sulfate, especially on light soils, leads to soil acidification. Therefore, if you notice that the soil acidity is increasing (soil acidity can be determined using special devices or chemical indicators), you need to apply lime or bone meal, or fertilize the soil in combination with other fertilizers that neutralize the harmful effects of ammonium sulfate. Applying ammonium sulfate together with manure also prevents soil acidification.
It should be noted that ammonium sulfate is used not only as a mineral fertilizer, but also in biochemistry, water purification technologies, and viscose fiber production. Ammonium sulfate is also used in the food industry, where it is registered as food additive E517.
