UAN-32 vs Ammonium Nitrate: Complete Comparison for Winter Wheat (2026)

Quick verdict#

UAN-32 wins when the farm has a sprayer with a boom ≥18 m and annual nitrogen fertilizer volume above 200 tonnes: the liquid form saves 1–2 field passes per season through herbicide tank-mixes and delivers 5–10% more uniform application. Ammonium nitrate wins on farms up to 300 ha where a wide-boom sprayer either doesn't exist or won't pay back in one cycle — a broadcast spreader costs 5–8× less than a 24 m sprayer. The April 2026 price difference per 1 kg of actual nitrogen is only about 1.5%, so the decision comes down to logistics and the equipment already on the farm, not the sticker price of the fertilizer. Before you buy, budget the cost of one sprayer pass, the storage cost, and the nitrogen losses — those three factors drive the outcome.

What is UAN-32?#

UAN-32 is a urea-ammonium-nitrate solution that contains 32% nitrogen in three forms simultaneously: ammonium (8%), nitrate (8%), and amide (16%). This ratio gives a layered effect: the nitrate is immediately plant-available, the ammonium is absorbed gradually, and the amide fraction converts to ammonium over 7–14 days, functioning as a slow-release second wave. The solution is liquid, stable down to −2°C, with a density of 1.32 kg/L. It is applied with a sprayer as a water solution. In Ukraine, UAN-32 is manufactured by OSTCHEM and Group DF, and imported from Yara International, EuroChem, and BASF. Standard packaging is 1,000 L IBCs, 200 L drums, or direct-to-tank from a delivery truck into a stationary farm tank. Transport cost is 40–50% lower than granular equivalents thanks to bulk handling.

What is ammonium nitrate?#

Ammonium nitrate (NH₄NO₃) is a granular fertilizer with 34.4% nitrogen split evenly between ammonium and nitrate. The standard Ukrainian product is N33 (33% nitrogen, stabilized with dolomite or magnesium additives that reduce caking and lower the hazard class). It is applied with a centrifugal broadcaster or manually. Storage must be dry and ventilated — if the product absorbs moisture, it cakes solid within 3–5 days and becomes unusable by broadcasters. Since 2022, ammonium nitrate has been classified as an explosive precursor in Ukraine, so warehouses need a permit from the Derzhprodspozhyvsluzhba (State Consumer Service), video surveillance, and an inbound/outbound movement log. This adds 600–900 UAH/t in logistics costs compared to urea. The main Ukrainian producers are Group DF (Cherkasy Azot) and OSTCHEM.

How do they compare on price?#

In April 2026, UAN-32 costs about 17,800 UAH per tonne ex-works at OSTCHEM or Group DF plants, and ammonium nitrate N33 about 19,400 UAH per tonne on the same terms. UAN looks 8% cheaper at first glance, but the correct comparison is price per 1 kg of actual nitrogen. On that basis UAN-32 costs ~55.6 UAH/kg N and ammonium nitrate ~56.4 UAH/kg N — only a 1.5% difference by active ingredient. Logistics, though, widen the gap: tanker delivery of UAN-32 is 20–30% cheaper per tonne thanks to higher density and no packaging, while ammonium nitrate storage compliance adds 600–900 UAH/t. On a delivered-to-farm basis, UAN-32 lands 4–6% cheaper. Storage and transport — not the headline price — drive the decision.

How do they compare on application uniformity?#

UAN-32 is applied by sprayer as a water solution, so uniformity depends on boom width and nozzle calibration. With a standard 24 m boom at the correct pressure (2.5–3 bar), the coefficient of variation (CV) stays under 5% — meeting ISO 5682 requirements. On wider 30–36 m booms with section control and automatic rate adjustment, CV drops to 3–4%. Ammonium nitrate is broadcast with a centrifugal spreader (Amazone ZA-M, Bogballe L2, Kuhn Axis): standard calibration gives a CV of 8–12% beyond 15 m from the spreader centre, and at field edges reaches 15–18%. On fields larger than 100 ha, this variation is visible as striping in the canopy and shows up as a 0.4–0.6 percentage-point standard deviation in grain protein content across the field.

How do they compare on nitrogen losses?#

UAN-32 is 50% amide (urea), which converts to ammonium via soil urease and can volatilize as ammonia. Without a urease inhibitor, surface-applied losses in dry warm weather run 5–7% over the 7–10 days following application, reaching 10% on the warm sandy soils of Polissia. With an NBPT-based inhibitor (N-butyl thiophosphoric triamide — Agrotain, Limus), losses drop to 2–3%. The inhibitor costs about 180–240 UAH per tonne of UAN and pays back at application rates above 200 kg/ha. Ammonium nitrate loses 8–15% of nitrogen from surface broadcasting without soil incorporation, especially in May when temperatures climb above 18°C and winds exceed 3 m/s. Incorporation by harrow cuts losses to 3–5%, but adds a field pass worth 380–520 UAH/ha in fuel and labor.

Can you tank-mix with herbicides?#

UAN-32 allows tank-mixes with compatible herbicides for a single field pass — the headline advantage of the liquid form. Compatible products: 2,4-D, dicamba, MCPA, florasulam, thifensulfuron (after a jar-test check with 500 ml of the mix in a clear container for 30 minutes). Incompatible: full-rate sulfonylureas without compatibility aids, and phenoxy acids at the budding stage. UAN concentration in the tank must stay under 25% of total volume — above that, leaf burn begins. Ammonium nitrate allows no herbicide tank-mixes: each operation runs separately, with a sprayer for the herbicide and a broadcaster for the nitrate. For farms economizing on field passes, UAN-32 cuts 1–2 sprayings per season. One sprayer pass in April 2026 costs roughly 380–520 UAH/ha including fuel, depreciation, and operator wages.

Who should buy which#

Farms above 1,000 ha with 24–36 m boom sprayers — unambiguously UAN-32: the 1–2 saved passes and more uniform application deliver an extra 0.3–0.5 t/ha of yield at the same nitrogen rate. Farms 300–1,000 ha with an 18–24 m sprayer — either product works, with the call driven by available storage (liquid vs dry). Farms 300–1,000 ha without a wide-boom sprayer — ammonium nitrate (cheaper than buying new equipment for one season). Small farms up to 300 ha — ammonium nitrate plus manual top-dressing on awkward fields: a sprayer on that acreage takes four-plus seasons to pay back. Organic production — neither: both fertilizers are not certified for organic farming. Look at urea with organic inhibitors, bio-based granular urea, or well-composted cattle manure.