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See the latest news, innovation updates, trial results, grower stories and more from Agricen. 
[Video] Understanding the Science Behind Ag Biochemicals
June 16, 2014 — Posted By Agricen

The soil is a living environment, full of microorganisms that create biochemical compounds that influence plant growth. At Agricen, we take this biochemistry and make it work even better for the grower, with benefits that include improved plant performance and increased nutrient availability.

In this short video, Agricen’s Director of Applied Sciences, Dr. Brian Cornelious, explains how the biochemistry in Accomplish LM and Titan PBA works to make the difference between having a good growing season and having a great growing season.


 

 
Dr. Brian Cornelious: Everybody knows where our food comes from. It’s right here on the farm. But do we really understand what it takes for a grower to get the most out of every acre he plants? In the next couple of minutes, I’m going to show you how a grower can use the biochemistry in Accomplish LM and Titan PBA to feed our growing population.

[Onscreen: “Agricen. Based on Nature Built on Science.” Then: “The Science Behind It All”]

Brian: The soil is a living environment, full of organisms producing biochemical compounds that influence plant growth. I’m holding just a couple grams of soil. Each gram of soil contains as many as 1 billion bacteria. At Agricen, we have a team of scientists working to make this biochemistry work even better for the grower.

[Onscreen: “The Lab: Where It All Starts”]

Brian: We’re here in the lab, and this is where we really get to understand how the biochemistry in Accomplish LM and Titan PBA actually help to improve our plant performance and increase our nutrient availability.

So, there are key nutrients we’re going to talk about today: nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium.

For nitrogen – the most abundant gas in the atmosphere – we have to have nitrogen to breathe; plants have to have nitrogen to grow. If you want that dark green color, add more nitrogen to the plant. Nitrogen, for the most part in the soil profile, is organic. We have to convert organic nitrogen—which is crop residues, manures, litters, composts, any of those organic sources—into ammonium or nitrate or inorganic forms the plant can use. It’s called the mineralization process. Biochemistry is the only thing in the soil profile that actually helps to mineralize organic nitrogen into an inorganic form that the plants can use.

What about phosphorous? If you really want to get that plant going, it’s just like lighting a match. We have to have red phosphate on that match to get that thing going. The phosphorous in the plant really helps with the establishment and getting that plant going and off to a good start. Again, we’re dealing with mineralization. Lots of phosphorous in the soil profile is inorganic. We have to get it into H2PO4 or HPO4, plant available forms of phosphorous.

What about potassium? Now, you’re probably familiar with this. If you eat bananas, you’re consuming potassium. Potassium helps the plant with regulation of water through the plant. You have to have potassium. It’s a little bit different from nitrogen and phosphorous. We’re not talking about mineralization of organic nutrients. We’re talking about release of nutrients that are in the profile. It gets locked in between the soil layers and it’s not available to the plant. The biochemistry in Accomplish LM can actually help improve that soil structure that helps improve that plant’s ability to take up that potassium.

There’s one more way that Accomplish LM and Titan PBA work to improve crop growth. Titan and Accomplish make the underground transportation system of nutrients much more efficient. It’s the difference between this [Points to slow traffic] and this [Traffic speeds up].

[Onscreen: “Dr. Pepper Ballpark: Home of the Frisco Rough Riders”]

Brian: To further explain the benefits of adding the biochemistry in Accomplish LM and Titan PBA to a grower’s fertility program, we’re here at the ballpark. So, let’s play ball.

The initial fertilizer application – that puts us at home plate. There’s several things that have to happen in order for us to score that run. First, the soil temperatures have to increase. That gets us to first base.

After those temperatures increase, microbes start to function. They’re producing biochemistry now. That gets us to second base. There’s something important about second base in a game of baseball. That’s having a runner in scoring position. With the biochemistry in Accomplish LM and Titan PBA, we start at second base.

Brian: Once the biochemistry helps to mineralize the nutrients, that gets us to third base. The plants are actually taking those nutrients up. Now the plants can actually utilize those nutrients for functioning and yield. And that scores that run. But, with the biochemistry in Accomplish LM and Titan, we’ve got that advantage. We’re scoring two runs with the same process.

As growers know, things are tight. Adding the biochemistry in Accomplish LM and Titan PBA can be the difference in just having a good season, and having a great season.

Brian: At Agricen, it’s important for us to deliver new technology options to allow the grower to get the most out of every acre he plants. The biochemistry in Accomplish LM and Titan PBA improve access of nutrients to the plant, more flow of nutrients in the plant, and also increases the efficiency of utilization of nutrients by the plant.

At Agricen, our technology truly is based on nature and built on science. I’m Brian Cornelious. Thank you for watching.

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Accomplish Technology Offers Tomato Growers Many Benefits
June 10, 2014 — Posted By Agricen

With limited rainfall to help flush salts or to irrigate the crops in summer months, growers need help to obtain quality yields. Incorporating Accomplish LM into a standard fertility program can really assist here.

Accomplish LM mineralizes nutrients and increases root size and branching so that more of the root system can take up nutrients and water. For specialty crops like tomatoes, the result is better plant performance and higher potential tomato yields (Figures 1 & 2).

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Figure 1. Yield increase with Accomplish LM in a split application trial on tomatoes conducted by the University of California Cooperative Extension. Accomplish LM was applied at 2 quarts/acre at transplanting and at 2 quarts/acre 30 days later along with standard fertility and management practices.

tomatoes_FL

Figure 2. Yield increase with Accomplish LM in a split field trial on tomatoes conducted by the University of Florida. Accomplish LM was applied at 3 quarts/acre at transplanting and 3 quarts/acre two weeks later along with standard fertility and management practices.

In a year like we are having, these benefits will be a key part of making sure growers get the ROI they need to stay in business.

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Video: Grower Stories - Wetzel Farms, Grayson County, TX
March 11, 2014 — Posted By Agricen

After a career in finance made him realize he didn’t want to spend his days sitting behind a desk, Chad Wetzel of Wetzel Farms in Grayson County, Texas, returned to his farming roots. Today, this third-generation family farmer has approximately 7,000 acres in a corn and wheat rotation.

Hear how using Accomplish LM has helped him gain a corn yield advantage in the challenging Texas dryland environment, and learn why he’s planning on using this product on additional acres.

Watch the video:

 

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Understanding Starter Fertilizer Programs
February 28, 2014 — Posted By Agricen

starter_headerIn this short video, Steve Sexton and Dr. Brian Cornelious of Agricen discuss the use of starter fertilizer, the importance of phosphorus for early plant growth, and the need make sure nutrient availability and uptake are optimized for maximum starter program impact.

Watch the video below:

 

 

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Accomplish LM Addresses Challenges for California Almond Growers
February 27, 2014 — Posted By Agricen

It requires a lot of fertilizer and water to maintain a healthy almond tree throughout the year and to prepare for–and optimize–production the following year. Those requirements present some very specific challenges.

One of the most important issues is water scarcity. California is now in the midst of one of the worst droughts in the state’s history, leading some almond farmers to let their trees dry up, or even have them torn out of the ground. Another issue—although one that might feel less pressing given the current water problems—is the implementation of fertilizer regulations in California, which means that some growers will need to make changes to their fertility practices.

Almond growers have little choice except to find the most effective way to deal with both of these issues, and I am working with many California growers to incorporate Accomplish LM into their fertilizer programs to help mitigate both concerns.

Using Accomplish LM, growers can utilize fertilizer inputs more effectively and efficiently (as seen in this study of the base product technology), as well as improve their water efficiency (in a Wasco, CA irrigation response study, water got into the soil profile faster, went deeper, and stayed longer with Accomplish LM).

Accomplish LM can also boost almond yields. In a recent almond trial in Merced County, California, adding Accomplish LM to an almond fertility program increased the harvest by 212-303 lbs. per acre (Figure 1).

Almond Trial- Merced County, CA (2013)

almond_chart

Figure 1. Yield increase with Accomplish LM in a California almond fertility program. The grower’s standard practice was compost applied at 5 tons/acre. Accomplish LM was applied at 4 quarts/acre, and 7% zinc was applied at 1 gallon/acre.

Even though it may seem like almonds are everywhere in California, there are a few problems that must be effectively addressed to protect the current crop and ensure an abundant future for California almonds. Accomplish LM helps growers more efficiently utilize fertilizer and water—two very important inputs—and typically delivers a positive impact on yields. It is also very easy to use: you can simply add it to your current fertilizer mix. For California almond growers, Accomplish LM can play a key part in addressing today’s needs while also preparing for tomorrow.

Almond-Trees-Accomplish-LM

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Growing a Better Soybean Crop in a Corn-Soybean Rotation
December 22, 2013 — Posted By Agricen

Accomplish technology can be used to help release and mineralize nutrients in high residue fields. Given the high potassium levels in corn stover and the high potassium demand for a soybean crop, this is a perfect situation for using a residue application of Accomplish technology to improve plant performance (Figures 1-3) and gain a yield advantage in the coming soybean crop (Figure 4).

residue-blog-2

Figure 1. Soybeans, Wimbledon, ND (2011). Improved nutrient uptake in soybean treated with fall-applied Accomplish LM (right) compared to check (left). Accomplish LM was applied in the fall of 2010 at 2 quarts/acre with 1 gallon of 28% UAN and 10 gallons of water per acre**.

residue-blog-3

Figure 2. Soybeans, Wimbledon, ND (2011). Improved nutrient uptake and root growth during the growing season with a fall residue application of Accomplish LM (right) compared to check (left). Accomplish LM was applied in the fall of 2010 at 2 quarts/acre with 1 gallon of 28% UAN and 10 gallons of water per acre**.

residue-blog-4

Figure 3. Soybeans, Wimbledon, ND (2011).Improved nutrient uptake with a fall residue application of Accomplish LM (right) compared to check (left). Accomplish LM was applied in the fall of 2010 at 2 quarts/acre with 1 gallon of 28% UAN and 10 gallons of water per acre**.

residue-blog-5

Figure 4. Soybean yield results, Wall Lake, Iowa (2008). Accomplish LM was associated with the highest yield compared to check (average yield from two check strips adjacent to the Accomplish LM-treated strip) in this trial of soybean grown on corn residue.

Residue applications can be made in the fall, winter, or spring. By using Accomplish technology in their nutrient mineralization programs, growers can speed residue breakdown and release valuable nutrients for a top soybean yield next season.

**Extract PBA, which combines Accomplish LM and ammonium thiosulfate, has been launched since the writing of this blog article. It is now the recommended residue treatment from Agricen.**

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Maximizing Residue Breakdown and Nutrient Release After a Late Harvest
December 19, 2013 — Posted By Agricen

By Stephen Sexton, Director of Technical Sales (@AgricenLifer), Agricen

This season, with high corn yields and a late harvest in many places, it will be critical to take steps to maximize residue decomposition and nutrient release for the benefit of next seasons’ crops. It’s important to keep in mind that the primary limiting factor for residue decomposition is cooler temperatures, which reduce the microbial activity required for residue breakdown. Given the late harvest, that means there's only been a short window for natural decomposition processes to take place. In addition, larger yields produce more residue, which requires more time and energy to properly break down.

We’ve previously discussed just how inefficient applied NPK fertilizers can be in the first year after application, a problem that is compounded in high-residue fields.

Corn residue from a 200 bushel crop contains approximately 116 units of nitrogen (N), 27 units of phosphorous (P) and 209 units of potassium (K). Nutrients in the residue are not in a plant-available form, and mineralization must occur prior to plant utilization. Meanwhile, as soil microbes digest crop residues, they can tie up applied N, making it unavailable for plant growth in the spring. In corn, the lack of N causes corn seedlings (emergence to V3-V4) to turn yellow, also known as “ugly corn syndrome.”

To increase the efficiency of their applied fertilizer in high-residue conditions, many growers are now using Accomplish LM (a biochemical fertilizer catalyst that is not dependent on soil microbial activity) in their nutrient release programs—and are seeing higher yields as a result. Applied in the fall (preferably) or even along with a grower’s standard spring N application, Accomplish LM hastens residue decomposition and mineralization of applied nutrients. This practice is supported by data that includes the findings from a large corn trial conducted in five Northeast Iowa locations in 2010 and 2011.

Iowa Corn Trial: More Nutrient Availability and Uptake, Higher Yields with Accomplish LM

The trial examined the effects of using additional spring-applied N or Accomplish LM (which does not contain N) to address ugly corn syndrome. Four different N sources were used*, and were applied at 40 units of N per acre in late March, 30 days prior to planting. The Accomplish LM treatment was applied at 3 pints per acre with water and no additional N. These applications were in addition to the grower’s standard N application (200 units of N as anhydrous ammonia [NH3]) that had been applied in the fall.

Soil nitrate levels were recorded for each treatment 60 days after planting, and stalk nitrate levels were taken after harvest. The soil nitrate concentration of Accomplish LM (20.6 ppm) was almost three times that of the grower standard (7 ppm). In addition, the Accomplish LM treatment was associated with the lowest stalk nitrate reading of all the treatments (Table 1).

Those two data points, coupled with the Accomplish LM treatment having the highest yield, tell a compelling story that the application of Accomplish LM on the residue created more available N (higher soil nitrate) than applying 40 additional units of N–resulting in improved mineralization of nutrients–and that it delivered that N to the grain (lower stalk nitrate and higher yield).

stalk_tests

Table 1. By late spring, Accomplish LM increased soil N availability without additional N application.

In 2010, Accomplish LM had the highest yield (221 bushels per acre) over all treatments, with an 12 bushel per acre increase compared to the check (Figure 1). In 2011, Accomplish LM again had the highest yield (255 bushels per acre, a 15 bushel/acre increase vs. check). Moreover, while nitrogen use efficiency (units of N/yield in bushels) was not improved for the additive fertilizer applications versus grower standard (0.96 units N/bushel in 2010 and 0.83 units in 2011), it was increased with Accomplish LM (0.90 units N/bushel in 2010 and 0.78 units in 2011).

residue-blog-1

Figure 1. Corn yield results in 2010 (left bars) and 2011 (right bars). Accomplish LM was associated with the highest average yields in both years. The grower’s standard practice was 200 units of N as fall-applied NH3. Accomplish LM was applied at 1.5 quarts/acre. Abbreviations: GSP, grower’s standard practice; MESZ, MicroEssentials® SZ (Mosaic Company); UAN, urea ammonium nitrate; AMS, ammonium sulfate.

In 2011, soil phosphorous levels (P1 & P2) were examined (Table 2).

soil_ppm

Table 2. Improved P availability when Accomplish LM is combined with a standard fertility program.

Just 60 days after application, all of the Accomplish LM treated blocks showed increased soil phosphorous levels. On average, P1 levels increased by 18% and P2 levels by 31% compared to the check. It requires 8-10 pounds of P2O5 to raise a P1 soil analysis 1 ppm; a 13 ppm increase, which was achieved with the Accomplish LM treatment, is equal to applying 100 - 130 lbs of P2O5.

To summarize, Accomplish LM can be used to help mineralize and release nutrients in high residue fields. Over all five Iowa locations, adding just three pints of this biochemical additive 30 days prior to spring planting increased the efficiencies of soil N and soil P, resulting in the highest overall corn yields both years.

* The four N sources were: urea ammonium nitrate (UAN), 28-0-0; ammonium sulfate (AMS), 21-0-0-24S; MicroEssentials® SZ (MESZ), 12-40-0-10(S)-1(Zn) (Mosaic Company); urea, 46-0-0.

**The recommended Accomplish LM residue treatment application is: Accomplish LM at 2 quarts/acre (+1-2 gallons of 28% or 32% UAN + 8.5 gallons of water).

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Consider Agriculture for a Career
November 21, 2013 — Posted By Agricen

By Brian Cornelious, PhD, Director of Applied Sciences (@BrianNPK), Agricen

Agriculture is my passion, and I like to share that passion with others, especially with young adults who are contemplating possible career choices. My grandfather and father were farmers, so I grew up with agriculture in my blood. This led me to major in agronomy in college, which I followed up by pursuing a master’s degree and PhD in plant breeding and genetics. I have been working in private industry since then.

I have frequently had the pleasure of speaking at career orientation days to junior high students. One of my first questions to any group of young people is, “What comes to your mind when you hear the word agriculture?” In agriculture-based communities, farming is often the main answer. Many children there understand that it’s an important profession and calling.

Another question I like to ask is, “What do these careers – doctor, lawyer, farmer and dentist – have in common?” The answer, of course, is that students who major in agriculture as college undergraduates can move into any of these other fields, since many of the necessary college courses, especially chemistry and biology, are relevant to all. This answer surprises some people, who perhaps don’t realize the level of scientific and technical knowledge that farmers have and use daily.

In agriculture, we are facing the growing need to produce more to meet demands for food and fuel. We need farmers, educators, researchers, and scientists to make it happen. What do your children want to be when they grow up? I encourage you to talk to them about the importance of agriculture and the many opportunities they have to make a difference in this field.

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Maximizing Dry Fertilizer Programs with Titan
September 24, 2013 — Posted By Agricen

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As summer fades, many growers around the country are starting to think about how to best implement and manage their fall dry fertilizer programs. Before the spreaders take to the field, growers will need to answer a number of important questions, from “What type of fertilizer to choose?” to “Am I trying to maintain or build nutrient levels in the soil?”

The majority of growers who apply dry phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) fertilizers in the fall will also have two other major concerns:

  • What amount of applied fertilizer will become or remain available to the crop in the following growing season?
  • How can I get better first-year recovery out of my fall dry fertilizer application?

One way for growers to answer these questions and make management decisions is by understanding the efficiency of P and K fertilizers. In this blog, we will talk more about P and K fertilizer efficiency and about some ways to help growers get better first-year nutrient recovery.

Satisfying the Nutrient Demands of Hybrid Corn: Are We Doing Enough?

Even though the use of commercial inorganic fertilizers has risen dramatically in the past 50 years to try to meet the nutrient demands of hybrid corn, soil test information from the International Plant Nutrition Institute (IPNI) suggests that growers are not keeping up with P and K demands of new high-yielding corn varieties.

Today, a 200-bushel corn crop requires 256 units of nitrogen (N), 103 units of P, and 263 units of K (these units take into account NPK in corn residue).1 But as grain production increases, the demand for NPK also increases. In spring and summer seasons with ample moisture, corn yields can surpass the 200 bushel/acre mark by as much as 20-50 bushels/acre, leading to a drawdown of soil P and K levels because the fertilizer application was calculated and applied for the 200 bushel/acre yield.

To illustrate this phenomenon, Figure 1 below shows the changes in P and K levels in the Corn Belt from 2005-2010.2 All of the Corn Belt states experienced a reduction in soil P levels from 2005 compared to 2010, and most states declined in soil K levels as well.

median_soil_levels

Figure 1. Median soil P and K levels (50 percent of samples are above and below these levels) for the Corn Belt states and Ontario. The lower numbers in the maps are the changes from 2005. (Source: IPNI Corn Belt Fertility Study: 2010)

Another alarming issue is the inefficiency of our applied P and K fertilizers. Figure 2 below reveals the stark inefficiency of applied P fertilizers and the wide range of efficiencies for applied K fertilizers.

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Figure 2. First-year nutrient efficiency/recovery. (Source: IPNI)

Many US growers make a dry application of P and K fertilizer in the spring or fall.

Unfortunately, because of the circumstances described above, many of these growers are not going to get the first-year P and K efficiency and recovery they need.

How can growers increase the availability of applied P and K to meet crop demands?

The Answer May Be in the Soil Chemistry and Biochemistry

To help answer that question, there are a few important points to remember about interactions that occur in the soil-plant system when dry fertilizers are applied:

  • Essential crop nutrients are taken up into plant roots as positively charged cations or negatively charged anions (e.g., Ca+2, NO3-).
  • The soil itself has a net negative charge and attracts or holds positively charged cations on cation exchange sites (cation exchange capacity, CEC).
  • Negatively charged anions like nitrate have a high propensity to move below the plant root zone if excessive soil moisture is present.
  • Chemical reactions (soil chemistry) also play an important role in the formation of compounds that are vital to plant growth.
  • Strong attractions among cations, anions, and other compounds can prevent plants from accessing essential nutrients (e.g., when Ca+2 & Fe+2 bind to PO4).

When faced with these interactions, we must rely on the biochemical compounds produced by microorganisms to react with and release the bound nutrients, making them available for plant uptake and utilization.

Titan, a biochemical fertilizer catalyst, can be incorporated into a grower's existing dry fertilizer program to increase P and K availability and improve plant uptake. The concentrated biochemistry in Titan works in the soil profile to aid the mineralization of organic nitrogen and phosphorus into inorganic forms plants use. It also helps to improve soil issues to allow the release of bound potassium from the soil layers. This means that more of the applied fertilizer will become or remain available to the crop in the following growing season, helping growers answer a crucial management question. Figure 3 shows some examples of the results of using Titan with dry P and K blends.

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Figure 3. Results with Titan impregnated on dry fertilizer.

Conclusions

The days may be getting shorter, but with some simple planning, it’s easy to get more nutrient recovery from any fall dry fertilizer application. The end result is increased crop yields and total economic return from your growing program.

References:

  1. Sutch R. (2011). The Impact of 1936 Corn Belt Drought on American Farmers’ Adoption of Hybrid Corn. In: Libecap GD and Steckel RH, eds. The Economics of Climate Change: Adaptations Past and Present (p. 195 - 223) Chicago, Illinois: University of Chicago Press.
  2. Mosaic Company's Nutrient Removal App. Available at: http://www.agprofessional.com/news/Mosaic-introduces-new-nutrient-removal-data-app-135169923.html.
  3. IPNI Corn Belt Fertility Study: 2010

 

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California's Grape Market Increasingly Turns to Accomplish LM
July 17, 2013 — Posted By Agricen

Growers on California’s central coast have recently faced the challenges of a depressed grape market, but, fortunately, that market is now returning to better days.

As the market improves, growers are looking for new technologies that can help them cost-effectively improve production. Accomplish technology is playing a role, with more and more grape growers in central coast areas like Santa Maria and Paso Robles seeing the efficacy of Accomplish as they incorporate it into their plant nutrition programs. Some of the benefits they are seeing include:

  • Larger, more developed roots
  • Better heat stress tolerance
  • A more vigorous growing vine
Edna Valley Grapes
Accomplish-treated wine grapes growing in Edna Valley, California. (Photo taken mid-May.)
 

Paso Robles
Wine grapes almost blooming in Paso Robles, California. (Photo taken mid-May.)
 

We are very excited to be helping central coast grape growers get better results in the field!
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