With harvest approaching, many growers are also getting their fall fertilizer plans in place. In this short interview, Agricen’s Scott Lay speaks with WITY Radio about TITAN XC and how it can enhance fall dry fertilizer applications.
Dennis - WITY Radio: Tell us about TITAN XC and when it gets applied.
Scott - Agricen: Fall fertilizer is really the first input decision being made for next year’s crop. It's important to get that crop off to a fast start. TITAN XC is applied to dry phosphate and potassium fertilizers. The intent of applying TITAN XC to the dry fertilizer is really to do two things. The first is to increase the availability of applied nutrients in the spring when that crop can make use of it. The second is to provide a consistent return on investment. Given the fact that fertilizers are higher priced than what we’d like while commodity prices are lower, it's really important to provide that positive return on investment.
Dennis - WITY Radio: When the markets are down, the only way you're going to get over that break-even point is by growing more bushels, and that's what TITAN XC helps you do.
Scott - Agricen: It does. TITAN XC has been on the market since 2012, and we actually just passed a milestone in the spring application season, in which the 100 millionth acre of TITAN XC-treated fertilizer was applied. One hundred million acres doesn't happen by accident, and it doesn't happen unless the product provides a consistent return. What we've seen over time and over millions of acres is about a +9.5-bushel response on corn on average and a +4.5-bushel per acre increase in soybeans. That’s very positive math.
Dennis - WITY Radio: Explain how TITAN XC works to free up those nutrients.
Scott - Agricen: TITAN XC is a biological-based material that is powered by metabolites. While many biological products struggle in the presence of salt-based fertilizers or different environments, TITAN XC can be applied directly to dry fertilizer. In simple terms, when we apply dry fertilizer—which is really just little rocks or pebbles—Mother Nature will help mineralize those nutrients in that fertilizer. All TITAN XC does is accelerate that process by about 15 to 20%. So if more of those nutrients that are applied this fall are in a plant available form next spring, that translates to increased emergence, better early season vigor and gives that plant a better chance for yield, which is what folks are writing the check for.
Dennis - WITY Radio: I understand that TITAN XC also helps free up some of those soil bank nutrients, so it's like you're getting more bang for the bucks you’ve already spent.
Scott - Agricen: In any given growing environment, there are hundreds of dollars’ worth of phosphorus and potassium tied up in the soil. The biochemistry component in TITAN XC helps to naturally release and mineralize those nutrients that may otherwise be bound. Having access to more P and K gives that plant a better chance to photosynthesize and build a better base, so that when you get to this time of year, it converts to greater yields. And it's not just in one year, one zip code or one crop, but across a wide range of geographies and growing environments.
Dennis - WITY Radio: You obviously get a great response if you work with your regular fertilizer strategy. But would it also allow you to lower that fertilizer rate a little bit?
Scott - Agricen: This fall, as growers are looking at their bottom line or their input expenditures for next year, we don't need to find new and creative ways to spend more. If a grower is looking to offset the cost of TITAN XC, meaning no increase in net expenditure, a reduction of only 10 to 12 lbs per acre of P and K can offset that cost. We've seen over a number of different trials and field uses that this can lead to positive yield outcomes and a positive return on investment.
TITAN XC is available from Nutrien Ag Solutions, with more information available at the Loveland Products site.
This interview was edited for length and clarity. You can listen to the interview below or on Agricen's YouTube channel.
