Blog

See the latest news, innovation updates, trial results, grower stories and more from Agricen.

[WITY Radio] Sometimes the Answer Is Not More Fertilizer

October 4, 2021 — Posted By Agricen

With growers soon to be making dry fertilizer applications after harvest, Agricen’s Scott Lay spoke with Dennis Michelsen on WITY Radio about getting the most efficiency out of dry fertilizer and the role of TITAN XC.

Dennis – WITY Radio: It’s not always what you put on your field when it comes to fertility, it’s how those nutrients are used. Can you explain why TITAN XC helps you get more out of the nutrients that you’re using on your field?

Scott – Agricen: Nutrients are a fuel that a crop needs. We all recognize that. But we’ve also come to the realization that sometimes the answer is not more fertilizer. As it relates to TITAN XC, essentially what we are doing is employing this technology to increase the breakdown or mineralization of the P and K nutrients that we spread in fall, so that more is available to the crop next year when it needs it. That ultimately leads to very consistent results in terms of early season plant vigor, which leads to better yields.

Dennis – WITY Radio: When I’ve talked to a lot of the experts, they keep telling me that today’s hybrids are going to require a change in how we do business if we want to unlock those high yields. TITAN XC might be one part of that answer.

Scott – Agricen: I think you’ve characterized it accurately. It’s not one thing, but a systems approach, of which plant fertility is a part. We’ve worked with Dr. Fred Below of the University of Illinois since 2011 in evaluating this technology. We’ve had very consistent results from Dr. Below’s trials, which we’ve been able to amplify over nearly 50 million acres across the U.S. over the last 10 years. We are very confident of the consistency of results that folks are going to see.

Dennis – WITY Radio: What sort of return on investment and what sort of boost in yields have you seen in those trials?

Scott – Agricen: Over the course of 10 years—and this is university trials, third-party research trials and our internal split field trials on real farms—the average yield increase in corn is just above 10 bushels. As we look at soybeans, it's about 4 bushels. The ROI is obviously dependent upon the price of the commodity, but generally it’s about $6-8 return for every dollar invested.

Dennis – WITY Radio: Dr. Below's talking about how it’s really important to understand the fertility of your soil, and that these new hybrids with huge yields are really extracting those nutrients out at a much different rate than we’re used to.

Scott – Agricen: That’s very true. If corn yields are going to be 220-250 bushel per acre averages in some areas, when you sit down and do the math, that’s a significant removal rate of phosphorus and potash. Step one, certainly, is ensuring we’re applying adequate levels of fertility. Step two—once you’ve spread those nutrients, what are you doing to enhance the availability of those nutrients? Just because you applied 400 pounds of P and K this fall, it doesn’t mean that all 400 pounds will be available to the 2022 crop. Over time, TITAN XC works in concert with the biological systems in the soil to provide more nutrients into that plant at critical times that will maximize yield.

This interview was edited for length and clarity. You can listen to the full interview below or on Agricen's YouTube channel.

Learn more about TITAN XC by downloading the TITAN XC Fall Fertilizer Booklet.

Making Better Use of Dry Fertilizer Nutrients

September 27, 2021 — Posted By Agricen

Grower Wade Hoffman of Dassel, Minnesota has used TITAN XC on his dry fertilizer for the last eight years. One of the reasons he keeps coming back to Titan XC is because it helps him make better use of the nutrients in his dry fertilizer, which he typically applies in the fall.

"It gives me more use of the fertilizer and a little more even emergence," says Wade. "It seems like the crops really take the fertilizer up better. We've used it for over eight years now, and it's just real consistent."

Mike Amundson of Nutrien Ag Solutions explains that applying TITAN XC to dry fertilizer helps to better break down the dry fertilizer prills for Wade's corn plants. This provides a big advantage for Wade and other growers who use TITAN XC on their dry fertilizer by giving them greater utilization of their applied nutrients.

Wade has seen other benefits, too. When asked if he has observed any soil health advantages, he says that he thinks his soil tilth is better since using TITAN XC. He also has noticed overall good plant performance, even when conditions have been dry in his area.

"It's been really dry up here, and I think the TITAN has worked well in these conditions," says Wade. "I can see the benefits of it. Year after year, it really feels like I'm getting a lot of fertilizer out of it. For the dollars I spend, the plants are getting a lot of use out of the dry fertilizer."

Wade is planning on using TITAN XC on his dry fertilizer again this fall. You can hear more about his experience in this short clip.

Learn more about TITAN XC by downloading the TITAN XC fall fertilizer booklet.

Ohio Growers Excel in Wheat Yield Contest with Titan XC & Extract PBA

June 28, 2021 — Posted By Agricen

Quigley Ohio Wheat 2020 Cathy and Martin Quigley struck gold in the 2020 Ohio Wheat Yield Contest, coming in first in their district with a yield of 93.34 bushels per acre.

What were the keys to Quigleys' success? First, selecting the right wheat variety, the right planting date and the right rate was important. The Quigleys, who live in Clinton county, used Dyna-Gro 9862, a soft red winter wheat, which they planted October 7, 2019.

Having an effective and efficient fertility program was another key to their success. Agricen’s biocatalyst technology was an integral part of the Quigleys' fertilizer program, with Titan XC applied at 1 pint per ton to their fall fertilizer blend and Extract PBA applied at spring topdress in a "weed and feed" application with UAN and broadleaf chemistry.

Mike Hacker, a Dyna-Gro Seed specialist and Nutrien Ag Solutions crop consultant based in Southern Ohio, assisted the Quigleys with the selection of their wheat variety and with recommendations for their fertility program.

Treating dry fertilizer with Titan XC is a sound agronomic practice that can provide a long-term benefit to farm productivity. Titan XC utilizes unique biochemistry to increase nutrient availability and enhance dry fertilizer efficiency. With Titan XC on dry fertilizer in the fall or spring, more of a grower's applied nutrients will be available to the crop to help drive yield.

Extract PBA, with an analysis of 6-0-0-13S, is a biocatalyst that is formulated to maximize nutrient release from crop residues and the soil. Growers can tank mix Extract PBA with herbicides for spring burndown applications, use it with liquid fertilizers to enhance spring broadcast applications, or spray it on crop residues in the fall to enhance nutrient release.

Agricen and Dyna-Gro Seed are proud to be associated with Cathy and Martin, helping them achieve the top wheat yield for Ohio's District 9 in 2020!

Update: Martin and Cathy Quigley were the District 9 wheat yield champions again in the 2021 Ohio Wheat Yield Contest—taking both first and second place with both entries coming in at over 100 bushels per acre. In their winning program, they used Extract PBA on their previous season's crop residue and Titan XC on their wheat fertilizer blend.

Learn more about Titan XC and Extract PBA by downloading the Frequently Asked Questions booklet.

Corn and Soybean Growers See Synergy Between TITAN XC and EXTRACT PBA

June 7, 2021 — Posted By Agricen

TITAN XC and EXTRACT PBA both help growers get more out of their fertilizer investments. But is there any benefit when they are applied in the same growing season? These trials show how TITAN XC on fall dry fertilizer followed by EXTRACT broadcast in the spring with pre-emerge herbicide can lead to improved yields and return on investment for the grower.

All three on-farm trials—two corn, one soybean—were conducted in South Sioux City, Nebraska, to look at the addition of TITAN XC and EXTRACT to the grower's standard practice (GSP). TITAN XC was applied at 1 pint per ton to dry fertilizer that was spread in the fall of 2019. This was followed in the spring of 2020 by EXTRACT applied at 1 gallon per acre with pre-emerge herbicide.

In both corn trials, fall-applied TITAN XC followed by spring-applied EXTRACT led to a yield increase of over +12 bushels per acre, which was accompanied by a positive ROI.

Titan-Extract-corn-1-1

Titan-Extract-corn-2-1

Similarly, the soybean trial also showed a yield increase (+4.98 bushels/acre) and positive net ROI with TITAN XC and EXTRACT in the grower's program.

Titan-Extract-soybeans

Treating dry fertilizer with TITAN XC, a proven technology for enhancing dry fertilizer efficiency, expedites nutrient availability and uptake from the treated ton, while EXTRACT, whether applied alone or with pre-emerge herbicides, helps to release tied up nutrients in the soil.

Whether a grower wants to find ways to be more efficient with their crop nutrition, improve sustainability, or stretch each dollar further, TITAN XC and EXTRACT can help, and can even be used together for greater benefits.

Learn more about TITAN XC and EXTRACT PBA by downloading the Frequently Asked Questions booklet.

Illinois Farm Family Benefits from Earlier Planting with EXTRACT PBA

April 19, 2021 — Posted By Agricen

Along with raising cattle, the DeBaillie family has been growing corn and soybeans in northwestern Illinois for over 65 years. Today, Randy, Rob and Russell DeBaillie, who are the third-generation of farmers in their family, farm around 6,000 acres of land in a longstanding no-till farming practice. EXTRACT PBA is one of the products they rely on to help them run a successful operation.

Like other growers, the DeBaillies like to get their crops in as early as possible, usually in the last week in April. They typically plant corn at 36,000 seeds per acre in their highly productive rolling clay hills. Given their northern location in Orion, Illinois, harvest ordinarily ends around Thanksgiving.

DeBaillie Farm Rob, Russell and Randy DeBaillie of Orion, Illinois - on the farm and ready to plant in an Extract-treated field.

Mike Roegiers, a crop consultant with Nutrien Ag Solutions who has been the DeBaillie family's advisor for over 25 years, says that with their high yields and today's genetics, the DeBaillies needed an effective way to manage their corn residue so that they could get in their fields earlier than in the past.

"We don't have enough heat in the fall and early spring to rely on the residue from the high-yielding, fuller season hybrids naturally breaking down in time for that early planting window," says Mike.

About six years ago, the DeBaillies started a trial with EXTRACT to try to address this challenge, and today they spray it on all of their corn stalks. Bean stubble gets a vertical tillage tool in the fall. They also use TITAN XC to treat their dry fertilizer on most acres.

"With EXTRACT, the residue in between the corn stalk rows turns to dust now when the planter's residue managers hit them," say the DeBaillies. "We also get in the fields at least a week earlier than in the past."

This, in turn, helps them achieve an earlier harvest date.

When they look at their neighbors' fields, the DeBaillies have said they can see a difference in the amount of crop residue compared to their own fields, with corn stalk rows from two years prior still visible in the neighbors' bean stubble. They've also seen a yield impact in their soybeans planted after corn.

"Our soybean yields were rather flat before," they say. "Since we started using EXTRACT, we see our yield averages constantly on an upward trend."

They believe a lot of this success is from earlier planting in drier and warmer soil conditions due to using EXTRACT.

Mike adds that EXTRACT has also made a significant overall improvement in the DeBaillies' farming operation by allowing earlier application of herbicide in the spring. They are now looking into applying EXTRACT with fall herbicide for soybeans to make early spring more efficient.

"In the old days, they may have had to let a field sit an extra couple days to dry," he remarks. "Now they have that little edge with EXTRACT to make the field work earlier and much profitably all year."

Learn more about using EXTRACT PBA to help manage crop residue by downloading the crop residue booklet.

Continuous Corn Growers See Yield Benefit with EXTRACT PBA

March 30, 2021 — Posted By Agricen

Crop residue left on the soil surface after harvest can present both challenges and opportunities going into the next planting season. Potential tie-up of important nutrients, delayed nutrient recycling, and difficulty getting pre- and post-applied weed control coverage are some challenges growers may face. However, if crop residues are properly managed, there are great opportunities for nutrient release, improvement in soil organic matter, and soil moisture preservation.

Harvest and tillage equipment that mechanically break down residue are useful management tools, but adding a biochemical tool in the form of EXTRACT PBA can also help growers manage and even benefit from surface crop residue, regardless of their tillage practices.

"Whether you want to release nutrients from the soil or break down your crop residue, EXTRACT does all the heavy lifting, delivering consistent ROI to the farmer," says Michael Bern, Nutrien Ag Solutions Location Manager in Galesberg, Illinois.

Applied in spring or fall, EXTRACT helps to speed nutrient recycling by accelerating the breakdown of organic matter on the soil surface using microbial-derived biochemistry, which allows growers to recapture more of their original fertilizer investment. By helping to decompose crop residue, EXTRACT can also facilitate more effective tillage and better seedbeds, with improved seed-to-soil contact at planting and better crop stands.

On-Farm Studies

In a trial near Edgar, Nebraska, EXTRACT was applied at 1 gal/acre in the spring with pre-emergent herbicide to assess its impact on dryland corn in a corn-on-corn rotation. Both the treated and the untreated parts of the field also had UAN 32 applied at 9 gal/acre. The photo below powerfully illustrates how this treatment can release nitrogen tied up in crop residue.

On the untreated side, not only is more residue present on the soil surface, but the lower leaves of the plant are also firing, a sign that the plant is nitrogen deficient. On the EXTRACT-treated side, there is less residue present on the soil and the lower leaves are still green and healthy. In this trial, the EXTRACT treatment led to a yield increase of +15 bu/acre compared to untreated.

In Essex, Iowa, the addition of EXTRACT (2 gal/acre rate) to the grower's standard program of UAN 32 (applied at 7 gal/acre) also had a big yield impact in continuous corn, with larger corn ears (seen below) and a yield increase of +22 bu/acre where EXTRACT had been used.

In another example, adding EXTRACT (1 gal/acre rate) to the grower's standard program led to corn yield increases of more than +8 bu/acre in the two fields shown below near Greensburg, Indiana. These fields had been continuous corn for roughly six years.

Compatible with Both Spring and Fall Applications

For those considering a spring or fall application, EXTRACT can be tank mixed with herbicides, including glyphosate, and applied with burndown. It can also be broadcast with liquid fertilizers.

By using EXTRACT to increase nutrient release from crop residues and the soil, growers will be set up for greater success in the coming season.

Learn more about the benefits of using EXTRACT PBA in a corn program by downloading the Extract Makes Corn bulletin.

Agricen's Product Technology Part of Top Corn Growers' Wins

February 3, 2021 — Posted By Agricen

Last season, Agricen's product technology helped some of the highest-yielding corn growers in America take home a winning title in the National Corn Growers Association's 2020 National Corn Yield Contest.

A total of 6 national and 20 state winners used at least one product containing Agricen's biocatalyst technology in 2020. Among them were Don Stall of Charlotte, Michigan, who was the top-yielding grower overall in the contest, Kevin, Shawn, Nikia and Rhylan Kalb of Dubois, Indiana, who took national wins across three categories, and Leonard Truszkowski of Stewartsville, New Jersey, who also placed nationally.

The biocatalyst-based products represented in the top growers' programs were Accomplish LM, Titan XC, Extract PBA, Prologue, Levitate and NexBlu. All are exclusively available from Loveland Products though Nutrien Ag Solutions.

Grower Don Stall came in first place, nationally, in the Conventional Irrigated category with a yield of 476.9052 bu/acre, which was also the overall highest yield in the 2020 contest.

"Titan and Accomplish...turn nutrients into an available, soluble form so we can take them up," says Don. "It obviously works. You can see it, when you run the combine across the field and you weigh it. The results speak for themselves."

The Corn Belt's first place national winner in the Conventional Non-Irrigated Category was Kevin Kalb, with a yield of 385.4405 bu/acre.

"When I talk about raising, potentially, the biggest crop we have, I need to get as much phosphorus as I can into the plant. Titan makes that possible," Kevin says.

Kevin's wife, Shawn Kalb, also took home a first place national win in the No-Till Non-Irrigated category in the Corn Belt (329.0569 bu/acre), while Kevin and Shawn's children, Rhylan and Nikia, each placed second nationally in the Conventional Non-Irrigated (345.9045 bu/acre) and Strip, Min, Mulch, Ridge-Till Non-Irrigated (323.7572 bu/acre) categories in the Corn Belt states, respectively.

If you are interested in more details about these and other growers who have had winning corn yields in the NCGA contest, you can read about them in these posts:

Wishing everyone great success in the coming season!

You can learn more about the biocatalyst technology that is helping top corn growers achieve big yields by watching our film, Last Stand, or downloading our FAQ.

OSU Extension Soybean Trial Shows Benefit of Pre-Emergence EXTRACT PBA

January 19, 2021 — Posted By Agricen

Soybeans in farm field Does a pre-emergence application of EXTRACT PBA increase soybean yields, and does it provide a return on investment?

In recent on-farm, replicated research conducted by Ohio State University (OSU) Extension, EXTRACT checked off both boxes, showing a positive yield benefit and a positive net return to the grower.

John Barker, OSU's County Extension Educator in Knox County, worked with grower Dave Mitchem of Mitchem Farms on the trial, which was designed to test the effects of adding a pre-emergence sulfur application to a soybean production program. EXTRACT, which has an analysis of 6-0-0-13S, was selected as the sulfur treatment.

In a video posted by OSU Extension about the trial, both Dave and John emphasize the need for profitability when using any product or practice.

"It has to have a return on investment over the labor and management costs it takes to put it in there," says Dave.

The study was designed as a randomized complete block study and was performed on two plots (4 replications each) located near Centerburg, Ohio. The EXTRACT treatment was applied pre-emergence at a rate of 1 gallon per acre and compared to the check (no treatment). The previous crop was corn.

Growing conditions were favorable for soybeans in their part of the country in 2020, with adequate rainfall throughout the season and little to no stress on the plants.

Throughout the growing season, John and Dave observed that the treated areas were slightly greener than the untreated areas. At harvest, the average yield in the first plot was 71.23 bu/a with EXTRACT treatment, compared to 66.99 bu/a (no treatment), a yield increase of +4.24 bu/a. In the second plot, the average yield was 80.62 bu/a with EXTRACT treatment, compared to 75.91 bu/a (no treatment), a yield increase of +4.71 bu/a.

Yield data taken from OSU Extension video., "Knox County On-Farm Research 2020"

Importantly, the calculated return on investment with EXTRACT as a sulfur treatment was also favorable in this trial.

“The bottom line is so important to these guys. They’ve got to be able to show a profit and be able to make money to be back in the game again next year,” says John. “We showed a positive net return to sulfur on both of our plots.”

Assuming soybeans at $13.50/bu, the average net return with EXTRACT in this trial would be $48.41/acre.*

You can hear more trial details directly from John and Dave in the video.

To learn more about EXTRACT, download the EXTRACT PBA booklet.

*ROI calculation does not include application costs.

TITAN XC Improves Potato Yields in Idaho Trials

December 8, 2020 — Posted By Agricen

At Nutrien Ag Solutions' Snake River Division in Idaho, Josh Perotto and his team have been looking at the benefits of treating dry fertilizer with TITAN XC in potato growing operations over the past two years.

In a split-farm trial harvested in 2020, the grower's potato yield was increased by +105.1 sacks per acre where his dry fertilizer had been treated with TITAN XC to maximize prill breakdown and nutrient release, as compared to yield where untreated dry fertilizer had been spread. There were also fewer culls (unmarketable potatoes) where TITAN XC had been used.

These potato yield results followed the team's findings from the 2019 season, where a split-field trial showed that potatoes grown with TITAN XC-treated dry fertilizer outyielded the untreated dry fertilizer by +19 sacks per acre (572 cwt/acre with TITAN XC vs 553 cwt/acre untreated).

Josh and his team also noted that they performed weekly tissue testing throughout the 2020 growing season and observed that potato plants grown with TITAN XC-treated dry fertilizer showed a trend toward higher tissue phosphate levels compared to the untreated dry fertilizer.

In Idaho, high lime, high pH soils mean that soil phosphate deficiencies are not uncommon. This is because applied phosphorus will react with calcium in the soil, which makes the phosphorus insoluble and unavailable. By applying TITAN XC on dry fertilizer, growers can address this limitation and enhance the availability and uptake of phosphate and other nutrients from dry fertilizer. TITAN XC accelerates the breakdown of treated dry fertilizer and helps facilitate mineralization – the conversion of organic nutrients into inorganic, plant soluble, plant available forms. With more nutrients available, more nutrients can be captured by the plant, which can lead to significant yield benefits.

Learn more about TITAN XC by downloading the TITAN XC Booklet.

Yield Success with EXTRACT PBA in Mississippi Corn Trial

October 29, 2020 — Posted By Agricen

Yield success for a grower near Macon, Mississippi started in the fall when he applied 1 gallon per acre of EXTRACT PBA (with 1 gallon/acre of UAN 32 +15 gallons/acre of water) on cotton residue from his harvested crop.

The grower planted corn the following spring. Where EXTRACT had been used, he realized a yield increase of +11.47 bushels per acre compared to the check, as well as a net ROI of over $30 per acre with his EXTRACT application.

The NDVI shows the greater vegetation density and crop health where EXTRACT was applied on the cotton residue.

Extract PBA was applied in early October 2019 with 15 gallons of water per acre.

EXTRACT is a mineralization technology that converts organic nutrients into plant-available, inorganic forms that the plant can take up and use for nutrition. For example, an application of EXTRACT can help convert organic nitrogen into plant-available ammonium (NH₄+) and convert organic phosphorus into plant-available hydrogen phosphate (HPO₄^2-). In addition, potassium and micronutrients are mineralized and released back into the soil solution when EXTRACT is applied.

EXTRACT combines the concentrated biochemistry of ACCOMPLISH nutrient release technology with ammonium thiosulfate (ATS) to help growers easily and effectively manage nutrients tied up in the soil, in crop residues and in animal manures and poultry litters. The biochemistry in EXTRACT increases nutrient release and accelerates residue and manure/litter decomposition for rapid nutrient recycling, while ATS promotes an optimal carbon to nitrogen ratio to enhance soil microbial activity, further expediting nutrient return to the soil profile.

For growers, increased mineralization with EXTRACT can equate to greater nutrient availability for the next crop and an increase in crop yield.

Learn more about the mineralization technology in EXTRACT by downloading the Frequently Asked Questions booklet.

<< Prev 1 ...

5 6 7 8 9

... 22 Next >>

Blog

On-Farm Studies

Subscribe to Email Updates

Sign Up for Agricen’s Blog to stay up to date on the latest news.

PROLOGUE Applied 2x2 at Planting Yields Excellent Corn Response

How ACCOMPLISH MAX Enhances Early Season Crop Vigor

Liquid Starter Fertilizer Programs: Four Common Questions

Corn (102)

TITAN (73)

EXTRACT PBA (68)

Soybeans (58)

Accomplish LM (37)

Dry Fertilizer (36)

Ag Biologicals/Biostimulants (31)

ACCOMPLISH MAX (27)

Indiana (26)

Corporate & Community (20)

Crop Residue (21)

Abiotic stress (19)

Videos (18)

Wheat (18)

Grower Stories (18)

Iowa (17)

Illinois (15)

TERRAMAR (17)

Sustainability (14)

Michigan (13)

Starter/In-Furrow Applications (12)

Minnesota (9)

Nebraska (9)

Ohio (9)

Webinars (9)

Guest Blogs (7)

NCGA (8)

North Carolina (8)

Kentucky (8)

MARITIME (7)