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See the latest news, innovation updates, trial results, grower stories and more from Agricen. 
[Interview] How TERRAMAR Supports Plant Health & Yield When Applied with a Fungicide
August 11, 2026 — Posted By Agricen

08-26 TerramarMore than three million acres of row crops across America have been treated with TERRAMAR during the 2026 growing season—and new availability in both Canada and Australia means that many more growers now have access to this unique foliar technology.

In this interview with WITY Radio, Agricen’s Scott Lay discusses why TERRAMAR has been so successful and how it fits with late-season fungicide applications in corn and soybeans.

Dennis Michelsen – WITY Radio: Tell us why TERRAMAR should be in our game plan.

Scott Lay - Agricen: TERRAMAR is a very effective tool that can be used early post with herbicides, during reproductive-phase fungicide applications, or both. It has proven consistent in its ability to minimize the impact of weather-induced stress—which at this time of year is often related to heat and or drought—and in its ability to increase nutrient flow into the plant, resulting in more sucrose being made by the plant, which can ultimately lead to more yield.

Dennis – WITY Radio: It pays to take extra care, because every time the plant is in stress, that's when we lose yield.

Scott - Agricen: That's right. Anything we can do to create a more desirable environment for the crop or to optimize crop functioning, such as by improving water use efficiency, lowering canopy temperatures, or increasing the amount of photosynthesis or sugars produced—all of which TERRAMAR does—translates to the potential for greater yield when the combine rolls through the field in the fall.

07-26 Terramar-corn

In the greenhouse study above, a foliar application of TERRAMAR improved water use efficiency,
kept plants cooler, and improved gas exchange and nutrient assimilation, all of which illustrate more optimal plant functioning that can push a crop towards a more positive yield outcome.

Dennis – WITY Radio: And TERRAMAR rides along just fine with other products that growers are applying at this time of the year.

Scott - Agricen: Yes. With the amount of precipitation and humidity we’ve had, there's been a high potential for disease presence in both corn and soybeans. A lot of growers have been making the decision to apply a fungicide to help manage the impact of disease in their crop. TERRAMAR is a great companion for that fungicide application. Obviously it doesn't control diseases because it’s not a fungicide itself, but if you can have a stronger plant with more photosynthesis and more water moving through that plant due to an application of TERRAMAR, it's a tougher environment for those diseases to expand and flourish.

Dennis – WITY Radio: How is TERRAMAR working in the field? What are the differences we notice?

Scott - Agricen: We'll start with the differences in the plants. In as little as three to five days after application, there's a noticeable difference in plant growth and in plant greening. That ties back to the photosynthesis that is occurring with greater efficiency. There's more water transpiration and more sugars surging through that plant. And that translates to a healthier, more robust plant visually.

If we transition to later in the season, even before the combines run, TERRAMAR is preserving more kernel mass in corn and soybean seed size is larger because the plant has more nutrients to fill that grain or pod. That's what translates to the yield. TERRAMAR is positively impacting the plant throughout the course of the growing season so that more yield is preserved. I think that’s really the story of TERRAMAR.

Dennis – WITY Radio: Right now, corn and soybean prices are down. The only way to do better with low prices is to grow more crop.

Scott – Agricen: The average yield advantage with TERRAMAR over hundreds of different split field trials in corn is about +7.5 bu/A. In soybeans, it’s about +4.5 bu/A. That’s for an investment of about $8 per acre for the grower. So the economics stack up favorably.

Now, commodity prices aren't where any of us would like. But we're not going to save our way to prosperity. If we make selective investments in practices that are going to provide a high likelihood of return, that's how we get ahead over time.

Dennis – WITY Radio: And it's not just about the average increase in yield. It's the percent of wins that you have in these trials.

Scott – Agricen: That’s right. There’s a strong change of a net positive economic return. We see that almost 90 percent of the time. So it seems like an investment worth making as you consider whether TERRAMAR should be a part of those summer fungicide applications.

Learn more about using TERRAMAR with fungicide applications by downloading the FAQ.

Download the TERRAMAR + Fungicide FAQ

 

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Is a Fungicide Enough to Preserve Yield Potential in Corn & Soybeans?
July 9, 2026 — Posted By Agricen

Mid- to late summer is prime time for growers to be on the lookout for fungal diseases like gray leaf spot, tar spot and southern rust in corn and septoria brown spot, white mold and frogeye leaf spot in soybeans. While fungicides are a standard and effective practice when faced with the potential for these yield-robbing diseases, an application that combines a foliar fungicide plus TERRAMAR better optimizes plant health and can protect even more yield potential.

Terramar fungicide corn trial illinois

In this trial from Jefferson County, Illinois, adding TERRAMAR to the grower's standard fungicide program (GSP) at VT stage resulted in better late-season stay green and better kernel fill/test weight compared to the GSP alone.

How TERRAMAR Complements Corn and Soybean Fungicides

Fungal diseases destroy green leaf area and reduce photosynthesis, leading to less carbohydrate production and less sugar supply during grain fill /pod fill. They also cause the plant to drain or reallocate sugars to help the plant function under disease pressure, which can lead to poor kernel or pod fill and stalk cannibalization.

TERRAMAR complements the action of fungicides by enhancing photosynthesis, improving nutrient uptake and preserving valuable sucrose for grain and pod fill, while also mitigating the effects of heat-induced stress the crop may encounter.

Terramar fungicide corn trial Indiana

Utilizing TERRAMAR with a VT fungicide application not only improved plant health (as is visible in the larger, greener corn leaf at top), but also led to a significant yield advantage in this Indiana corn trial.

A reproductive-stage application of TERRAMAR:

  • Increases photosynthetic capacity/carbon fixation → more carbohydrate production
  • Enhances sucrose production, storage and utilization → more sugar supply during grain fill/pod fill; better kernel fill/pod fill
  • Increases nutrient uptake and metabolic activity → more optimal plant physiological functioning
  • Improves plant tolerance to heat and other abiotic stress → less stress stacking/reduces compounding effect of biotic + abiotic stress

TERRAMAR is compatible with most fungicides and crop inputs, with a standard foliar rate of 1 quart/acre. Application timing is flexible, but reproductive-stage application windows for TERRAMAR align well with fungicide timing:

  • VT–R1 (most common in corn)
  • R1 to R4 (soybeans)

Terramar soybean fungicide trial Indiana

Soybeans also benefit when TERRAMAR is added to an R-stage fungicide application. In this trial from Indiana, there was a +12 bu/A yield advantage associated with adding TERRAMAR to an R3 foliar fungicide application.

Bottom line: Fungicides protect the crop, while TERRAMAR keeps the crop functioning better across a range of growing conditions. Together, they help the crop realize more of its yield potential.

Learn more by downloading the TERRAMAR + Foliar Fungicide FAQ.

Download the FAQ

 

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TERRAMAR Enhances Corn and Soybean Fungicide Applications
September 17, 2025 — Posted By Agricen

Corn and soybean fungicide applications are crucial tools that help growers minimize loss from yield-robbing diseases like tar spot and southern rust. In the same pass, growers can also enhance nutrient uptake and plant tolerance to abiotic stresses, such as heat, by adding TERRAMAR to the tank mix.

In a recent corn trial conducted in Sullivan County, Indiana, a grower split an 80-acre field, treating half the field with his normal fungicide (Veltyma) at the VT growth stage and the other half with the same fungicide treatment plus 1 quart per acre of TERRAMAR.

At harvest, there was a clear difference between the two halves of the field. On the TERRAMAR-treated half, the plants looked overall healthier compared to the plants on the untreated half. The grower also reported that they stood better and didn't lean as much after the fields experienced some strong winds. At harvest, the half treated with TERRAMAR had a +12 bu/acre yield advantage and was 1.5 points drier compared to the untreated half.

Terramar-fungicide-corn-IN

Casey Holder, Location Manager of Nutrien Ag Solutions in Shelburn, Indiana, served as a crop consultant on the trial. "To think, he gained that much yield and profit on top of the corn being drier which saved him money at the bins...it was a huge success," he says. "Now we treat almost every acre of corn and beans with TERRAMAR. Most of my customers apply a quart during their post herbicide pass as well as another quart at fungicide timing."

Similar results have been seen in soybeans when TERRAMAR is applied with a fungicide, such as in this trial from Oakland City, Indiana, showing a yield improvement of +12 bu/acre when TERRAMAR was added to the grower's standard soybean fungicide application. 

Terramar-fungicide-soybeans-IN

There are several reasons why TERRAMAR complements a fungicide application so well. First, TERRAMAR has been shown to increase photosynthesis and nutrient uptake. It also increases sucrose production, which typically leads to a yield increase. In addition, TERRAMAR increases transpiration and decreases the crop canopy temperature, helping the crop to better tolerate stresses caused by heat and dry conditions, which can be common in summer when fungicide applications go out. 

Learn more by downloading the TERRAMAR corn and soybean study.

Download the Study

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[Interview] Keeping Crops on Track to Preserve Yield Potential
June 23, 2025 — Posted By Agricen

Wity-radio-down-on-farmAgricen’s Scott Lay recently sat with Dennis Michelsen of WITY Radio to discuss using TERRAMAR to keep corn and soybean crops on track and help protect them against yield loss.

Dennis - WITY Radio: One thing that we can count on is that we're going to have some very stressful days with our crops. It doesn't matter whether you're talking corn or soybeans, weather events put a lot of stress on the plants.

Scott - Agricen: As farmers look at their fields, regardless of zip code, any extended period of cooler temperatures like the northern half of the United States experienced this past May translates into slower developing crops, more stagnant growth and stresses that could impede the yield potential that those corn and soybean fields have. While we cannot change the weather, we can choose practices to help minimize its impact and deliver a more consistent result from year to year. That's a lot of the story behind what TERRAMAR delivers for crops.

Dennis - WITY Radio: Tell us a little bit about what TERRAMAR does for row crops.

Scott - Agricen: This will be the third year we've had TERRAMAR in row crops, and we’ve been getting a lot of positive yield responses and consistency from it.

What TERRAMAR delivers boils down to two things. First, it helps minimize the impact of weather stresses like cold or heat stress. It does this by helping the plant increase photosynthesis and water transpiration to make that plant more resilient. The second part to TERRAMAR is the carbon-based component that provides fuel for the plant to allow it to uptake more nutrients. This also translates to increased sucrose levels at reproductive stages. Sucrose is a fuel source or reservoir to supply starches and sugars to the forming grain, and that's what ultimately leads to a yield advantage.

Dennis - WITY Radio: With the cold temperatures we had in May, are we going to be looking at root growth that wasn't as vigorous as usual?

Scott - Agricen: That's often the case. And again, we can't control the weather, but if we have the ability to get that plant back on track and get it performing more normally from a physiological point of view, we have a better chance of preserving yield potential and delivering a positive yield result when combines roll through the fields this fall.

Dennis - WITY Radio: How and when do you apply TERRAMAR?

Scott - Agricen: You can apply TERRAMAR anytime after the crop is emerged. At this time of year, it's really applied in concert with post-emerge foliar herbicides. As we progress later into the growing season through the reproductive stages in corn and soybeans, it can be applied with fungicides. It simply aligns with the practices that growers are already utilizing to maximize yield.

Dennis - WITY Radio: You’ve done many different test plots in various crops, and have seen repeatable results with TERRAMAR.

Scott - Agricen: If you're going to employ a new technology, it has to provide a consistent return on investment, particularly in the face of the commodity prices we have today. In nearly 200 yield observations, we’ve seen a positive net return on investment 85% of the time, meaning the yield return was greater than the cost of the product. On average, we see about a +4.7-bushel yield advantage in soybeans and nearly a +9-bushel yield advantage in corn. Again, that’s a positive win rate 85% of the time, meaning positive ROI. That's something you can take to the bank.

Dennis - WITY Radio: Even when it's just breaking even, this is an insurance policy to make sure that you're not losing more yield.

Scott - Agricen: It is. And again, the day you plant the crop is the greatest potential for yield that exists. The name of the game from there on after is simply preserving the yield potential that is there. If you can ensure more nutrients flowing into that plant, if you can take a bite out of the heat stress that presents itself through June and July, you've got a better chance of maintaining yield potential. As we’ve seen in hundreds of instances, that translates to a very consistent return on investment, which gives folks confidence in applying TERRAMAR.

TERRAMAR is available from Nutrien Ag Solutions.

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

 

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[Watch] Preserving Yield Potential with Proactive Foliar Applications
May 27, 2025 — Posted By Agricen

05-25-foliar-webinar-landing-pgHow do in-season foliar applications help crops achieve or preserve their yield potential? 

Watch our on-demand webinar, "Preserving Yield Potential with Proactive Foliar Applications," to learn:

  • How foliar applications help growers preserve yield potential
  • How foliar-applied TERRAMAR increases nutrient uptake and minimizes the potential impact of weather-related stress in a broad range of crops
  • Details from Advanced Agrilytics' on-farm trials testing early post applications of TERRAMAR on corn

Guest speaker AJ Woodyard, the research agronomy lead for Ag Ingenuity Partners (the independent research arm of Advanced Agrilytics), presents some of the key findings from TERRAMAR corn trials conducted by Advanced Agrilytics during the 2024 season. Key takeaways from the trials, in which a V6 foliar application of TERRAMAR was evaluated on ten farms across Iowa, Illinois, Indiana and Ohio and compared to a control, include increased crop uptake of nitrogen and phosphorus, increased sucrose concentration in the plant and yield benefits in both water-limited and stable environments where TERRAMAR was applied.

A combination of two unique technologies, TERRAMAR delivers increased nutrient uptake and enhanced stress mitigation, which can optimize plant health and contribute to enhanced yield. The carbon-based technology (CBT) in TERRAMAR, which is derived from biologically converted leonardite, enhances nutrient uptake and photosynthetic capacity, providing key carbon derivatives for additional energy to optimize plant performance. This is complemented by TERRAMAR's marine-based technology (MBT), a formulation of biologically extracted kelp, which improves crop tolerance to abiotic stresses such as heat, cold, dry conditions and salt.

Multiple field trials validate the effectiveness of TERRAMAR as an in-season addition to foliar nutritional or crop protection programs in a wide variety of crops, including corn, soybeans, wheat, grain sorghum, cotton, alfalfa, lettuce, onions, potatoes and sugarcane.

TERRAMAR is available from Loveland Products through Nutrien Ag Solutions. 

Watch the webinar today to learn how TERRAMAR can help preserve yield potential through improved crop nutrient uptake and enhanced abiotic stress tolerance.

Watch the Webinar

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How ACCOMPLISH MAX Enhances Early Season Crop Vigor
March 5, 2025 — Posted By Agricen

Brian Cornelious, PhD, Director of Agronomic Training, Agricen

starter_cornAs growers prepare for the upcoming cropping season, uncertainties surrounding commodity prices and fertilizer, seed and crop protection inputs will heavily influence the decision-making processes before planters roll. One thing, however, is always certain: Growers want to maximize production from every acre.

Achieving a good yield and a good quality crop at harvest is closely tied to maximizing crop potential before, during and after planting. How well growers can manage controllable factors (e.g., planting methods, variety selection, crop inputs) to mitigate the impact of uncontrollable ones (e.g., weather) often determines whether a cropping season will meet or fall short of expectations.

ACCOMPLISH MAX, a biocatalyst technology formulated for use with liquid starter fertilizer applications, can influence two critical factors early in the season to give growers a better opportunity for success:

  1. More Nutrients: Nutrient release technology in ACCOMPLISH MAX provides greater access to essential nutrients from applied liquid fertilizer and the soil to support early growth and development.
  2. Less Stress: Kelp-derived technology in ACCOMPLISH MAX mitigates the impact of stress from fertilizer salts, cool temperatures and other environmental factors.

Why Do Farmers Use Liquid Starter Fertilizers, and How Does ACCOMPLISH MAX Enhance Liquid Starter Programs?

When used in conjunction with the standard 4R principles—i.e., the “right” fertilizer placement, timing, source, and rate—ACCOMPLISH MAX adds an extra layer of technology to a grower’s liquid starter program, making it work more efficiently through greater nutrient availability and protecting the developing crop from early season stress.

Many farmers use starter fertilizers because they provide essential early-season nutrients to young seedlings, promoting faster growth, improved early vigor, better stand establishment, faster canopy cover and, potentially, higher yields. This is particularly important when there are cool soil temperatures or low phosphorus levels, as the starter fertilizer can provide accessible nutrition until the root system becomes well enough developed to access nutrients from the broader soil profile. Nutrient cycling and soil microbial function are enhanced with ACCOMPLISH MAX in a liquid starter fertilizer application, enabling crops to better access both applied and residual nutrients crucial for early growth and vigor.

ACCOMPLISH MAX is also helpful in protecting developing seedlings from the negative impact of high fertilizer salt concentrations in the soil. 

The concentration of fertilizer salt in a soil solution is known as the “fertilizer salt index.” In simple terms, the higher the salt index of a fertilizer, the greater the osmotic pressure exerted by the fertilizer salt in the soil, pulling water out of plant cells and potentially causing irreparable damage to seedlings. A salt index of 20 or higher suggests an increased risk of damage unless the application is placed away from the seed, such as with 2x2 placement. Table 1 shows the estimated salt index of common starter fertilizers used in corn production.

03-25-Salt-Index_Chart_600X428px

Source: University of Illinois.

ACCOMPLISH MAX helps to mitigate damage caused by fertilizer salts that accumulate in the root zone of developing seedlings. As shown in Figure 1, plants grown in salt-infused media exhibit significant differences when ACCOMPLISH MAX is used. The ACCOMPLISH MAX-treated plants on the right have superior root systems compared to the untreated plants.

Salt StressFigure 1. Arabidopsis plants exposed to 120mM NaCl (sodium chloride, or table salt) for 10 days. Untreated (left) vs treated with ACCOMPLISH MAX (right). Note the better root system with ACCOMPLISH MAX treatment.

These same results are observed in commercial fields, where dry conditions increase the likelihood of damage from starter fertilizer applications as salts concentrate in the root zone of germinating plants.

Saline or sodic soil conditions can also hinder early-season vigor in developing seedlings. Applying ACCOMPLISH MAX at planting can mitigate the impact of fertilizer or residual salts in the soil while improving the availability of nutrients. This is particularly beneficial in cooler soil temperatures (<50°F), which reduce soil microbial activity and limit nutrient availability, as the concentrated microbial metabolites in ACCOMPLISH MAX perform effectively even when the native microbial population is less efficient at producing the necessary biochemical materials to promote nutrient mineralization.

Summary

By optimizing early-season nutrient availability and reducing stress, ACCOMPLISH MAX helps set the stage for maximum yield potential at harvest.

The typical recommended application rate for ACCOMPLISH MAX is 1 quart per acre with liquid starter in furrow or 2x2.

Learn more about ACCOMPLISH MAX by downloading the ACCOMPLISH MAX booklet.

Access the Booklet

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[Interview] Protecting Existing Crop Yield Potential from Heat Stress
July 31, 2024 — Posted By Agricen

Wity-radio-down-on-farmAs we progress through the reproductive stage of the growing season, many growers have reason for optimism in terms of yield. But, even for those who are having a good year so far, stress from excess heat can have a negative impact on the crop. Agricen’s Scott Lay sat with Dennis Michelsen of WITY Radio to discuss how TERRAMAR can be applied with fungicide to help protect existing yield potential from heat and other weather-related stress.

Dennis - WITY Radio: It’s been a weird year with the weather. I believe all of those different weather factors are adding to crop stress, and we've already had a prolonged period of hot nights.

Scott - Agricen: In the summer months, heat will happen in every zip code, in every crop. It's a matter of trying to protect the yield potential that exists. With TERRAMAR, we have a technology that can help minimize the impact of heat stress on a crop. It’s a good day for a crop if you can minimize the temperature within the crop canopy. What we're seeing in a number of replicated trials is that we can reduce the crop canopy temperature by two to four degrees Fahrenheit with TERRAMAR.

Dennis - WITY Radio: We know we're going to get more heat going forward. How much benefit is there to applying TERRAMAR with fungicides?

Scott - Agricen: Let's review the negative detriments of heat on a crop. We know it impacts the ability of that plant to photosynthesize and to transpire water, and we know that it affects the plant's ability to mobilize nutrients into the plant and fill grain. So, if we can minimize that canopy temperature by two to four degrees with TERRAMAR, that's a positive. Secondarily, if we can increase the amount of nutrient uptake or movement in that plant, that's also a positive. We have documented a nutrient increase in tissue samples in the range of 10 to 15% with TERRAMAR.

Dennis - WITY Radio: Does that translate to yield?

Scott - Agricen: More often than not, it does. But more importantly, at each stage of the game, including the reproductive stage where we are today, we're attempting to increase the amount of nutrients available for that plant—to move starches and sugars to form that grain. If we can do that, we have a better opportunity to yield.

Dennis - WITY Radio: If you look at our weather this year, we had a lot of different weather conditions – from really wet to really dry, and with wind and hail damage in some parts. Now we take that already stressed-out corn, and we add more heat. Is there a cumulative effect of stress on a plant?

Scott - Agricen: I think there is a compounding effect. As we reach the critical reproductive stage, whether it be in corn, soybeans or perhaps other crops, fungicides are often applied to minimize the impact of disease, and that's a step in the right direction. But for factors brought about by the weather, TERRAMAR, in concert with a fungicide, provides a synergistic effect. If we can minimize the impact of a disease like tar spot, gray leaf spot or northern corn leaf blight with a fungicide, while also minimizing the canopy temperature of the crop with TERRAMAR to increase photosynthesis and nutrient uptake, the cumulative effect is positive. We're attempting to preserve yield potential, and we believe that's our best opportunity to do so.

Dennis - WITY Radio: With grain prices where they are, a producer I spoke to recently said he is changing his strategy this year to ensure he can get every additional bushel, because he needs that to make money this year.

Scott - Agricen: Corn and soybean commodity prices are not what they were a year ago, and certainly not what we would like them to be. The only other lever that can be pulled to impact net farm income is the yield. Again, we're not going to increase yield at this point. We're simply trying to preserve what yield potential exists. So if the crop is worth investing in to preserve yield potential, fungicide plus TERRAMAR gives a very consistent payback in terms of return on investment.

TERRAMAR is available from Nutrien Ag Solutions. 

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

 

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Enhancing Wheat Performance on Your Farm with TERRAMAR
June 10, 2024 — Posted By Agricen

Wheat growers commonly apply fungicides to their crops to optimize plant health and yield. Typical application timings include early April after the flag leaves emerge (Feekes growth stage 9) and at heading shortly after (head scab application/Feekes growth stage 10.5.1). TERRAMAR can be utilized in the same pass as a wheat fungicide during any application timing, offering another stress-fighting and yield-enhancing tool to optimize crop yield potential.

What benefits can TERRAMAR add to a wheat fungicide application?

  • TERRAMAR minimizes the impact of weather-related stresses (e.g., cold and dry conditions) to help maintain normal physiological functions. 

  • TERRAMAR increases nutrient uptake and photosynthetic capacity at a critical time of yield determination.

Nutrien Ag Solutions has conducted multiple field trials in which TERRAMAR was applied at different stages of wheat growth with a fungicide. As seen in the examples below, consistent yield responses and a positive return on investment (ROI)* were observed across the different timings, whether one or multiple applications of TERRAMAR were made with the grower’s standard practice (GSP). 

FLAG LEAF/FEEKES 9 FUNGICIDE APPLICATION

05-24 Terramar-Wheat-Feekes 9

In a Wisconsin field trial, TERRAMAR was applied at 1 quart/acre with fungicide at the Feekes 9 growth stage (flag leaf). The addition of TERRAMAR to the grower's standard wheat fungicide program led to a +3.62 bu/a yield advantage compared to the fungicide alone, with an ROI of 2:1.

(If a flag leaf fungicide application is not being made, TERRAMAR is also compatible with herbicide applications made at Feekes 8.)

HEAD SCAB SPRAY/FEEKES 10.5.1 FUNGICIDE APPLICATION

05-24-Terramar-Wheat-head scab 2 plots

In a field trial in Michigan, adding TERRAMAR to the grower's head scab fungicide application led to a yield advantage that ranged from +3/9 bu/a (Plot 1, ROI of 2:1) to +12.8 bu/a (Plot 2, ROI of 7:1).

05-24-Terramar-Wheat-Head Scab Spray IN

In an Indiana trial, the yield advantage when TERRAMAR was applied with a wheat head scab fungicide was +9.41 bu/a, with an ROI of 5:1 compared to the fungicide alone. 

05-24-Terramar-Wheat-Head Scab Spray OH

In Ohio, a yield advantage of +12.0 bu/a was seen when TERRAMAR was added to a wheat head scab fungicide application, with an ROI of 7:1 compared to the fungicide alone. 

FEEKES 8, 9 & 10.5.1 (3 APPLICATIONS)

05-24-Terramar-Wheat-3 Apps-PA

Lastly, a Pennsylvania field trial in wheat showed an +18.0 bu/a yield advantage when TERRAMAR was applied at 1 pint/acre at three time points: First with herbicide at Feekes 8, and then with fungicides at Feekes 9 (flag leaf) and Feekes 10.5.1 (head scab spray). The ROI in this trial was 9:1.

SUMMARY

Whether applied to wheat or another row crop, a foliar application of TERRAMAR offers a flexible and cost-effective way to enhance plant health and improve yield.

*ROI calculations assume wheat at $6/bushel.

View more wheat results by downloading the TERRAMAR Midwest wheat study.

Access the Study

 

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[Corn Trial] Lower Canopy Temperatures & More Nutrient Uptake with TERRAMAR
May 20, 2024 — Posted By Agricen

By Jeremiah Butler, Agricen

Early in the summer of 2023, widespread nutrient deficiencies were observed in the Corn Belt, particularly potassium (K) deficiency in corn. Due in large part to drier-than-average early season growing conditions, abiotic stress—or stress from environmental conditions—was more prevalent, impacting crop physiological development and reducing nutrient uptake during a critical phase.

Beginning in mid-June, a number of crop consultants were reporting an interesting phenomenon. Corn fields treated with a foliar application of TERRAMAR in the V3-V7 growth stage visually appeared to be healthier and were not exhibiting the same level of K deficiency symptoms as untreated corn.

As a result of these observations, a trials was conducted on later-planted corn in Minnesota to evaluate the impact of a V4 application of TERRAMAR on nutrient uptake and abiotic stress reduction.

In the Minnesota trial, a foliar application of TERRAMAR (1 quart/acre at V4) was followed by rigorous tissue sampling to determine nutrient uptake levels of treated versus untreated plants. A total of 135 tissue samples were taken at the V9 growth stage (10 days after application) hourly over a 12-hour period (7 am to 7 pm). In addition, leaf surface temperature readings of treated and untreated plants were taken to evaluate canopy temperatures. Higher ambient air temperatures during the trial period were an indication that the corn crop was experiencing moderate heat stress.

Compared to the untreated corn, TERRAMAR increased uptake of the majority of nutrients into the corn leaf tissue (Fig. 1). Potassium uptake was particularly notable, showing a 38% increase compared to the untreated corn.Terramar-tissue-samples-1200px

Fig. 1. Percent increase in micro- and macronutrients in corn tissue with TERRAMAR treatment versus untreated. Samples taken 10 days after foliar application of TERRAMAR.

Leaf canopy temperature was also notably reduced in corn that had been sprayed with TERRAMAR compared to the untreated corn (Fig. 2). Lower leaf temperatures indicate that the plants were under less stress and were therefore able to more efficiently perform physiologic functions such as transpiration and photosynthesis.

Terramar-tissue-temp-1200pxFig. 2. Tissue temperature in the leaf canopy of corn plants treated with TERRAMAR versus untreated. Temperatures taken using thermal camera 10 days after foliar application of TERRAMAR.

At harvest, the TERRAMAR treatment was associated with a yield advantage of +11.2 bushels/acre compared to the untreated corn (165.8 bu/a vs 154.6 bu/a, respectively).

These results are in line with prior research demonstrating TERRAMAR’s consistency in reducing stress from abiotic factors (e.g., heat, drought, salinity, wind, hail and wet environments) at any given time in the growing season following a foliar application.

While stress mitigation significantly contributes to the product’s performance, more recent research indicates that a foliar application of TERRAMAR also increases nutrient uptake (documented by leaf tissue tests in both stressed and non-stressed environments), nitrate assimilation, carbon fixation, and photosynthetic capacity. These benefits add value by providing more efficient nutrient uptake during the crop’s critical demand windows.

Every growing season creates a different set of challenges, but some things remain constant. Globally, 50% to 70% of crop yield is lost to abiotic stress factors. Taking measures to reduce the impact of abiotic stress and increase nutrient uptake throughout the growing season with new technologies like TERRAMAR provides growers a fighting chance to add more to their bottom line across a range of crops.

Learn more about TERRAMAR by accessing the Minnesota corn trial bulletin. 

Access the Study

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[Interview] Addressing Weather-Induced Crop Stress
May 13, 2024 — Posted By Agricen

Wity-radio-down on farmAs growers finish putting this year’s crop in the ground, Agricen’s Scott Lay spoke with WITY Radio’s Dennis Michelsen about TERRAMAR, a foliar product designed to help crops increase nutrient uptake and better tolerate weather-induced stress.

Dennis - WITY Radio: It’s impossible to predict the weather long term, but we know that something will always put our crop under stress every growing season. Would it be fair to say that the main reason a producer would want to add TERRAMAR to their lineup is to reduce stress?

Scott - Agricen: That is the essence of it. Weather-induced stress is one of the greatest yield robbers that farmers face. Up until this point, short of going to church on Sunday and praying for more moderate temperatures and rain, there's not been a heck of a lot we could do to address stress.

TERRAMAR was new to the row crop market last year, during which nearly 2M acres were treated. It does two things. One, it has a biologically extracted kelp component that minimizes the effects of weather-related stress, such as heat, drought or early season cold. Secondly, it has a biologically extracted carbon component that stimulates the plant to pull in more nutrients to aid in chlorophyll production and photosynthetic capacity, as well as increase carbon fixation in the plant. In this way, TERRAMAR provides a one-two punch that equals a better chance for yield at harvest time.

Dennis - WITY Radio: How and when is this product applied?

Scott - Agricen: TERRAMAR is designed for post-emergent foliar application throughout the growing season. It can go out early in the vegetative stages with a post-emergent herbicide in advance of the stresses that will present themselves to the crop. Then, as we get into the reproductive stages where a fungicide is often applied for the purpose of minimizing the impact of disease, a dose of TERRAMAR at that time will carry on for at least two to four weeks to minimize the impact of weather-induced stress.

We can measure this by canopy temperature. Last year, we did a number of trials across Indiana, Michigan and Minnesota to quantify the impact of TERRAMAR on canopy temperature in both corn and soybeans. Throughout the course of a July day, we saw that the canopy temperature of plants treated with TERRAMAR was 3°F to 5°F lower compared to untreated.

If you can lower the canopy temperature, that plant will be more efficient in reproducing and filling.

Dennis - WITY Radio: That's the key, Scott, because we always think about drought as a big stressor of crops, but we also get those hot nights where the temperature doesn't drop much below 75°F. That plant needs all the help it can get to stay out of stress, or we're losing bushels.

Scott - Agricen: That is absolutely correct. Heat happens in every zip code and every crop, every year. If we can moderate the temperature of the canopy, we're minimizing the impact of heat. It's not a replacement for a 60° F night. But if we can minimize the impact of those warm July and August evenings and give that plant a better chance to photosynthesize and to transpire water and nutrients, again that correlates very nicely to better yield potential.

Dennis - WITY Radio: What's the ROI that we can expect?

Scott - Agricen: In third-party university trials and farmer-conducted side by sides, we’ve found that the average response is 7 to 10 bushels in corn, 4 to 7 bushels in soybeans and 5 to 8 bushels in wheat. All told, regardless of crop, the average is a 3 or 4:1 return on investment. So for every dollar invested in TERRAMAR, a farmer could expect a $3 to $4 return as a result of an increased yield result.

TERRAMAR is available from Nutrien Ag Solutions.

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

 

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