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See the latest news, innovation updates, trial results, grower stories and more from Agricen. 
Looking Beyond Applied Nitrogen for Enhanced Nutrient Use Efficiency
April 30, 2025 — Posted By Agricen

04-25-CropLife-webinar-archiveHow can you more effectively manage your nitrogen investment and enhance nitrogen use efficiency on your farm?

Watch our on-demand webinar, "Looking Beyond Applied Nitrogen for Enhanced Nutrient Use Efficiency," to learn:

  • How a new, sustainable nitrogen management tool, N-FINITY, can improve nitrogen use efficiency in crop production programs
  • How N-FINITY provides multiple ways to access biological nitrogen from the soil
  • Details from recent corn, soybean, and wheat trials

N-FINITY is a cutting-edge nitrogen use efficiency technology formulated with three modes of action to "Deliver Nitrogen, Naturally." Designed for concentrated soil applications, N-FINITY can be used in any crop that benefits from supplemental nitrogen, including corn, cotton, sorghum, soybeans, and wheat.

N-FINITY gives crops access to biological nitrogen through direct nitrogen fixation, recruitment of nitrogen fixers to associate with plant roots, and liberation of organic nitrogen in the soil. These three modes of action provide a versatile solution that can enhance nitrogen use efficiency across a wide range of field and environmental conditions.

N-FINITY is available from Loveland Products through Nutrien Ag Solutions.

Watch the webinar today to learn how N-FINITY can help you improve nitrogen use efficiency in your crop production program. 

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[Interview] A New Advancement in Sustainable Nitrogen Management
April 9, 2025 — Posted By Agricen

nfinity-wityAgricen’s Scott Lay sat with Dennis Michelsen of WITY Radio to discuss a new sustainable nitrogen management tool, N-FINITY, and how it can help growers improve nitrogen use efficiency.

Dennis - WITY Radio: When prices are low, you need more bushels. I think that's what N-FINITY is going to help folks do.

Scott - Agricen: For any farmer, once you say the word “nitrogen,” you have their attention. In terms of a fertility investment, nitrogen is the largest line item. To grow an acre of corn with today's prices, a farmer is looking at spending somewhere in the range of $100 to $130 per acre on nitrogen.

N-FINITY, which we started developing in 2020, is now available from Loveland Products through Nutrien Ag Solutions retail locations. It is a biological technology that enhances nitrogen use efficiency by making naturally occurring forms of nitrogen more available to the crop so that we're not as dependent on synthetic forms of nitrogen.

Dennis - WITY Radio: By using a product like this, you are helping to be a good neighbor on the environmental side, but it’s also helping the farmer, because if you lose nitrogen out of the tiles, that nitrogen isn't doing you any good.

Scott - Agricen: The yardstick we will use to measure the effectiveness of N-FINITY is “What are the pounds of applied nitrogen per bushel?” If a grower is at one pound of applied nitrogen per bushel of yield, our objective is to make that more efficient, to lower the amount of applied nitrogen needed to produce a bushel.

One way to do that is to increase yield by providing more natural nitrogen to the crop. The second, in cases where it makes sense, is to responsibly reduce the amount of applied synthetic nitrogen by a modest amount, perhaps anywhere from 5 to 20 percent. In either scenario, N-FINITY can help deliver a better return on investment and a better result environmentally for the farmer.

Dennis - WITY Radio: While N-FINITY is new to farmers this year, it has been tested. Have you found that it works better with certain types of fertilizer programs?

Scott - Agricen: We've designed it to be compatible with farmers’ real practices. At planting, N-FINITY can be applied in furrow or two by two. As the season progresses, it can be applied with a liquid sidedress or Y drop nitrogen application.

Many sustainable nitrogen management technologies that have been introduced over the last few years utilize one mode of action, which is fixing atmospheric nitrogen. With N-FINITY, we have three modes of action so that we can provide even more biological forms of nitrogen to the plant. N-FINITY not only fixes atmospheric nitrogen like other technologies, it also liberates organic pools of nitrogen found in the soil and it helps recruit native nitrogen-fixing microbes in the soil into the plant.

Further, N-FINITY works in both a full nitrogen rate regime and in a regime where a modest reduction of nitrogen is employed, which reduces the cost outlay for synthetic nitrogen and helps to offset the investment in N-FINITY. We think that's a win-win situation for the grower.

Dennis - WITY Radio: Nitrogen can be finicky. Do you know how N-FINITY is going to work in really dry or wet conditions?

Scott - Agricen: Over the last two years, we've had the opportunity to observe N-FINITY in 344 different field environments in replicated and split-farm trials in corn, soybeans and wheat. The performance has been very consistent across a wide range of weather circumstances and growing environments. The average yield response has been +7.9 bushels an acre.

Dennis - WITY Radio: What type of ROI are you seeing?

Scott - Agricen: As I look at today's prices, December corn is recorded at $4.50 a bushel. Stating the obvious, it will be challenging to make money in corn. However, with that nearly eight-bushel average yield response with N-FINITY, we’re seeing a positive ROI of about three to one.

N-FINITY 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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PROLOGUE Applied 2x2 at Planting Yields Excellent Corn Response
March 11, 2025 — Posted By Agricen

Achieving the proper balance of phosphorus and zinc in the soil is critical to early crop growth and development, setting the crop up for optimal yield potential later in the growing season. PROLOGUE is a unique biological product that enhances phosphorus and zinc nutrition in a variety of crops when used at planting in either an in-furrow or 2x2 banded application with any liquid fertilizer blend. PROLOGUE can help ensure that these nutrients are in the right balance for the crop.

In 2024, the Nutrien Ag Solutions Innovation Farm in Hopkinsville, KY conducted a replicated strip trial to evaluate the benefit of adding PROLOGUE to UAN 32% in a 2x2 application at planting in corn, which requires a 10:1 ratio of phosphorus to zinc for optimal zinc availability.

The check treatment was 10 gallons per acre of UAN 32% banded 2x2 at planting, which was compared against the same rate of nitrogen with the addition of PROLOGUE at 2 quarts per acre, also applied 2x2. There were two replications per treatment. All other crop management practices were the same for both treatments.

Adding PROLOGUE to the UAN 32% fertilizer at planting led to a yield advantage of +14 bu/acre (6.3%) over the check, with an ROI of nearly 4:1. At harvest, the corn yield was 237 bu/acre with the PROLOGUE treatment, compared to 223 bu/acre with the check.

03-25-Prologue-Corn_Chart

PROLOGUE contains two components that directly improve phosphate availability for corn root absorption:

  • A biochemical component that increases phosphorus solubility and immediate availability of this essential nutrient early in the growing season. This component enhances the phosphate fertilizer PROLOGUE is applied with, as well as any phosphorus already residing in the soil of the application zone.
  • A beneficial bacterium species in PROLOGUE colonizes the corn root rhizosphere upon seed germination, then continues to multiply and live in association with the root system for the majority of the growing season. During this time, the bacteria solubilizes more tightly bound forms of soil phosphorus in the rhizosphere and makes this soil phosphorus plant-available.

PROLOGUE also contains EDTA-chelated zinc, which both directly helps meet the plant's zinc nutrition needs and boosts the efficiency of applied and existing phosphorus.

PROLOGUE has an analysis of 5-0-0 6.3% Zn and can be applied in a range of crops, especially those that do best with an early season application of liquid phosphate near the developing root system.

Learn more about PROLOGUE by downloading the PROLOGUE booklet.

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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.

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Liquid Starter Fertilizer Programs: Four Common Questions
February 6, 2025 — Posted By Agricen

starter_cornWhy use a liquid starter fertilizer, and how can you make sure your applied nutrients don’t get tied up in the soil chemistry? Here you'll find the answers to these and other common questions about liquid starters.

Why should I consider a liquid starter fertilizer?

Ensuring that seedlings have the nutrients they need for early growth is key to a good crop. The primary benefit of applying starter fertilizer is to enable more rapid growth early in the growing season. This can be viewed as an insurance policy, ensuring that plants reach critical growth periods faster.

By placing starter fertilizers in-furrow with the seed or in a 2x2 band near the seed, the plant has an accessible supply of phosphorus and other nutrients during germination and early development, which can increase growth early in the season, speed development and, for corn, decrease the time to silking.

Why is phosphorus important, and how do starter fertilizers impact the plant's access to phosphorus?

Phosphorus is a critical nutrient for early seedling vigor and root development, stimulating both root development and early shoot growth.

Application of low rates of phosphorus in a starter fertilizer can significantly increase the amount of early plant growth, even in fields where soil phosphorus test levels are high.

Further, in soils that are near or below 50°F, native soil microbes are not very active and are not producing the biochemistry that solubilizes soil phosphorus. Starter fertilizers can therefore provide needed phosphorus when planting in cooler soil temperatures.

Are most liquid starter fertilizers the same?

Not quite. There are two main types of phosphate found in starter fertilizers. They may be present as the sole form of phosphate in the fertilizer or found in combination with the other:

  • Polyphosphates have a higher salt content and must be converted to orthophosphate before plants can utilize the phosphorous.
    • Example: The phosphate in 10-34-0 liquid starter fertilizer is primarily polyphosphate, although some orthophosphate is present.

  • Orthophosphates are low in salt and can be placed right on the seed. Although orthophosphates are readily available, they are easily tied up by soil chemistry.
    • Examples: Liquid starter fertilizers like 7-17-3 and 9-18-9 contain only the orthophosphate form of phosphate. The majority of phosphate in 6-24-6 is in the orthophosphate form, although some polyphosphate is present.

Liquid starter fertilizers might also be formulated with different technologies or with micronutrients to enhance early season crop performance. Loveland Products' RISER (7-17-3 with Zn, Mn, Cu & Fe) is one example. In addition, fertilizer enhancement technologies can also be added to the program.

The trial data below shows one example of how pairing a starter with fertilizer enhancer technology can make a big impact. The average yield advantage gained by using a liquid starter fertilizer enhanced with ACCOMPLISH MAX technology was +13.6 bu/a compared to check (no starter). These results represent two years of Nutrien Ag Solutions trial data from research plots in northeast South Dakota, with 23 locations and a total of 92 replications.

01-25 Accomplish Max_Corn_Northville, SD_600px

How can I stop applied phosphorus from being tied up by the soil chemistry?

Whatever the liquid starter fertilizer you are using, adding a product like ACCOMPLISH MAX or PROLOGUE can make it go farther by enhancing nutrient mineralization—including mineralization of phosphorus—and facilitating nutrient uptake by the crop. (When applying dry starter fertilizers, TITAN XC can be used as an enhancement technology to improve nutrient mineralization and enhance nutrient availability to the growing crop.)

ACCOMPLISH MAX is specifically designed for use with liquid starter fertilizers in furrow or 2x2 to improve the mineralization of phosphorus and other nutrients while also improving the plant's tolerance to early season abiotic stresses like cool temperatures and salinity from applied fertilizers.

PROLOGUE (5-0-0 6.3% Zn) combines zinc, a critical early season micronutrient, with unique nutrient solubilizing technology that increases the efficiency of both applied phosphate and existing phosphate bound in the soil. It fits any banded liquid phosphorus-based fertilizer program requiring supplemental zinc for optimal plant growth.

These plant nutrition technologies can help your crops utilize more applied nutrients, which can lead to an increased yield while also improving the return on investment for your growing program.

Learn more about these products and other plant health technologies by accessing the Sustainable Plant Health Technology Overview.

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ACCOMPLISH MAX Performs in Illinois Corn Starter Trial
January 31, 2025 — Posted By Agricen

ACCOMPLISH MAX is a fantastic tool for corn growers who apply liquid starter fertilizers and want to maximize nutrient availability for their crop while reducing the impact of early season abiotic stresses, such as cool temperatures and salinity from applied fertilizers.

In this corn trial led by Nutrien Ag Solutions in Ferris, Illinois, ACCOMPLISH MAX was used in-furrow with the grower's standard practice (GSP) liquid starter program and compared to the GSP alone. The same corn hybrid was used in both parts of the field.

01-25 Accomplish Max_Corn_Ferris, IL-600px

At harvest, the corn yield was 219.8 bu/acre where ACCOMPLISH MAX had been added to the GSP, as compared to 211.1 bu/acre where the GSP was used alone, for a corn yield advantage of +8.7 bu/acre with ACCOMPLISH MAX.

ACCOMPLISH MAX is a proven nutrient use efficiency and stress tolerance product that offers concentrated biochemistry in an easy-to-handle, liquid form. Formulated for use in furrow or 2x2 with liquid starter fertilizers, it helps growers get the most out of their crop fertility programs by improving nutrient availability and uptake from liquid starters and residual nutrition in the application zone while also increasing crop tolerance to environmental stresses like cold temperatures and saline soils.

ACCOMPLISH MAX can be used in liquid starter programs for a variety of crops, including corn, soybeans, wheat, cotton and more.

See more ACCOMPLISH MAX results by viewing our featured studies, or download the ACCOMPLISH MAX booklet to learn more.

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[Interview] Every Dollar Counts on the Farm
December 5, 2024 — Posted By Agricen

Wity-radio-down-on-farmAgricen’s Scott Lay sat with Dennis Michelsen of WITY Radio to discuss where TITAN XC and EXTRACT PBA fit into fall practices, and how they can help farmers ensure that every dollar they spend on fertility inputs makes a bigger impact.

Dennis - WITY Radio: With the excellent yields that we've had the last few years, agronomists I’ve talked to say that we've taken more nutrients out of the soil than ever before, and that it's important to recharge those nutrients this fall.

Scott - Agricen: When yields are removed, nutrients are also removed from the soil profile, so it's important to replenish those. It also makes sense to utilize technologies that increase the availability of the nutrients that you've paid for. In a year like this one, with commodity prices diminished 15 to 20% relative to a year ago, every dollar counts. Given the economic scenario, the question of how to increase the amount of nutrients available to the crop next spring and summer becomes even more important.

Dennis - WITY Radio: Some local producers have told me “The only way I can make money this year is by growing more bushels.” So it doesn't really pay to cut back on your dry fertilizer game plan unless you can use a technology like TITAN XC to help you get more out of the dry fertilizers you're already applying.

Scott - Agricen: That's correct. We've had TITAN XC on the market since 2013. It’s a complement to traditional fertility practices. This fall, TITAN XC was applied on its 100 millionth-acre since introduction. With TITAN XC on dry fertilizer, we have a number of university studies that indicate we're increasing the first-year availability of phosphorus by 15 to 20% and potash by about 10%. So the value is there.

When you treat dry fertilizer with TITAN XC, the average yield response in corn is just over 10 bushels per acre, and the average yield response in soybeans is four bushels. So the economics are very consistent. TITAN XC proves itself again and again.

Dennis - WITY Radio: Tell folks how EXTRACT works.

Scott - Agricen: EXTRACT is a liquid product combining the power of our biochemistry components and ammonium thiosulfate. We created it to accelerate nutrient mineralization and release in the soil—release of those nutrients that are already there, perhaps bound to the soil colloid—and also to enhance crop residue breakdown.

If we are applying EXTRACT in a broadcast application with a fall herbicide or in the spring with a broadcast application of a pre herbicide, we're able to increase the mineralization or release of nutrients in the soil while also, if it's in a minimum till situation, enhancing the breakdown of crop residue and getting that residue into more of a plant-available form more quickly.

Initially EXTRACT was targeted more towards the corn acre. We've had great success with it on corn, but as time has passed, we probably treat almost as many acres of soybeans with EXTRACT as we do corn.

Dennis - WITY Radio: When I look at data on TITAN XC and EXTRACT, I see a lot of the third-party and university data from Illinois.

Scott - Agricen: We’ve worked with the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign since 2012, and have done trials with Purdue and many other institutions as well as on-farm split-field trials where we can evaluate how the technology performs in a range of conditions. Whether we're talking about EXTRACT as a broadcast application or TITAN XC impregnated on dry fertilizer, those yield results have been pretty consistent.

TITAN XC and EXTRACT are 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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[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 UAN Sidedress Efficiency to Optimize Corn Yield Potential
June 4, 2024 — Posted By Agricen

05-24-Sidedress-webinar-landing-pgHow can farmers maximize every unit of UAN sidedress they apply to help them reach their maximum yield potential?

Watch our on-demand webinar, "Enhancing UAN Sidedress Efficiency to Optimize Corn Yield Potential," to learn:

  • What conditions favor best responses from sidedress nitrogen applications

  • How enhancing a sidedress nitrogen application can potentially help offset the impact of planting delays

  • When growers should apply UAN sidedress for optimal benefits

  • How EXTRACT PBA can maximize the impact of UAN sidedress applications to optimize corn yield potential

Not all forms of nitrogen in UAN are readily available for crop uptake when applied. EXTRACT (6-0-0-13S), a combination of a fertilizer biocatalyst and ammonium thiosulfate (ATS), can improve the efficiency of UAN sidedress applications by influencing the two most important sources of plant-available nitrogen: the applied UAN and the residual soil nitrogen.

Accelerating the conversion of the urea component (50%) of UAN and positively affecting the mineralization and recycling of organic nitrogen in the soil are two key mechanisms in nitrogen use efficiency that lead to more available nitrogen from both applied and residual (already on/in the soil) nitrogen sources. Increased nitrogen availability combined with a more efficient use of nitrogen equals better growth potential, both immediately after EXTRACT application and for weeks to come in the growth cycle of the crop.

EXTRACT is also compatible with other technologies that enhance liquid sidedress nitrogen applications, such as BLACKMAX 22, an organic acid-based product that can be applied in tandem with liquid nitrogen to improve nutrient availability and support positive soil attributes.

Whether applied alone with UAN sidedress or with other sidedress-enhancing technologies, EXTRACT helps ensure that crops can access nitrogen during peak demand and that farmers can get the most out of their UAN sidedress investment.

Watch the on-demand webinar today to learn how to get the most efficiency out of your UAN sidedress application.

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[Corn Trial] Lower Canopy Temperatures & Greater 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, trials were conducted on later-planted corn in Minnesota and Michigan, and on a soybean field in Indiana to evaluate the impact of a V4 application of TERRAMAR on nutrient uptake and abiotic stress reduction. Corn nutrient demand significantly increases after the V4 window to produce a healthy, high-yielding crop.

In the Minnesota trial, a foliar application of TERRAMAR (1 quart/acre) was made at V4, 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 the 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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