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See the latest news, innovation updates, trial results, grower stories and more from Agricen. 
Keeping Crops on Track with TERRAMAR & RADIATE After Cool Conditions
June 5, 2025 — Posted By Agricen

Terramar-Radiate_Cool_ConditionsThis spring, many growing areas of the United States are coming off an extended period of cooler-than-normal temperatures. This makes it an ideal time for post applications of TERRAMAR and RADIATE to get the crop back on track. 

Cooler conditions slow plant photosynthesis and physiological functions, which leads to slower crop growth and development. TERRAMAR helps in this scenario because it increases the rate of photosynthesis, chlorophyll production and water transpiration, leading to increased nutrient levels in the plant. RADIATE is also useful here, since RADIATE enhances root development, increasing the plant's ability to access nutrients and moisture.


TERRAMAR: Learnings from Advanced Agrilytics' Corn Trials

During the 2024 season, Advanced Agrilytics evaluated TERRAMAR on ten farms across Iowa, Illinois, Indiana and Ohio to look at nutrient uptake and crop performance metrics. On all farms, TERRAMAR was foliar-applied on V6 corn at a rate of 1 quart/acre and compared to the grower's standard practice alone (no TERRAMAR treatment).

What were some of the key findings?

  • TERRAMAR increased nutrient levels in the treated corn plants. With a foliar application of TERRAMAR, crop uptake of both nitrogen and phosphorus was increased compared to the untreated plants. At R1, nitrogen was increased in over 50% of samples compared to the controls, while phosphorus was increased in nearly 80% of the samples. Higher levels of total plant nitrogen and phosphorus are indications of TERRAMAR’s ability to make nutrients more available to the plant and convert the starches, sugar and carbohydrates needed for yield.

  • TERRAMAR increased sucrose concentration in the treated corn plants. Sucrose levels in the plant at R1 are the most reliable predictor of yield capacity. Sucrose in the stalk is essentially the fuel reserve that the plant has to draw from to fill kernels. A V6 application of TERRAMAR led to increased R1 sucrose levels in 75% of the samples compared to the controls. Further, when there was a PRE application of EXTRACT followed by TERRAMAR, sucrose was increased 100% of the time.

  • TERRAMAR provided yield benefits in both water-limited and stable environments. The greatest yield advantage (69% positive outcomes) was seen in water-limited environments.

Win Rate 2024 Terramar Trials Advanced Agrilytics
You can hear more about the trial findings by watching a recap of this webinar, during which AJ Woodyard, agronomy lead for Ag Ingenuity Partners (the independent research arm of Advanced Agrilytics), provides trial details.


A Note on Soybeans

In soybeans, there has been minimal plant growth in the last two to three weeks due to cooler conditions. TERRAMAR can be applied to soybeans to increase the uptake of a broad range of nutrients, including potassium, which is vital for starch and protein formation and can help regulate the stomata as temperatures increase in June. By applying TERRAMAR to their crop, soybean growers have the opportunity to boost plant development for quicker row closure and create more plant mass to support the upcoming reproductive stage. 


Learn more about TERRAMAR by downloading the TERRAMAR booklet.

Download the TERRAMAR Booklet

 

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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.

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Seeing a Clear Difference in Early Wheat Growth with TITAN XC
May 12, 2025 — Posted By Agricen

This winter wheat field in Burns Flat, Oklahoma was sown with 70 lbs of DAP applied in furrow at planting in late October 2024. Alternating strips were sown at the same time with 70 lbs of DAP impregnated with TITAN XC, also applied in furrow. The difference is clear. The strips where TITAN XC was used are green, while the strips with the untreated DAP are still light, owing to the wheat plants being less developed with DAP alone.

TITAN-wheat-OK-02 - 1200xThe grower, who planted this field in a serpentine pattern, had treated his DAP fertilizer with TITAN XC (at a rate of 1 pint/ton of DAP) to increase nutrient availability and fertilizer efficiency. Before he was able to finish the field, he ran out of the TITAN XC blend, leading him to apply only DAP at the same rate to finish the field.

A close up of the field more clearly shows TITAN XC's impact. Wheat planted in the strips with untreated DAP are farther behind compared to those planted where TITAN XC-treated fertilizer was applied.TITAN-wheat-OK-01

Phosphorus is known for binding with other minerals like calcium and aluminum in the soil, making it unavailable to the plant, while potassium can bind with clay soil particles that prevent the plant from taking up this vital nutrient.

TITAN XC can be blended with dry fertilizers such as DAP, MAP, potash and MEZ to increase nutrient availability and improve plant uptake. When applied to dry fertilizer blends, the biochemistry in TITAN XC accelerates the conversion of unavailable phosphorus and potassium into forms that are readily taken up by the plant and keeps these nutrients in an available form longer for crop utilization. In this way, TITAN XC technology can help growers get more out of their dry fertilizer applications.

Download the TITAN XC in-season wheat study.

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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. 

Watch the Webinar

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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.

Download the 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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