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By Brian Cornelious, PhD, Agricen

The use of starter fertilizer, aimed at getting plant nutrients in a concentrated zone close to the point of seed placement, is a common practice in some parts of the country.

A standard starter program for corn in the U.S. Corn Belt is 3-5 gallons of ammonium polyphosphate (10-34-0) plus 1 quart of zinc per acre. More progressive growers have gravitated towards readily available orthosphosphate blends containing micronutrients or other enhancements like biostimulants. Regardless of the rate, timing, source and amount (the “4Rs”) of the practice, the goal is the same: Get the most out of every nutrient applied for better early growth and development.

Conversion from polyphosphate to plant-available orthophosphate takes place in the soil, where microbes and soil chemistry both play a role in making the applied and existing soil nutrients available to the plant, as well as in the timing of nutrient release into the soil solution. For any liquid starter program to be successful, growers must consider several key factors like soil test values, crop yield goals, field conditions and potential for nutrient release when the crop needs them most.

Thankfully, growers don’t have to leave it all up to nature. By enhancing liquid starter programs with ACCOMPLISH MAX or PROLOGUE, growers can speed up the conversion process in the soil and facilitate plant nutrient uptake by providing highly available forms of nutrients. The outcome is improved plant performance, as demonstrated in the trials below.

ACCOMPLISH MAX

ACCOMPLISH MAX is specifically formulated for use with liquid starter fertilizers. It contains diverse biochemicals (e.g., organic acids, enzymes) that interact with liquid fertilizers and soil chemistry to improve nutrient availability and facilitate nutrient uptake by the crop. It also contains a kelp-based technology that helps crops better tolerate potentially yield-robbing stresses like cold temperatures, saline soil, heat or dry conditions.

In the corn trial below from Ohio, the grower standard practice (GSP) was an in-furrow program consisting of NPK, a micronutrient starter and Proven 40 (a microbial nitrogen-fixing product from Pivot Bio). This was compared to GSP plus 1 quart/acre of ACCOMPLISH MAX over three fields.

The results? Adding ACCOMPLISH MAX to the grower's standard in-furrow program led to a yield advantage of +6 bu/acre over the GSP alone.

In another example, a corn trial in Nebraska looked at the impact of adding ACCOMPLISH MAX at 1 quart/acre to a starter program consisting of Loveland Products’ Riser (2 gals/acre) and Black Label Zn (1 gal/acre).

The results? A visual difference with ACCOMPLISH MAX earlier in the season, including thicker stalks and healthier plants above ground, with deeper, more developed roots below. The early, healthier start resulted in a +4.5 bu/acre yield advantage at harvest compared to the starter program that did not include this technology.

PROLOGUE

PROLOGUE (5-0-0 6.3% Zn) is a combination of highly plant available zinc and nutrient solubilizing technology comprised of microbial metabolites (biochemicals) and active, phosphorus-scavenging microbes that colonize within the root system.

PROLOGUE fits any banded liquid phosphorus-based fertilizer program requiring supplemental zinc for optimal plant growth. It is formulated to increase the efficiency of both applied phosphate and existing phosphate bound in the soil, as well as balance the P:Zn uptake ratio. (For every 10 units of phosphorus, a plant needs 1 unit of zinc.)

In this corn trial from Kentucky, PROLOGUE was applied 2x2 with 10 gals/acre of 10-34-0.

The results? A yield advantage of +7.15 bu/acre with PROLOGUE in the starter program compared to the 10-34-0 starter alone.

Crops that get off to a good start often maintain an advantage during the growing season over those that struggle to get going. As these studies show, growers that include a technology such as ACCOMPLISH MAX or PROLOGUE in their starter programs—whether a polyphosphate, an orthophosphate/polyphosphate blend or other liquid starter—can maximize the efficiency of applied nutrients and improve crop performance.

Learn more about starter fertilizer programs by downloading our booklet, Improving Crop Yields with Starter Fertilizers.

In an irrigated corn trial conducted in Benzie county, Michigan in 2022, adding Accomplish MAX to the grower's standard practice (GSP) starter fertilizer led to impressive yield results. 

Accomplish MAX was added to the GSP starter fertilizer at two different rates (1 pint/acre and 1 quart/acre, the recommended rate) and then compared to the GSP alone. The GSP 2x2 starter fertilizer blend consisted of UAN 28% (7.5 gal/acre), ammonium thiosulfate (ATS, 3 gal/acre), 10-34-0 (7.25 gal/acre), and Pro Zinc 10+ (0.25 gal/acre). The grower's fertility program also included a dry fertilizer broadcast application of 46-0-0 (300 lbs/acre) plus 0-0-60 (100 lbs/acre) applied over corn stubble. The field was no-till, corn on corn.

Adding Accomplish MAX at either rate provided both a yield advantage and a return on investment (ROI) for the grower.

Accomplish MAX, a next-generation biocatalyst that provides nutrient efficiency and crop stress tolerance benefits, is now available from Loveland Products through Nutrien Ag Solutions retail locations. It is designed for use with in-furrow starters, 2x2 placement of liquid fertilizers, and liquid sidedress applications.

Accomplish MAX is a proprietary combination of proven Accomplish biocatalyst technology, which growers have used for over a decade to improve nutrient mineralization and uptake on millions of acres across the United States, and cutting-edge kelp technology designed to enhance crop tolerance to abiotic stressors such as cold temperatures, drought and fertilizer salts. 

Key benefits of Accomplish MAX:

• Increases nutrient availability and uptake by mineralizing nutrients in the soil
• Improves plant tolerance to abiotic stresses such as cold temperatures and salinity from commercial fertilizers
• Enhances overall plant performance to help growers reach their yield potential

Common stressors like cold temperatures, drought and fertilizer salts can slow early-season plant growth, robbing growers of yield. By incorporating Accomplish MAX into their existing fertility programs, growers can help their crops better endure some of these environmental stresses, ultimately leading to better results at harvest time.

“For years we’ve been driving crop yields with Accomplish LM. In Accomplish MAX, we’ve combined that proven biocatalyst technology with powerful kelp technology to both enhance nutrient use efficiency and improve abiotic stress tolerance, providing a significant agronomic advantage,” says Taylor Ivy, Senior Product Marketing Manager, Plant Nutrition, Loveland Products.

Accomplish MAX was extensively validated in corn, cotton, and soybean crops during the 2021 growing season, both at the Loveland Products Research farms in Kentucky and in 60 replicated on-farm trials and 20 replicated trials at third-party cooperators and university sites.

Accomplish MAX is manufactured by Agricen.

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

Fifth-generation farmer, Dave Kolb, of Kolb Farms near Paynesville, Minnesota, is one of 11 children who grew up working on a dairy farm with his siblings and parents. The Kolbs have been in this area since their ancestors arrived to homestead in 1861.

Today, Dave farms and dairies with three of his brothers and his mother. They employ a corn, oat, alfalfa and wheat rotation to produce forage and grain for the 500 cows that they milk. They also raise their own replacement heifers. It is a very busy operation, but Dave and his family members have seen their hard work pay off, including as entrants in the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) Corn Yield Contest.

In the 2018 contest, the Kolb Farms plot yielded 259.8895 bu/a, placing third in the Minnesota irrigated division (and just missing first place in the state by 3.73 bushels).

Gabe Kjellsen of Loveland Products (right) presenting an achievement award to Kolb Farms'
Dave Kolb (left) for his success in the NCGA corn yield contest using Accomplish LM technology.

What is Dave doing to achieve his high yields? He has a very detailed fertility program that includes soil and tissue testing followed by foliar sprays to alleviate macro- and micronutrient deficiencies. He also relies on a sound starter fertilizer program that includes 6-24-6 amended with Accomplish LM, a fertilizer biocatalyst, to increase plant rooting and nutrient availability.

In Dave’s own words, “With declining commodity prices, I had to cut some things out of my starter program. But the one input I will not cut is Accomplish LM.”

In 1995, Dave was injured in a car accident that paralyzed him from the waist down, but he hasn't let that slow him down or take him away from the farm. Dave does all the planting, spraying, and crop planning at the farm, and he drives a semi truck. It's another example of the hard work and drive that are helping Kolb Farms successfully meet the challenges of running a busy cropland and dairy operation.

Learn more about the Accomplish LM technology in Dave's starter program by downloading the Accomplish LM product booklet.

By Jeremiah Butler

As we enter planting time and growers make final decisions for the coming crop year, many growers will consider using in-furrow products. There are several reasons why they should research and consider in-furrow applications.  

Many of you have heard Dr. Fred Below of the University of Illinois talk about his “Seven Wonders of the Corn Yield World.” As we look at the factors below, we can see that there is no silver bullet. Attaining a high yield truly takes a systems approach!

Seven Wonders of the Corn Yield World and Their Potential Impact on Yield

The value of each factor is presented in bushels/acre as well as a percentage of the total (260 bushels/acre). Source: U Illinois Crop Physiology Lab

Although in-furrow products are not included on his list of major factors that impact corn yield, Dr. Below was recently asked whether in-furrow products are important in an interview with Farm Industry News. Here is his answer:

"We are starting to see synergistic advantages of in-furrow technologies, where a fungicide is applied with an insecticide along with a starter fertilizer. These products enhance and protect the plant or seedling, and by having the nutrients alongside them, can start the plant off to a faster growth trajectory. Ultimately, I think we will have other growth-enhancing technologies that can go in-furrow. I think it is one of the next new things in agriculture."

So, when should growers consider a starter fertilizer? There are several scenarios in which an in-furrow product can make a lot of sense:

• When cultural practices such as no-till or minimum tillage are utilized
• On coarse textured or low organic matter soils
• On poorly drained or cold soils
• On low testing P and K soils
• When nodal root systems are severally impeded by challenging growing conditions
• When soil pH is unusually high or low
• When substantial drought stress is likely

Loveland Products has a variety of in-furrow technologies that can be used as part of a systems approach to obtaining a healthy, high yielding crop. In addition to the starter fertilizers Levitate and Riser, these include:

• Accomplish LM, a biochemical technology that improves nutrient availability and uptake for better plant performance
• Radiate, a growth regulator that can be used to promote a larger root mass for more water and nutrient interception
• Organic acid technologies including Black Label Zn and BlackMax 22
• Satori fungicide
• Sniper LFR insecticide 

We wish you the best of luck as you get growing this season.

Learn more about Accomplish LM by downloading the Accomplish LM booklet.

Growers know that uniform corn emergence is a must for achieving great yields. Recent research shows that a delay in emergence of just 12 to 14 hours can affect yield potential.

In side by side field trials at three different locations led by North Carolina State University cropping systems specialist Dr. Ron Heiniger, an in-furrow application of Accomplish LM promoted uniform corn emergence, increased row and kernel number, and increased ear weight by 1/8 lb compared to check (10-27-0 applied in a 2x2 band). Uniform emergence was associated with higher yields: Accomplish LM increased the average yield by +11.5 bushels per acre.

Accomplish LM is a nutrient use efficiency product that offers concentrated biochemistry tin an easy-to-handle liquid form.  Formulated for broadcast and starter fertilizer applications, it helps growers get the most out of their crop fertility programs by increasing nutrient availability and uptake and by promoting root growth and development. 

Use Accomplish LM this spring for more uniform crop emergence and the potential for higher yields at harvest.

Interested in more information on Accomplish LM in corn starter programs? Read our starter booklet.

This year, many parts of the country dealt with above-average to excessive spring rains. Wet conditions set the stage for denitrification (converting nitrogen in the soil system into N₂ gas) and nitrate leaching, which may explain some of the yellowing growers have observed in fields where there has been a lot of moisture.  

Starter fertilizer use can help to overcome some of this nitrogen loss by adding nitrogen back into the system. Other crop inputs can also pay off. Accomplish LM can be used in a starter blend to ensure that more of the applied nitrogen or nitrogen in the soil system is in a form that is readily available for plant uptake.   

In the field trials we’ve seen this season, the difference between starter and no starter was very obvious. Starter applications that included Accomplish LM have been giving a very strong performance, as seen in these corn trials from Wheatland, Indiana. 

Corn - Wheatland, Indiana (2015)

Starter vs. no starter fertilizer; Photo taken May 27, 2015

Corn - Wheatland, IN (2015)

Accomplish LM applied at 1 qt/acre; RiseR FA applied at 2.5 gals/acre; Sniper LFR applied at 3.2 oz/acre

Corn - Wheatland, IN (2015)

Accomplish LM applied at 1 qt/acre; Black Label Zn applied at 3 gals/acre; Sniper LFR applied at 3.2 oz/acre

Learn more about starter fertilizers and how Accomplish LM can enhance corn starter programs. Download “Improving Crop Yields with Starter Fertilizers.”

Soybean Startup is a tank mix of Accomplish^® MAX and Radiate^® applied in-furrow at planting. The goal is to get soybean plants off to a better, faster start and enhance productivity. In trial after trial, this program keeps giving a standout performance in the field.

The soybean plants in the pictures below were planted on May 28^th, 2015 in Greensburg, Kansas, by a grower who had trialed the Soybean Startup program on half of his acres. The beans on the left were treated 2x2 with 10 gallons of 16-0-16-5 alone, while the beans on the right were treated 2x2 with 10 gallons of 16-0-16-5 and plus the Soybean Startup in furrow. Pictures were taken mid-June.

With Soybean Startup, the plants are bigger and healthier, and they have larger, better developed root systems compared to untreated plants.

After seeing the difference between the treated and untreated soybeans, the grower of these beans is now going to use a Soybean Startup program on all of his double crop acres. 

Learn more about this innovative starter program for soybean by downloading the Soybean Startup booklet.

I’ve never used a starter program for my soybean plants. Nutrient deficiencies are not as common as they are in corn, and the salt in traditional fertilizers can harm the seedlings. Why would I consider a soybean starter program now?

It’s true that traditional starter fertilizers are not typically used for soybean crops, for both of the reasons that you’ve pointed out. However, like growers of other crops, soybean growers can benefit from tools that help improve plant health and yields. Accomplish^® MAX and Radiate^® are plant health products that can be used together as a “starter program” for soybean. They contain no salt and provide a cost effective way for growers to improve plant vigor, reduce plant stress and increase productivity. With an early application of these plant health technologies, growers can improve the health of soybean plants from emergence through yield, all while maximizing the efficiency of their total plant nutrition program.

If soybean prices are low, does it make economic sense to use a starter program?

When soybeans sell at a low price, some growers may be inclined to reduce total input costs. But, by using proven technologies to get their crop off to a faster, more vigorous start, soybean growers can have a very successful year. Accomplish MAX and Radiate are proven plant health technologies that work together to help optimize yield potential and return on total program investment when used as a soybean starter.

If my soybean plants need the nutrition, aren’t broadcast applications better at improving yields?

We recommend that soybean growers employ soil testing to determine the nutrient needs of their crops. Accomplish MAX and Radiate are plant health technologies, not plant nutrition products. Accomplish MAX increases the availability and uptake of nutrients in the soil (both applied nutrients and native nutrients) and mitigates the effect of abiotic stress, while Radiate contains plant hormones that drive root development and plant vigor. Both can help optimize soybean yield potential when used together as a starter application, maximizing a grower’s nutrient use efficiency and plant performance all season long.

Radiate is not registered in California, and is not approved or intended to be used or sold in California.

By Daniel Kaiser, PhD, University of Minnesota

In areas where spring is cool and wet, banding fertilizer with the planter can benefit corn crops. Although application of dry fertilizer with the corn planter has played an important role historically, it has become less common with increasing acreages and planter sizes. Instead, liquid fertilizers have steadily replaced dry for supplying nutrients to the corn plant early in the growing season.

The primary benefit of applying low rates of fertilizer directly on the corn seed is more rapid growth early in the growing season. Increased early growth can be viewed as an insurance policy, ensuring that plants reach critical periods of growth faster. Low rates of phosphorus can significantly increase the amount of growth, even in fields where soil phosphorous test levels are high. Our research in Minnesota has demonstrated that as little at 10 lbs P₂O₅ applied with the planter can produce sizeable increases in plant mass early in the growing season. This increase has been shown to speed development and decrease the time to silking by one to two days.

Despite large increases in early plant mass, the probability of an increase in grain yield when using traditional starter sources is low in our experience in Minnesota, occurring roughly 10-15% of the time in soils testing high in phosphorus. And, once soils warm, the potential yield benefits of banded nutrients can decrease. At this time, the potential for an increase in yield is typically dictated by the presence or absence of a deficiency in one or more nutrients. Trials conducted over three years in Southern Minnesota that utilized a starter containing nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium (and compared to potassium alone), clearly showed the benefits of starter phosphorus for increasing early plant mass, but also demonstrated that increases in grain yield were due to elements such as potassium or sulfur. The magnitude of yield response was not related to the magnitude of increased early plant growth, reinforcing the disconnect between responses early in the growing season and potential increases in corn grain yield. In other words, a 50% increase in biomass does not necessarily translate into a 50% increase in yield.

Due to the added cost of fertilizer, producers that use starter must weigh all options when deciding where money should be spent. Current Minnesota fertilizer guidelines indicate that small rates of nutrients applied in a starter can supply crop needs when soils test high for phosphorous or potassium. However, if soils test low, the amount of fertilizer that can safely be applied with the seed may be too low to match crop needs. In these situations, additional broadcast phosphorous or potassium is warranted. If broadcast phosphorous or potassium is applied at high enough rates, there is little benefit of additional nutrients applied in a starter fertilizer, but what has not yet been addressed is whether broadcast phosphorous or potassium rates can be reduced sufficiently to make the cost more economical. However, since other benefits of starter include reduced grain moisture—which can range from an average decrease of 0.5% to as much 1.0-1.5% in extreme circumstances—this alone can be enough to pay for the cost of some fertilizer sources, especially in years when grain is wetter in the fall.

Over time, we have learned what to expect when banding nutrients with corn seed. Our experience in Minnesota shows that while a grain yield response is possible when banding nutrients with corn seed, a grain moisture response is much more likely. In addition, while starter (banded) potassium can provide a higher chance of return, it simply may not be economical compared to broadcast applications.