Whether conditions are “ideal” or stressful, the key is to be prepared for whatever the growing season brings so that you can reach your yield goals.

In this on-demand webinar hosted by CropLife, "Stand Up to Stress for Higher Yield & ROI," you'll learn:

• What abiotic stress is
  
  
• How ag biologicals and biostimulants fit into crop stress and plant health management programs
  
  
• How TERRAMAR, a new foliar technology for agricultural crops, enhances plant performance while mitigating the impacts of abiotic stress

More than three dozen farmers in the 2023 National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) Corn Yield Contest used Agricen's biocatalyst technologies in their winning programs. They include four farmers who took top places at the national level and 34 who took top places in their states. 🏆

The winning growers used one or more of the following products in their corn fertility programs: Accomplish MAX, Ensurgo, Extract PBA, Levitate, Maritime, Prologue, Terramar and Titan XC. All of these products are exclusively available from our partner, Loveland Products, through Nutrien Ag Solutions.

Last season, Terramar was applied on over 2.7 million acres of row crops, including corn, soybeans, wheat and cotton. In this blog, we answer common questions about using Terramar in row crop programs.

What is Terramar?
Terramar is a breakthrough product that combines a biologically extracted kelp source and biologically extracted leonardite, which is a carbon source. It is intended for foliar applications in row crops at vegetative and reproductive stages. Terramar supplements a balanced crop nutrition system by helping to maximize plant performance and yield across any type of growing condition.

Why use Terramar in row crops?
Terramar is formulated to increase nutrient uptake and enhance stress mitigation, which can optimize plant health and contribute to enhanced yield. In 76 trials conducted from 2019 to 2023 across corn, soybeans, wheat and grain sorghum, Terramar offered an average yield advantage of +7.12 bu/acre compared to untreated check.

 

With dry, hot weather having impacted many areas of the country, Agricen's Scott Lay spoke with Dennis Michelsen of WITY Radio to discuss how Terramar is helping corn and soybean growers minimize the effect of drought and heat stress on their crops.

Dennis - WITY Radio: After a long duration of dry weather that we had during this growing season, we're getting a great chance to see just how much Terramar is helping reduce some of that drought stress we saw.

Scott - Agricen: Terramar is a new product to the Midwest and row crops. More importantly, it's a new practice. We now have a technology available to us in our arsenal that will help minimize stress.

Dennis - WITY Radio: This product is all about standing up to stress.

Scott - Agricen: We know that if the nighttime low does not get below 70 degrees Fahrenheit, that's a bad day for the corn plant. That impacts yield. We also know from our replicated studies with Terramar that we're able to decrease the crop canopy temperature by a measure of three to five degrees Fahrenheit for a period of three to four weeks. Again, that's not going to eliminate the negative impact of extremely hot temperatures, but it sure takes a bite out of it.

Dennis - WITY Radio: How is Terramar working on soybeans this year across the Midwest?

Lee Lubbers, an XtremeAg grower in Gregory, South Dakota, tried Terramar for the first time in 2022, testing it across fields with different yield environments. 

"We were very intrigued by Terramar being a stress mitigation product," says Lee. "We ended up applying about 4,000 acres worth of Terramar on corn."

His first trial was in a field that was traditionally in the bottom one-third when it comes to yield.

"It ended up showing that the Terramar is 7% better than the untreated," he says. "In our yield environment this year, to get a piece of ground to do this, and then to see a 7% increase...If we take that times 120 bushel, that's going to be about $60 an acre to our pocket. I'll take that all day long."

Many agricultural areas across the United States are facing weather-related challenges, but there are still opportunities to make the most out of what Mother Nature is dishing out.

Terramar, a new product for row crops, is formulated to help crops stand up to abiotic stresses (such as heat and dry conditions) while also increasing nutrient uptake for better plant growth.

The photos below document the performance of Terramar applications made on corn, soybeans and wheat earlier this season, and they show some very strong visual results.

With another opportunity to apply Terramar now here (this time with fungicide or plant nutrition products on reproductive-stage corn and soybeans), we wanted to share these images as a reminder of the potential in this year's crop.

Here are the top 10 Terramar field pictures of 2023, so far:

Growers know all too well that hot and dry conditions can contribute to yield loss in corn and soybean crops, especially when these stresses last for a prolonged period of time. Terramar gives growers the opportunity to mitigate the effects of these weather-related stresses so that their crops can hold on to their yield potential.

There are two key opportunities for making a Terramar application on corn and soybeans.
The first opportunity to apply Terramar is with the early post herbicide pass, typically at the V4-V5 growth stage in both crops. The second opportunity—one that is approaching soon—is with a fungicide or foliar plant nutrition pass on corn and soybeans. For those who have already applied Terramar earlier in the season, a two-pass program (first at the early vegetative growth stage, then at the reproductive stages) may be beneficial, particularly if crops are under prolonged stress.

In corn and soybeans, the window for applying Terramar with fungicide or plant nutrition products is:

• Corn - V10 (early season) through R3 (tar spot)
• Soybeans - Pre-bloom through R3

All Terramar applications made at reproductive stages should be at a minimum rate of 1 quart/acre. Applications can be made by airplane, helicopter or a ground rig.

Below are two examples of recent trials in which Terramar was applied at reproductive stages in corn and soybeans, leading to yield increases compared to the grower's standard practice.

With growers turning their attention to early post-emergent herbicide and other foliar applications in corn and soybeans, Agricen's Scott Lay spoke with Dennis Michelsen of WITY Radio to discuss Terramar, a new option for mitigating the effects of weather-related stress and helping crops realize their yield potential.

Dennis - WITY Radio: Tell us a little bit about Terramar.

Scott - Agricen: Terramar is not only a new product, but also a new practice that can now be employed in farmers’ growing systems: the practice of minimizing weather-related stresses. Weather plays a tremendous role in determining yield, and weather stress may present itself through the months of May, June and July in the form of heat, drought or other challenges. Terramar helps to minimize the stress impact that crops experience and allows them to realize more of their potential.

How can growers mitigate the effects of weather-related crop stresses like heat and dry conditions while also increasing nutrient uptake by their crops during the growing season?

Watch our on-demand webinar, "Introducing Terramar: A New Way to Help Row Crops Stand Up to Stress," to hear:

• How Terramar improves crop tolerance to abiotic stresses while enhancing nutrient uptake
  
  
• Why Terramar is a good fit for any row crop program, including corn, soybean, and wheat
  
  
• Details about application timing, trial results, and more

Intended for foliar use in row crops, Terramar delivers increased nutrient uptake and enhanced stress mitigation to optimize plant health and contribute to enhanced yield.

Agricen's Scott Lay recently spoke with Dennis Michelsen of WITY Radio about sustainable plant health technologies growers can employ this season to enhance yield and ROI. 

Dennis - WITY Radio: Agricen has a booklet about the company's sustainable plant health technologies. Tell us more about that. 

Scott - Agricen: Sustainable practices or technologies can be employed in real-life intensive managed production systems, and not at the expense of yield. They can enhance yield and productivity.

Our technologies, they either benefit the plant, benefit the soil, or both. If we can pair those technologies with traditional production practices, that’s a win-win.