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See the latest news, innovation updates, trial results, grower stories and more from Agricen. 
Is a Fungicide Enough to Preserve Yield Potential in Corn & Soybeans?
July 9, 2026 — Posted By Agricen

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

Terramar fungicide corn trial illinois

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

How TERRAMAR Complements Corn and Soybean Fungicides

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

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

Terramar fungicide corn trial Indiana

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

A reproductive-stage application of TERRAMAR:

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

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

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

Terramar soybean fungicide trial Indiana

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

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

Learn more by downloading the TERRAMAR + Foliar Fungicide FAQ.

Download the FAQ

 

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How to Increase Potassium Uptake in Crops with TERRAMAR
July 2, 2026 — Posted By Agricen

When TERRAMAR is applied to a crop, one well known benefit is greater plant uptake of nutrients, including potassium (K). This not only applies to uptake of K from the soil, but also to uptake of K that is foliar applied during the season. TERRAMAR serves as a booster, getting more K into the plant when applied with foliar K products.

The greenhouse study below shows how adding TERRAMAR to a foliar K product like LoKomotive or Reax K can impact K tissue levels in the plant. There was a synergistic effect when TERRAMAR was applied with each foliar K product, leading to greater uptake of this critical nutrient than with any foliar K product alone.

Corn-Terramar-ReaxK-Lokomotive-Potassium

TERRAMAR is also a good fit with foliar K applications as well as with other in-season foliar applications a grower may be making (including herbicides and fungicides) because it is known to increase a plant's photosynthetic capacity, enhance sucrose storage and utilization, improve the crop's overall physiological functioning and mitigate the effects of abiotic stress, all of which helps build a stronger plant and preserve yield potential throughout the season.

Summary of TERRAMAR's Key Benefits:

  • Improves nutrient uptake efficiency (including K uptake)

  • Builds photosynthetic capacity resulting in a larger, more robust plant with increased sucrose storage

  • Preserves plant sucrose reserves by improving physiological functioning, leading to more sucrose availability at grain fill

  • Mitigates the impact of abiotic stresses like heat or dry conditions

Bottom line: Addressing K levels in the plant, particularly in K-limited soils, is a challenge. Making an in-season foliar K application is a solid agronomic approach that can be enhanced with the addition of TERRAMAR. Given that K is often a yield-limiting factor, utilizing TERRAMAR with a foliar K product can set the crop up for higher yield.

Learn more about TERRAMAR by downloading the TERRAMAR with foliar K study.

Get&nbsp;the TERRAMAR + Foliar K Study

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An Interview with Jim Engelsma, 2025 Apple Grower of the Year
October 16, 2025 — Posted By Agricen

Jim Engelsma NASAgricen’s Steve Sexton recently had the opportunity to sit down with Jim Engelsma, who was named American Fruit Grower’s 2025 Apple Grower of the Year. In addition to being an apple grower, Jim is also the branch manager for Nutrien Ag Solutions in Sparta, Michigan. Here we delve into his philosophy, family history and the cutting-edge practices that set his operations apart.

Steve: Jim, congratulations on being named the 2025 Apple Grower of the Year. Tell me, what does this mean to you?

Jim: Thank you. I'm very proud to represent the apple industry with this honor. I enjoy testing things on my own small farm that might be “outside of the box,” but have the potential to really increase yields or increase quality. I’ve also worked hard over the years to provide growers with solutions that make a difference in the quality of their crop and provide economic returns. I enjoy that work immensely, and I'm excited about going to work every day. The excitement comes from helping growers and knowing there always be will be new and better ways to grow fruit.

Steve: Can you talk about your family history and your approach to apple farming?

Jim: My grandfather immigrated here and started a dairy cattle business in this area. It was my father who was the first one to venture into apples, and that was back in the 1950s.

When I came of age, I realized how much I enjoyed growing apples. I took up that tradition, and began to look at ways of making improvements to grow better and more fruit off the same acre. And now my daughter is fully integrated into our apple business. She enjoys it like I do, and she loves to push the limits.

Today, our high-density orchards are producing a high number of bushels per acre. To achieve that, we’re using every tool in the box. We micromanage nutrition and use things that an ordinary grower might raise an eyebrow at, but we've got a proven track record and we're always taking it to the next level.

Steve: You also embrace new technologies like biocatalysts. How have these methods given you a competitive edge?

Jim: Some of the best-growing fruit trees have weak root systems. The challenge is getting them to grow before we begin to fruit them, so that the tree has a good scaffold and the orchard can continuously produce high yields. So we push the envelope and we use every tool at our disposal, including incorporating products like ACCOMPLISH, BLACKMAX 22 and BLACK LABEL ZN in our drip tube fertigation system, fully applying nutrients when the trees are young and using grid sampling so that we can apply metered nutrition per the needs of the acre.

When our trees are growing, we apply foliar nutrition every seven to 10 days to give the tree what it needs, when it needs it. We also use a lot of MARITIME and TERRAMAR on our farm. While these may be considered a bit outside of the box for a traditional apple grower, we’ve had very good results.

Steve: What role do MARITIME and TERRAMAR play in your orchard management?

Jim: MARITIME has been a real workhorse for us. This year, we made three MARITIME applications in our orchard due to drought. It serves a dual purpose: Enhancing fruit color when combined with LOKOMOTIVE and LI-700, and also bolstering the trees’ ability to endure the drought.

TERRAMAR is a little newer to our farm than MARITIME. Most of the TERRAMAR is applied through the drip line, but we also make foliar applications because the carbon component in TERRAMAR promotes nutrient uptake. Oftentimes, when we look at what we need in the drip line, something similar is needed in the foliar, so we hit it from both sides.

Our approach using these technologies isn’t guesswork; we're supporting the trees the way they need to be supported. I believe the TERRAMAR and MARITIME will make a big difference in next year's crop, too, as the drought we had this year could hurt return bloom for growers who didn’t use these tools.

Steve: Do you have a specific example of how these products have led to a tangible improvement in your apple crop?

Engelsma OrchardJim: In years when we have overcast skies or more heat coming into harvest season, we see a definite improvement in color with MARITIME, which we apply with LOKOMOTIVE and LI-700. The color is very obvious, and it lets us harvest at the right time, when the fruit is mature, rather than waiting for color and picking the fruit when it's past optimal maturity. We've also seen that using MARITIME early in the spring can help the trees endure colder temperatures. Several years ago, we had a night with a temperature of 14.7°F. According to the university charts, we should have lost 90% of our crop, but instead we ended up having a big crop of fruit due to our program. So there are definite, tangible results, and I've seen it on other farms as well.

Steve: What advice would you offer growers who are considering MARITIME or TERRAMAR?

Jim: Revenue is the bottom line for any grower, and they obviously need to consider the cost of adding a new product. But they also need to consider the cost of having a crop versus not having a crop. The upfront cost for MARITIME or TERRAMAR is a small percentage of the total investment. For a tree that costs $10-$12, you can make it grow for less than 12 cents. Getting these products out at the proper timing can make the difference between having a high-quality crop—or even just having a crop—and having a failure.

Steve: Have you calculated the return on investment from TERRAMAR and MARITIME?

Jim: I haven't calculated it exactly, but it would be huge. If there’s a drought, but my trees don't suffer from it and I’m able to harvest a good crop because I’ve put out MARITIME, that’s one way I’m getting a return on investment. Come the following spring, when my trees have a strong start because they didn’t suffer from that prior drought, that’s another. You have to look beyond the immediate crop.

Larger growers especially like to look closely at the economics of their program. I'll tell you right now that our largest growers are some of the biggest proponents of these products because they've seen the results.

Steve: What do you see as the most pressing challenges facing apple growers?

Jim: A lot of the costs in our industry, including labor and chemistry, are going up, and I believe there will be a higher cost to production as we move forward. We’ll have to focus on consistently raising more bushels per acre while also producing higher quality crops to increase our return on investment. That means we must use every tool available to not just promote yield and quality in this year’s crop, but also to set next year’s crop up for success.

Steve: What advice would you would pass on?

Jim: We should always be learning so that tomorrow’s crop is better than today and, as we learn, we need to share our experiences with the younger generation to help them grow along with the industry.

This interview was edited for length and clarity.

Learn more about MARITIME by downloading the MARITIME Product Booklet.

Download the MARITIME Booklet

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

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

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

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

Terramar-fungicide-corn-IN

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

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

Terramar-fungicide-soybeans-IN

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

Learn more by downloading the TERRAMAR corn and soybean study.

Download the Study

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Recapping Success in the 2024 Corn Yield Contest
July 30, 2025 — Posted By Agricen

Each year, we like to take a closer look at the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) Corn Yield Contest to identify farmers who used any of Agricen's diverse plant health technologies in their winning programs.

In the 2024 NCGA Corn Yield Contest, five national and 44 state winners used one or more of Agricen's commercialized technologies in their winning programs. Products that were part of the winning programs included ACCOMPLISH MAX, EXTRACT, PROLOGUE, TERRAMAR, and TITAN XC. All of these products are part of the Loveland Products plant nutrition portfolio available through Nutrien Ag Solutions retail locations across the United States.

NCGA_social-2024


2024 National Corn Yield Contest Winners

Among the five national winners who used at least one of Agricen's plant health technologies in their winning programs were David Hula and Craig Hula of Virginia, who had the highest overall yields of any growers in the 2024 contest. They respectively won first and second place nationally in the Strip, Min, Mulch, Ridge-Till Irrigated category with yields of 490.63 bu/acre and 461.30 bu/acre. David and Craig work with Nutrien Ag Solutions crop consultant Jimmy Ward.

Heath Cutrell, who works with Nutrien Ag Solutions crop consultant Fenton Eure III, is another national winner from Virginia. Heath placed second nationally in the Conventional Non-Irrigated category with a corn yield of 350.19 bu/acre. (You can learn more about Heath in our short video from a few years back, Striving for Record Corn Yields.)

cutrell eure ncga 2025-1Pictured (left to right): Agricen's Scott Lay, grower Heath Cutrell and Heath's Nutrien Ag Solutions crop consultant, Fenton Eure III.

Rounding out the list are two more Virginians: JR Newcomb, who won third place nationally in the No-Till Irrigated category with a corn yield of 367.92 bu/acre, and Robbie Newcomb, who took third nationally in the Conventional Irrigated category with a yield of 352.29 bu/acre. Both work with Nutrien Ag Solutions crop consultant Eugene Longest.

Congratulations to all of the 2024 winners and their Nutrien Ag Solutions crop consultants, and we wish the best of luck to all who plan on entering the contest in 2025.

Learn more about the technologies used in the winning programs by downloading our Sustainable Plant Health Technology Overview.

Download the Overview

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

TERRAMAR is available from Nutrien Ag Solutions.

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

 

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TERRAMAR and RADIATE Help Keep Crops on Track After Cool Conditions
June 5, 2025 — Posted By Agricen

Terramar-Radiate_Cool_ConditionsIn spring, many growing areas of the United States can experience 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

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. With an application of TERRAMAR, 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.

Watch the Webinar

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

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

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

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

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

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

Dennis - WITY Radio: Does that translate to yield?

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

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

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

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

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

TERRAMAR is available from Nutrien Ag Solutions. 

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

 

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

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

What benefits can TERRAMAR add to a wheat fungicide application?

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

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

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

FLAG LEAF/FEEKES 9 FUNGICIDE APPLICATION

05-24 Terramar-Wheat-Feekes 9

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

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

HEAD SCAB SPRAY/FEEKES 10.5.1 FUNGICIDE APPLICATION

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

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

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

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

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

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

FEEKES 8, 9 & 10.5.1 (3 APPLICATIONS)

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

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

SUMMARY

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

*ROI calculations assume wheat at $6/bushel.

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

Access the Study

 

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