In addition to the fertilizers growers apply each season, crops can benefit from the nutrients that are already in the soil or in surface crop residues. But first, these nutrients must be mineralized and converted into plant-available forms that the crop can use. An application of Extract PBA can make this process faster and more efficient.
In the photo below taken by the Nutrien Ag Solutions North High Plains branch in the spring of 2022, half of this Kansas wheat field had a fall application of Extract PBA technology on it (right side), helping to break down corn stalk residue and increase nutrient availability, while the other half (left side) was untreated.
The visible improvement in wheat growth and color in the treated part of the field shows the wheat crop benefiting from early nutrient availability with Extract PBA, an improvement that also translated into higher yield.
At harvest, the average wheat yield in the untreated part of the field was 35 bu/acre, compared to an average of 45 bu/acre where Extract PBA was used on the previous corn crop's residue—for a yield advantage of +10 bu/acre with fall-applied Extract PBA. The Nutrien Ag Solutions branch noted that the half of the field treated with Extract PBA was notoriously rougher ground, making these results more impressive.
Whether broadcast on crop residues in the fall, applied with liquid fertilizers and/or pre-emergent herbicides in the spring, or incorporated with sidedress UAN applications in the summer, Extract PBA can enhance nutrient release and mineralization processes, regardless of grower tillage practices. This can lead to greater nutrient use efficiency and improve nutrient availability, including during critical periods early in the season.
Learn more by downloading our booklet, "Managing Nutrient Release from Crop Residue."