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"Two decades of evaluating starter fertilizer have convinced Farm Journal Field Agronomist Ken Ferrie that the practice pays." --From the article Starter On The Spot in Farm Journal, March 2008 Issue, Page 11 |
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News Articles Five Reasons To Place P and K By Cory Schurman 1. All crops have better efficiency when needed nutrients especially non-mobil ones like P and K are placed in the root zone. 2. Some crops can have better response to placement an example would be corn which has a fibrous root system the bulk of the P and K come out of a zone 3" to each side of the plant and approx. 3" deep but this can vary by soil type somewhat. Another common crop in Iowa is soybeans this is a tap type root system and the zone is much smaller less than 1/2 of that of corn. Then there is a crop like wheat which has a feeder type system and roots typically go 15" to each side of the plant so placement is not quite as critical. 3. The common accepted figure is roots of crops contact 1-3% of the soil volume in the top 6" of the soil. I've always said feeder type root systems is closer to the 3 and tap root systems is closer to the 1% so it would be very logical that placement of the non-mobil or less mobil nutrients like P and K would benefit greatly from placement 4. ACLF has flavonols in their fertilizer these have been found to be beneficial to microbial levels in the root zone so if the fertility can be non-harmful to soil biology, it can allow microbes to reproduce and build up helping a plant to feed itself better 5. It is very common for customer who use the ACLF products banded close to the row to notice increased root mass sometimes 20%+ so when we band Pro-Germ Sure-K and needed micros we are increasing root mass which helps a plant better feed itself.
BEWARE: NUTRIENT MINING Source: Farm Industry News, February 2010 Is your soil fertility program keeping up with your crop genetics? Data from the International Plant Nutrition Institute shows vast swaths of farmland across the United States may be losing phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) faster than farmers are replacing it with fertilizer. "Unfortunately, many growers are still fertilizing the way they did before higher-yielding crops were developed," says Dan Froelich, director of agronomy for Mosaic Company, a Minnesota fertilizer producer.
Striving For Balance With ACLF Fertilizers By Nick Bancroft Agro-Culture Liquid Fertilizers is not a typical fertilizer company. We strive for progressive thinking to provide plant nutrition solutions that are more effective than conventional products in practically every way. Understanding this will help you understand how our products function. The real issue is not the amount applied, but rather what is applied and how much fertilizer is effectively utilized by the plant to produce the desired response. Look at it this way. Do conventionally recommended fertilizer application rates truly reflect the amount of actual nutrients needed by a crop, or do they simply provide adequate volume of inefficient materials to meet the requirements of plant uptake and nutrient utilization? Conventional wisdom acknowledges that more nutrients are applied with conventional fertilizers than what is actually required because only a portion is actually utilized by the plant. Whether the physical characteristics and nature of the fertilizer materials used or the processes by which they are formulated, the question remains, “How much of conventionally applied fertilizer is actually usable to the plant?” The efficiency of plant nutrients— not just the volume of fertilizer material applied — contribute even more to positive plant response. Many of the environmental concerns we face today are a direct result of the over-application of plant nutrients carried by, and manufactured with, components detrimental to the health and balance of our environment. Balance is important in plant nutrition. An excess of one nutrient can cause reduced uptake of another. An excess of potassium, for example, may compete with magnesium uptake by crops. A heavy application of phosphorus may induce a zinc deficiency in soil that is marginal or low in zinc. Maintaining a balance of nutrients in the soil is an important management objective. By a balanced use of fertilizers, nutrients deficient in the soil can be applied to growing crops. The objective of properly balanced programs is to supplement and improve the capacity of soil to supply adequate nutrients to growing crops. Justus von Liebig offered us the “Law of the Minimum,” which states that if one of the nutritive elements is deficient or lacking, plant growth will be poor, even when all other elements are abundant. Article is from the ACLF Spring 2009 Newsletter (http://www.agroliquid.com/assets/Newsletter-files/Spring-Newsletter2.pdf)or click to open a copy of the article here or whole newsletter in PDF version here.
Although looking out the window it may be hard to believe, spring and the planting season will soon be here. This means if your necessary fertilizer inputs are not in your tanks, there is no better time than now to ensure you have everything you need for this growing season. Nitrogen is a key component necessary to achieve a highyielding corn crop. With high prices and new products on the market, it has become a hard decision on what to apply. A replicated study was conducted at the North Central Research Station that evaluated three additives to sidedressapplied conventional 28% UAN. According to “The Tri-State Recommendation Guide,” irrigated corn following soybeans with a yield goal of 200 bu/A would require 210 pounds of nitrogen. A standard rate of 70 gal/A of 28% UAN was used as the base for this comparison. Agro-Culture Liquid Fertilizers currently has two nitrogen additives — eNhance™, a marketed product, and HN-07, an experimental product. Each contain sulfur and are formulated to stabilize nitrogen and increase uptake efficiency. Both products when mixed with 28% UAN are applied at 80% of the standard nitrogen rate (56 gal/A in this experiment). These products were compared to NutriSphere-N, a product from SFP. According to the NutriSphere-N label, this product is mixed with conventional UAN solutions at 0.5% by volume to help protect the nitrogen from various losses. Rate reduction is not recommended, so the full rate of 70 gal/A was applied. As seen on the yield chart, all three fertilizer additives increased yield over the standard rate of 70 gallons of 28%, which was just above the yield goal at 202.7 bu/A. The addition of NutriSphere-N (at equal rates) increased yield 4 bu/A, but added 13.7% to the total product cost. The addition of eNhance reduced the rate of nitrogen by 14 gal/A, lowering the cost 13.4%, including the cost of eNhance, yet increased yield by over 4 bu/A. (Percentages were based on average market prices for fertilizer inputs.) The highest yield was achieved with the experimental product HN-07, increasing yield nearly 7 bu/A, with 14 fewer gallons of nitrogen applied per acre. Agro-Culture Liquid Fertilizers’ current and experimental nitrogen additives help increase the efficiency of conventional UAN solutions, allowing less nitrogen to be applied while still achieving optimum yield. The addition of eNhance or HN-07 to a corn nitrogen program would be a huge asset, saving money on input costs while adding more bushels. Contact your Agro-Culture Liquid Fertilizers’ sales representative for more info.
5 Guidelines For Successful Foliar Feeding By Cory Schurman Foliar feeding of nutrients is very successful when general application guidelines are followed. Conventional nutrients that are typically available in the marketplace are not manufactured in a way that the crop can take them up through the leaf tissue. For this reason, the results growers have seen are not always consistent and positive. Responsible Nutrient Management™ utilizes products and application methods that give applied For a nutrient solution to work when foliar-applied, it’s necessary to have a low salt index. When products have a salt index above 10, they usually cause leaf tissue damage or give a plasmolysis reaction that results in plant cell damage and cell collapse. Making applications with high salt index products result in browning, burning or speckling on the leaves and stems. When these types of reactions happen, nutrients are not easily absorbed into the growing crop, offering little or no results. Agro-Culture Liquid Fertilizers manufactures products that have low salt indexes. We can foliar feed a crop in season and achieve consistent and positive results. Agro-Culture Liquid Fertilizers has compiled data from many years of research that shows yield increases when Sure-K™, Pro-Germinator™, High NRG-NR™, Nutritional Foliar™ and micronutrient mixes are applied to meet crop nutrient needs. Combinations of nutrients are usually recommended after a review of tissue analysis, known soil deficiencies and crop uptake needs, as well as visual observations during the season. The grower and Agro-Culture Liquid Fertilizers’ sales representative take that information and develop a combination of nutrients that best address the crops requirements and give the best results. For best results when foliar feeding, there are some basic rules that should be followed to provide the best opportunity for positive, consistent results. 1. Temperature — Plants will begin to close the stomatal openings or curl the leaf at 87 F. This is done naturally so a plant does not transpire as much water during the heat of the day. Applying an Agro-Culture Liquid Fertilizers’ nutrient solution before that temperature is reached gives the grower the best chance of overcoming the normal plant physiological function. Plants can better absorb nutrients when the temperature is below 87 F. 2. Salt Index — Whatever products are foliar fed, spray solutions should have a salt index of 10 or less. Application of Agro-Culture Liquid Fertilizers’ low salt index products will result in an osmotic absorption, which is quick, clean and complete absorption of nutrients into plant tissue without tissue damage. This gives the grower the best chance of achieving positive results. 3. Humidity — Humidity levels vary greatly across the United States. Montana has very low levels of humidity, while Arkansas’ humidity is consistently high. Higher humidity levels will help overcome leaf curling and stomatal closing, which also allows the nutrient solution to perform better and be more completely assimilated into the plant. 4. Sunlight — For best results when foliar feeding, plants need to be metabolizing and growing. This happens during photosynthesis. For best results, applications should be made during the day so that the plant can absorb the nutrient solution, providing the best opportunity for positive results. 5. Droplet Size — Apply nutrient solutions with good atomization and small droplets. There are several spray tips available that will accomplish this. Whatever tip you choose, it’s best to have the pressure calibrated to at least 40 psi with the best results being achieved at more than 60 psi. One thing to remember when foliar feeding is that a large percentage of stomatal openings are on the underside of the leaf. Applying solutions that coat both sides of the leaf will give the best When growers determine crop nutrient needs and make applications with the above guidelines, they will have the best chance to increase yields and overcome stress. Foliar feeding then becomes a valuable management tool that the grower can use to supply nutrients to a growing crop. If you have questions about foliar feeding or need help putting together product mixes, talk with your Agro-Culture Liquid Fertilizers sales representative or sales account manager to determine the right combination and application timing. Article is from the ACLF Summer 2009 Newsletter (http://www.agroliquid.com/assets/Newsletter-files/ACLFsummer09sm.pdf) or click to open a copy of the article here or whole newsletter in PDF version here.
Yield-winning fertility strategies The National Corn Growers Association recognizes top yield winners in nine categories every year. Pioneer Hi-Bred International analyzed the agronomic habits of these winners from 2005 to 2007 and developed a Crop Insights Bulletin that outlines their practices. Here’s a look at fertility tips gleaned from the yield champions: Nitrogen application rates of contest winners varied greatly, but most were in the range of 200 to 350 pounds per acre. Timing of nitrogen is critical. Contestants overwhelmingly avoid fall-applied nitrogen. Splitting nitrogen among two or more sequential applications is most important. Almost all winners apply preplant or at planting, and two-thirds of those sidedress nitrogen. Starter fertilizer was applied by almost two-thirds of contestants to ensure seedling plants had sufficient soil nutrients (especially nitrogen and phosphorus) in the root zone for optimum early growth and development. This is especially important as many contestants plant early. Trace elements (micronutrients) were applied by more than half of the winners. Those commonly applied are zinc, boron and sulfur. About one-third of the winners applied manure to their fields to get significant quantities of slow-release nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, as well as some micronutrients. Source: The Progressive Farmer, January 2009, Page 9
Informational PDFs Using Agro-Culture Liquid Fertilizers on Corn Permanent Plots High Production Alfalfa Fertility Programs
What Others Have to Say... Fertilizer Efficiency - Starter Savings OMAHA (DTN) -- Higher than normal input costs and falling commodity prices will tempt farmers to cut back on expenses in 2009. Many farmers talk about cutting back on fertilizer, particularly phosphorus (P) and potassium (K). Where soils have medium or high test levels for those nutrients, there often might not be a yield response to a full fertilizer application. Farmers can cut back or even skip a year of applications to save money. If you plan to skip or cut back in 2009, but you don't want to miss out on a P or K response, then consider adding starter fertilizer. Nutrients most commonly applied via starter include N (nitrogen), P, K, S (sulfur) and Zn (zinc). Starter fertilizer's role is particularly important when planting corn early when soils are cool and in high-residue situations such as no-till. Low soil temperatures slow nutrient diffusion; when temperatures drop from 70 to 60 F, corn root growth decreases five-fold, and P uptake decreases four-fold. Starters might also play a role when you want to cut back on fertilizer application, but want to make sure that what is applied will be used more efficiently. It's important that starters be placed near the roots to optimize fertilizer availability. Immobile nutrients like P and K primarily move to the roots by diffusion. Diffusion is a slow process where nutrients move from regions of high concentrations among soil particles to areas of low concentrations at root surfaces. When dry fertilizer is broadcast, 100 percent of it is distributed in the top six inches of soil. When surface banded, the fertilizer occupies 20 percent of the soil volume. When deep banding, fertilizer occupies only one percent of the soil volume. Banding P and K fertilizers near the seed creates a zone of high concentration near the roots. Nutrients move a very short distance to be absorbed. Phosphorus also can react with calcium and iron in the soil to form an insoluble mineral. Banding increases the concentration of P beyond that fixation capacity of the soil, keeping it available longer. TIMING OF HIGHEST DEMAND The highest demand for P is early in the season, when it is least available and roots are smallest, so placement of P near roots is beneficial and particularly on soils that have a low soil-test value. Potassium benefits are similar to P in no-till corn, and K availability in the spring is affected by the same factors that affect phosphorus availability. Nutrients such as N, S, Ca (calcium) and Mg (magnesium) are more mobile, and move through the soil with water flow. As the young plant transpires water above ground, it pulls water into the roots bringing along these mobile nutrients via a process referred to as mass flow. That is why N, S, Ca and Mg can be broadcast; mass flow moves these mobile nutrients into the root zone, and banding is less important. Starter fertilizer can be applied in a number of ways including: with the seed; two inches over from the seed and two inches deep; four inches below the seed; or dribbled on top of the soil along the seed furrow. Any of these methods can work effectively. It is this concentrated band occupying only about one percent of the soil volume that keeps P and K available to the plant and makes starter fertilizer more effective. If you cut back on P and K, then using starter will help offset for the reduction in application rates. - Article from http://agriscribe.com/disp_article.php?aid=350
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