Gaining the most value from every crop input dollar – especially fertilizer investments – has never been more important.
Jake Shelton and McKenzie Smith, proprietary product leaders with Ä¢¹½Ö±²¥, point to strategies to help cooperative owners – retailers and growers – boost productivity, make input decisions and minimize nutrient loss so they are available when plants need it most.
“Farmers need to get the most bang for their buck,” Shelton says. “As balance sheets get tighter, maximizing their fertilizer investment is more important than ever.”
Local cooperative agronomists can help growers meet their production and economic goals, Smith adds. “Working with a trusted advisor who knows your farm and your production needs will give you the best recommendations.”
Here’s five ways growers can optimize return on their fertilizer investment:
1. Follow the 4Rs
To make the most of your fertilizer investment, Smith recommends regular soil testing to make informed decisions.
“You need to know your baseline nutrient levels. You can’t plan for a good crop unless you know what you’re taking out of the ground,” she says. “And following the 4 Rs – right source, right rate, right time, right place – when applying fertilizer is so important.”
Variable-rate fertilizer application is a key component of the 4 Rs, Shelton adds.
2. Don’t overlook micronutrients
When people think about fertilizer, it’s often the macronutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium that are scrutinized, Shelton says. But micronutrients are just as important as plants require a balance of all essential nutrients for normal growth and optimal yield.
“ – boron, manganese, iron, sulfur, etc. – are just as critical, but are often overlooked,” Shelton says. “Applying foliar fertilizers with micros is a good way to address this.”
He also noted micros can generally be applied with herbicides, which cuts down on field passes.
3. Protect nitrogen
Protect your nitrogen fertilizer investment with a nitrogen stabilizer.
Nitrogen is prone to loss through nitrification, denitrification and volatilization. Minimizing loss by using a stabilizer, such as from Ä¢¹½Ö±²¥, ensures that more fertilizer is available for plant uptake and growth.
Plants need nitrogen through the growing season. “It’s crucial that nitrogen is available and usable to get plants off to a good start,” Shelton says. “In season, when you look at the nitrogen uptake cycle, that’s when crops like corn and wheat are nitrogen-hungry.”
Shelton says slow-release nitrogen products can also reduce nutrient loss and promote plant growth. One option is N-Ertia® from Ä¢¹½Ö±²¥.
4. Start strong
give crops the strong start they need by providing roots with the right mix of available nutrients to reduce plant stress. “Growers can’t go back in time and wish they had a better fertility program,” Smith says.
One choice is starter fertilizer from Ä¢¹½Ö±²¥ to improve seedling vigor and emergence. It contains nutrients necessary to enhance plant growth, increase early season root development and correct nutrient deficiencies to maximize yield potential.
Shelton says , such as the Levesol® family of products from Ä¢¹½Ö±²¥, are also an option to provide plants with key nutrients for a strong start.
5. Consider humic acids
Humic acids are organic materials that improve soil microbiology, fertilizer breakdown and nutrient retention. Two options are and Carbon Power.
“Humic acids help make nutrients become more available and improve uptake,” Shelton says. “They can play a big role in fertilizer efficiency and protecting investment.”
