Keith Flaniken, Sales Agronomist • May 5, 2020
Nutrient Efficiency and Smart Economics are Imperative Now More than Ever
It’s an understatement to say the economics and “an uncertain new normal” (whatever that means) in 2020 are not the most optimistic we’ve experienced in our lifetime. Growing season 2020 is requiring us to be prudent and more efficient with our inputs, including plant nutrition. Economics, efficiency and precision application have never been more important. 2020 is the year to be strategic and precise with our inputs. Incorporating fertility applications at specific growth stages to maximize plant uptake and nutrient use efficiency is imperative, now more than ever. Nutrition management using the 4R principles matter and work. The right source of material, applied at the right rate, at the right time and in the right place are keys to nutrient management success.
Start2Finish
Start2Finish™ is the new NACHURS® Bio-K® system that will boost your crops to reach their maximum potential. Simple yet effective, profitable yet sustainable, Start2Finish™ is a comprehensive liquid fertilizer program to maximize your crop’s potential.
In furrow
Applying a small amount of a seed safe NPK starter fertilizer in the seed furrow such as NACHURS First Down, NACHURS Triple Option or NACHURS imPulse provides a nutritious dose of plant available NPK, offering plants balanced nutrients to establish a healthy root system and get off to a healthy start. All of these products contain 100% orthophosphate and NACHURS Bio-K as the potassium source. Including key micronutrients in furrow, such as zinc and sulfur, are extremely beneficial. In furrow applications are especially profitable in cool, wet soils or no-till conditions. Improving stand establishment using in furrow fertility is the first step toward improved efficiency and increased yield potential. It is not uncommon to see an additional pair of kernel rows develop, earlier tassel emergence, and/or drier harvest moisture among producers and research trials who actively use in furrow starter programs.
2x2
If using 10-34-0 or 11-37-0 in 2x2 systems at planting, the application can become a more balanced NPK formulation by adding NACHURS K-flex into the 2x2 application. NACHURS K-flex should blended with 10-34-0 at a 4:1 ratio to provide the soil and plant environment much needed Bio-K, organic acid for plant metabolites, and sulfur.
Sidedress
If you are using 360 Y-drops, stream bars, or coulter equipment to apply UAN at sidedress, this is an ideal time to apply much needed potassium. NACHURS K-fuse powered by Bio-K can be added to UAN at a 5:1 ratio UAN to NACHURS K-fuse. NACHURS K-fuel can be added to UAN32 or UAN28 at 10:1 UAN to NACHURS K-fuel.
Foliar
It is a good practice to tissue test during the growing season and strategically apply foliar nutrition as the plants require it. After the crop is established, phase two is rapid growth then reproductive stage. Foliar nutrition applications with glyphosate, fungicides, and insecticides is an excellent opportunity to feed the plant at young, high energy use growth stages. Many herbicides and pesticide applications can “ding” the plants and stunt growth temporarily. By including 1 qt/ac of NACHURS Finish Line, you will not only help feed the plant beneficial micronutrients but you will most likely help defend the plant from taking a step backwards due to the herbicide being applied.
The third step is to give the plant the required potassium it needs as it transitions into the reproductive growth stage. Most crops are starving for K late in the season when it begins to send every available nutrient to its fruit production. We have historically focused on nitrogen and phosphate in our cropping systems. Late season K applications will help move vital nutrients when and where they are most needed. NACHURS K-Fuel or NACHURS K-flex are world class sources of K that will aid in the plant efficiency and uptake critical to target yield increases.
In this challenging crop season, let’s be more strategic and efficient in nutrient use, placement, and expenditures. Target fertility applications as the plants need it. Don’t continue doing the same old practice, while expecting a different result. Precision apply when and where fertility is needed. NACHURS has been providing producers high quality, safe, effective, and efficient plant nutrition for almost 75 years. We are here to help provide as much ROI as possible. Contact us about our new Start2Finish
Program. NACHURS has 7 manufacturing plants and professional sales and agronomy staff positioned across North America.
By Steve McQueen, Agronomy Manager, Nachurs Alpine Solutions.
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The benefits of Zinc on Winter Wheat
As I travel across Canada, it has been great to see moisture along much of my path. Greener pastures and ditches in Alberta, lush spring wheat, durum, and lentil crops in Saskatchewan, as well as many triticale, grass, and alfalfa fields, are being cut from British Columbia to Nova Scotia. I do not want to forget those potatoes spread across our country along with many specialty crops. As heat and moisture have brought germination, emergence, and vegetation growth, our crop nutrient management remains a key to success as we monitor the “Points of Influence.” Crop scouting, accompanied by tissue or sap samples, supports crop-based crop protection and foliar nutrient applications. As we have been programmed to concentrate on nitrogen, we are putting a lot of pressure on one nutrient to solve many deficiencies and concerns while ignoring the balance of fertility our crops may be looking for. In this blog post, I will not cover all the nutrient requirements but concentrate a little on magnesium, as I refer to what makes plants green. This spring, a significant amount of discussion surfaced around magnesium, and several growers requested magnesium for their cropping plans. Sometimes, what is new is old; looking back, magnesium has been a big part of many crop plans for decades. In sandy soils, specialty crops, and our high calcitic soils, we are looking to balance our oxygen and moisture space in soil levels. To better understand what we are looking at, I have included a list of what Mg is responsible for as well as soil activity stated: Magnesium Crops require magnesium to capture the sun's energy for growth and production through photosynthesis. Magnesium is an essential component of the chlorophyll molecule, with each molecule containing 6.7 percent magnesium. Magnesium also acts as a phosphorus carrier in plants. Necessary for cell division and protein formation. Phosphorus uptake could not occur without magnesium, and vice versa. Magnesium is essential for phosphate metabolism, plant respiration, and the activation of several enzyme systems.
