Nutrient Efficiency and Smart Economics are Imperative Now More than Ever
Keith Flaniken, Sales Agronomist • May 5, 2020
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.
Transform Your Harvest: Discover the Benefits of Finish Line®
The effect of foliar fertilization on wheat yield.
We are at the point in the year where things are slowing down around the farm and it is time to reflect on the season to remind ourselves what we learned. Over the last couple of weeks, the District Sales Managers and I have spent some time reflecting on what worked well in the field and the challenges we faced too. Here are the top 5 things we learned from 2024 growing season: #1 Split applying Nitrogen and Sulfur is a practice that should be embraced on a yearly basis when growing corn. Do you remember how the planting season started and what happened in the first 60 days after the planters started rolling? Our field conditions started out dry with some areas of the corn belt showing up on the drought map. Then mother nature blessed us with rain that never stopped in some areas making it difficult to finish planting. Growers that had split applied their Nitrogen and Sulfur were able to avoid nutrient loss from the rain but also apply the nutrients when the crop needed it most. In the end yield was better on split applied nitrogen fields compared to fields that had all the N applied in the fall or spring before planting. #2 For the past 2 seasons in the North region, we have seen the benefits of adding NACHURS Humi-Flex FA to the in-furrow starter fertilizer. NACHURS Humi-Flex FA is our fulvic acid and it is becoming a valuable component in our starter fertilizer for many reasons. We are using it to chelate the nutrients in the starter fertilizer especially phosphorus. Humi-Flex FA also buffers the soil pH to neutral in that nutrient band keeping nutrients available in fields that have less then optimal pH for crop growth. Finally, we use Humi-Flex FA to create a healthy soil microbiome that leads to more root mass and nutrient uptake. #3 Nutrient uptake charts for corn and soybeans have been a great tool for our team to help our customers visualize the crops nutrient needs based on timing during the growing season.
