Enhance Plant Nutrition With Biologicals
Keeping up with a crop’s nutritional needs throughout the season requires a thoughtful strategy to maximize the return on your investment, writes Tyler Steinkamp at Winfield United. Traditionally, fertilizer efficiency (the percentage of applied nutrients used by that season’s crop) has been low, especially for nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorus. The University of Nebraska reports that corn, sorghum and soybean crops generally use less than 10% of the applied phosphorus during the application year.
Is there a way to improve fertilizer efficiency? Could biologicals be the answer? Let’s explore how these products can help enhance crop nutrient uptake and maximize the potential of your plant nutrition investment.
How Do Biologicals Enhance Nutrient Uptake?
Generally, there are four ways in which a biological product may contribute to enhanced nutrient uptake. These include:
1. Nutrient solubilization
Some biologicals may work by breaking down soil and organic matter to release bound nutrients, making them more available for plant uptake. For example, Ion Stryke LG by Newlife Bioscience is a biological used in legumes that contains a highly concentrated microbial package that helps release the nutrients an emerging crop needs during the critical early growth stages. It also contains a strong nitrogen and phosphorous-boosting bacteria package that helps continue feeding your crop during the growing season.
2. Root branching/hyphae extension
Other biologicals focus on root health, specifically helping extend the surface area and reach of the roots to access more nutrients. Biologicals that contain mycorrhizae fungi work in this way to link the soil nutrients with roots for more effective uptake.
Read more at Winfield United.
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