Additives and Enhancers: New Crop Nutrition Technologies Deliver Positive ROI for Growers, Retailers

Additives and enhancers are aptly named. They play an enormous role in improving agricultural crops and contributing to sustainability efforts — a pair of musts for today’s growers.

Seed enhancements have a variety of benefits including improving yields, decreasing (not eliminating) the need for fertilizer, says Mary Kay Mower, Senior Product Manager, Koch Agronomic Services {KAS). And newer solutions offer additional value.

“Often, we think of seed enhancements in terms of crop protection (specifically, fungicides and insecticides), but we are now seeing a whole new generation of seed-applied products in the realm of plant nutrition and biostimulants,” Mower says.

“Some of these come already applied in the bag of seed, but many are in the direct control of the grower as planter-box applications, like the line of PROTIVATE formulations from KAS,” Mower adds. “This allows farmers to place nutrients in immediate proximity to the emerging seedling during a time of the year when transient deficiencies can be a problem, especially when we are planting early into cold, wet soils.”

Whatever the reason for their use, the technology behind them has begun to change the minds of many growers once reluctant to use them.

“Over the past few years, we’ve seen a significant paradigm shift in the market,” says Grant Hansen, Product Manager, Soil Applied, Verdesian Life Sciences. “Nutrient use efficiency has moved from a niche to a mainstream perspective. It’s also starting to move more towards multi-dimensional products that compliment basic chemistries like DCD (Dicyandiamide) and NBPT (N-(n-butyl) thiophosphoric triamide).”

When it comes to additive and enhancer products providers are looking at how these tools work on current cropping issues and how they will affect agriculture for years to come.

“We are learning more about these products and how to use them to increase profitability,” says Randy Brown, PhD, Manager of Agronomy Services, WinField United. “Agriculture in the future will be focused on nutrient use efficiency and water use efficiency. Additive and enhancer products have a fit in these areas but will need to be placed with a specific goal in mind in order to provide value to growers.”

Opportunities

The improvements in efficacy, their ability to assist with weather and pest pressures, and end-user education, give retailers a variety of options.

“Overall, the industry has done a great job showing growers the benefits of additive and enhancer products and how they are a win-win for growers, the environment, and the bottom line,” says Verdesian’s Hansen. “Advancements in enhancer technology, along with better timing and application strategies, are accelerating growth in the segment.

“What’s exciting is how growers are beginning to leverage biostimulants and biologicals to activate natural soil processes that help make the most out of nutrients that are both applied and inherent,” Hansen continues. “These will play a crucial role in expanding the current market and optimizing nutrient use efficiency, improving soil health, and mitigating environmental impacts.”

Additives and enhancers have the potential to benefit growers in a number of ways.

“There is a huge opportunity for growers to benefit from additives and enhancers for improved nutrient use efficiency from applied nutrients and for releasing more of the nutrients that are on your soil test and getting them into your crops,” says Ron Calhoun, Senior Manager, Plant Nutrition, Loveland Products, part of the Nutrien Ag Solutions family.

“We see more interest every year,” Calhoun continues. “These products have entered the mainstream. Having success in different seasons with different conditions has led to use on more acres. As you might expect, as the market sees success in this segment, you see more products coming to market.”

Given their upside and their growing popularity, manufacturers are looking to deliver new and differentiated offerings.

“We expect technological breakthroughs in products that support soil biology and holistic nutrient management,” Hansen says. “Verdesian is investing in understanding and harnessing nutrient cycling processes related to phosphorus solubilization, nitrogen-fixation, and carbon cycling.

“Advancements in lab and field capabilities are helping us develop these products and draw a straight line from the mode of action to yield or quality improvements,” he continues. “Growers will continue to adopt these technologies as they gain experience testing and realizing the benefits they have to offer.”

Koch’s Mower says it’s all about supporting crops.

“Achieving growth in this market is really about helping growers maximize their crops in every way,” she says. “That starts with getting their growing season started with positive momentum right away. For example, seed enhancement products are a very effective way to put a solid foundation under the crop right out of the gate which is what farmers need, especially with spring weather challenges. Then, following up with other types of nutrition to support the crop needs throughout the season so growers see the value and ROI that a nutrition product can deliver at every growth stage.”

Challenges

As exciting as the segment is, it’s not foolproof. Growers can’t (or shouldn’t) simply assume a given product will work everywhere on every crop.

“Different areas — even different fields in the same county — present different challenges which must be met and answered,” Mower says. “That can make recommending the right product more time-consuming in some cases. Add that to challenging market conditions which may have farmers looking for ways to cut expenses and it can be difficult to demonstrate the value seed enhancements may add.

“Still, showing customers that high-quality enhancements can positively impact crop health and nutrition leading to positive ROI is a benefit,” Mower continues. “Getting the seed the resources it needs right at planting is vital. Choosing an enhancer that will deliver increased vigor and germination sets crops up to thrive. That’s going to help drive better crop production and profitability.”

Field variability is one challenge. Deciding what products go in those variable fields is another. And like any growing crop input segment, more offerings and more companies jump into this space.

“This additive and enhancer market has gotten pretty crowded in the past couple of years and there is confusion on products and what value they bring to growers.” WinField United’s Brown says. “There is confusion in this market and growers are looking for someone to help them make decisions in this market — retailers can be their local expert.

“We need to understand how these products work through continued testing and how to correctly position them,” he continues. “We see many claims but need to see more data and proof of performance.”

Retailers

Given those challenging conditions, and variable fields in which their grower-customers work, well-informed retailers and crop advisors are critical to the success of additives and enhancers.

“Retailers know the space, the geographic area, and the challenges their farmers are facing on a daily basis,” KAS’ Mower says. “They can play a key role in helping farmers choose high-quality, effective products which will help them deliver the healthiest crop at harvest.”

Nutrien Ag Solutions has spent 25 years investing time and money into researching and developing solutions, says Loveland’s Calhoun.

“That puts us in a unique position as a retailer as we have research and development assets supporting our existing products and working on future advancements. Our network of crop consultants is having these conversations everyday with their growers.”

That link between manufacturers and growers is critical.

“Retailers are at the heart of the growing additives and enhancers market, acting as a key link between the manufacturers and growers,” Verdesian’s Hansen says. “They have the trust of their customers and are in the best position to guide them toward the right products for their specific needs.

“At Verdesian, we’ve built partnerships with retailers to learn about their specific challenges, such as field performance or product handling,” he continues. “As retailers become more advanced in agronomy and data-driven decision-making, they can help validate product effectiveness and give growers the confidence they need to adopt new solutions. With tools like drone imagery, retailers can further back up their recommendations, showing growers tangible proof of the products’ benefits.”

Final Thoughts

The good news is that the future is wide open for additive and enhancer products.

“We expect this segment to grow rapidly, Loveland’s Calhoun says. “I believe there will be more nutritionals treated upstream making these technologies more available.”

That said, retailers and growers need to carefully review their options.

“It can be overwhelming to sort through all the options,” Loveland’s Calhoun says. “It’s easy to get paralyzed. Carefully evaluate your current practices to identify where your first best opportunity exists.”

WinField United’s Brown agrees.

“The current market is dynamic, and growers are evaluating all of their input costs,” he says. “Growers want to be sure they are getting value for the products they are buying. This is an opportunity for retailers to work with their grower-customers to deliver a positive ROI on their cropping decisions.”

It’s all about managing what’s best for a given crop and for a grower’s bottom line.

“Spring weather is inconsistent and can set a crop up for success or failure right out of the gate,” KAS’ Mower says. “Seed enhancements can help level the playing field for farmers. What’s more, some seed enhancements can replace talc/graphite products by working as a seed-drying agent or plant box fluency aid for helping with seed flow. Plus, they deliver more robust seedlings to farmers, protecting plant stands, and yield potential.

“In a time when farmers are keeping a close eye on the bottom line, high-quality seed enhancement products backed by their trusted retailer can definitely set farmers up for success,” Mower continues.

Success means ensuring the right pairs are married: product and crop; retailer and grower-customer; problem and solution.

“The biggest opportunities for growing the additives and enhancers market come from improving how we connect chemistry and biology,” says Verdesian’s Hansen. “When these two work together, we can see real, consistent improvements in both yield and quality. Take phosphorus, for example — only about 25% of what we apply is actually available to plants. Products like Verdesian’s Phree-Up, which blend chemical and biological solutions, can help make much more of that phosphorus available to the crops, boosting efficiency and reducing waste.

“We also see big opportunities in making things easier for our retail partners and farmers alike,” Hansen continues. “Retailers who’ve used Verdesian’s NCHARGE to pre-treat their urea have seen improved efficiency and fewer headaches during the busy application season.

“It gives retailers confidence that the product will work as promised, and it ensures farmers get the most out of every application,” he says. “By focusing on making products that are both more effective and easier to use, we can help farmers grow better crops, with less hassle, and make sure every dollar spent on inputs goes further.”