In-Furrow PGR Supports Faster Emergence, Bigger Root Masses
Germination and emergence are pivotal corn growth stages that impact performance the rest of the season. WinField United has studied this vulnerable point in a corn plant’s development and formulated a plant growth regulator to help enhance the process.
Ascend2® PGR is an in-furrow application you can add to starter fertilizer for an efficient and effective way to help early-season corn grow, develop and withstand unexpected conditions.
First, let’s level set on what a PGR is and why growers should even consider applying one in the first place.
“PGR is a broad term for any product that uses plant hormones to generate a plant response,” explained Jon Zuk, Crop Protection Product Manager at WinField United. “PGRs can initiate many responses in plants, from more vigorous root growth and stem elongation to plant senescence. Since not all products provide the same results, it’s important to know a product’s active ingredients and understand how they work.”
The three primary active ingredients that support plant growth are auxin, gibberellins and cytokinins. Auxin is a key regulator of plant growth and development that causes biological responses like root and stem growth. Gibberellins regulate key processes in the plant that are used to stimulate cell division and elongation, break dormancy and speed up seed germination. Cytokinins also stimulate cell division.
PGR products that contain these growth-supporting hormones can have many positive impacts on a crop. They can help improve plant health, stimulate more efficient growth and development, and help plants thrive in unexpected conditions. Using a PGR prior to emergence can help give seeds an extra boost and a strong start at a time when soil and environmental conditions may not be favorable.
“For years, our Ascend® PGR products have been helping growers take their yields to the next level. The redesigned formula in Ascend2 is specifically optimized to help early-season corn achieve quicker, more even emergence and build strong, deep roots that are important for crop performance all season long,” shared Zuk.
What’s unique about Ascend2 is its auxin-dominant, three-way formulation. That means it contains all three of those growth-supporting PGRs mentioned previously. However, this patent-protected formulation contains approximately three times the amount of auxin and two times the gibberellic acid compared to previous Ascend formulations.
What’s the big deal about this auxin-dominant ratio you might ask?
“Auxin plays a major role in plant growth and helping the plant produce other hormones,” explained Zuk. “It’s found primarily in the shoots but when the seedling germinates, it’s mainly roots and doesn’t have the shoots there to produce auxin yet. Applying additional auxin initially has proven to help develop a bigger, more consistent root system to the plant below ground, which helps it get above ground a lot quicker.”
The more isn’t always merrier when it comes to auxin, however.
“When formulating Ascend2, we didn’t just throw more active ingredients in the jug and call it good. It’s important to remember that more active ingredient does not always mean a better plant response when applying PGRs. In fact, PGRs can have detrimental effects when used at levels that are too high and no effect at levels that are too low. We spent nearly a decade researching PGR ratios, which finally led us to the optimal formula for Ascend2 that will deliver the right amount of PGRs at the right time for in-furrow corn,” shared Zuk.
WinField United recommends using Ascend2 PGR in-furrow along with a starter fertilizer for best results.
To learn more about Ascend2, visit WinFieldUnited.com.