If you ask children why they need calcium, they automatically answer that it’s good for your bones.

But what would growers say? We all know plants need calcium – but how and why? Let’s look at all the reasons calcium plays an important role in crop development.

Building strong walls: Imagine calcium as the tiny bricks that make up plant cell walls. These walls provide structure and support, allowing plants to stand tall and resist wind, rain, and even their own weight. Stronger cell walls also help plants with disease, preventing it from spreading through the plant.

Stress resilience: Calcium acts like a stress reliever for plants. It helps them cope with environmental challenges like drought, extreme temperatures, and insect attacks. By stabilizing cell membranes and regulating internal processes, calcium keeps plants functioning even when conditions are tough.

Nutrient uptake: Calcium helps balance the soil and in a well-balanced soil, you have a neutral pH. A neutral soil pH is ideal for plants to absorb other essential nutrients.

Deficiency

A calcium deficiency will start by affecting the growing points of the plant resulting in new growth that looks stunted or withered. Tip burn is also common. Because of the role calcium plays in fruit development, a deficiency will appear as the premature shedding of blossoms and buds as well as water-soaked and discolored areas on fruits.

The role of lime

The primary source of calcium for crops is lime. Lime application serves a dual purpose:

Adjusting soil pH: Lime helps achieve a neutral pH range, which needed for the best nutrient uptake.
Balancing soil chemistry: By increasing the base saturation percentage, lime makes calcium sufficiently availability for crops.

“Ideally, we want to see that percent base saturation between 65 and 75 percent,” said AgroLiquid agronomist Stephanie Zelinko.

While lime covers the foundational needs, liquid calcium sources provide a targeted approach to nourish growing crops. These can be applied during planting or through foliar feeding.

Compatible?

However, a challenge with liquid calcium is its reactivity.

“The downside to having liquid sources of calcium is they are highly reactive, and they will often cause compatibility issues when mixing with other nutrients such as phosphorous,” said Stephanie.

This means growers have to make more trips across the field, using more fuel, causing more fuel compaction, and taking more time.

At AgroLiquid, we understand the challenges associated with traditional calcium sources. That’s why we developed LiberateCa. It offers a significant advantage: it’s compatible with other nutrients, so you don’t need multiple applications.

We can even demonstrate it in a simple lab experiment.

For instance, if you add Pro-Germinator, a phosphorus product, to two different beakers to mix with solutions, you can see what happens with the unprotected calcium.

“There is slight fallout in this solution, which means that this is not compatible,” said AgroLiquid product development chemist Maria Espinosa.

However, when it’s mixed with LiberateCa, you get different results.

“The result of the reaction – we see this is a clear solution. No fall out,” she said.

Certain crops, like soybeans, potatoes, tomatoes, and apples, have a higher calcium demand for optimal yield and quality. A soil test combined with an understanding of your specific crop needs will guide you toward the most effective calcium application strategy.

Calcium isn’t just for your bones…it’s for the backbone of your nutrient plan.

See the research on soybeans, apples and pears, and corn.

For more on calcium’s role in crop health and to explore the benefits of LiberateCa, contact your local AgroLiquid representative.

Check it out: In this Agronomic Advisor Focus, Agronomist Stephanie Zelinko and Product Development Chemist Maria Espinosa explain why calcium is good for your crops – and watch the experiment for yourself!

The post Calcium – How strong is your nutrient plan? appeared first on AgroLiquid.

Modern agriculture has given growers a variety of ways to apply fertilizers. All of them have the goal of providing nutrition when it’s needed, minimizing the risk of loss, and making it easily available when crops need it.  Sidedress application is the agricultural practice of fertilizing crops once the plants have begun growing, adding soil nutrients that help growth.

Let’s look at what sidedress is, how it works, and what the research shows. The Five W Questions – who, what, when, where, why – can help you make your decisions on sidedress application.

Who

Sidedress fertilizers are ideal for providing in-season nutrition and supporting strong plant growth. Sidedress application is especially effective in supplementing or restoring nitrogen, but that’s not all! Sidedress application can be used for many other nutrients.

What

By having the right nutrients at the correct developmental times, crops grow stronger, produce higher yields, and can be more resistance to drought, pests, and disease.

When

For example, nitrogen easily becomes tied up in the soil or leaches away through runoff where it’s unusable. Nitrogen is also more necessary at particular growth stages over others.

Signs of nitrogen deficiencies may not be immediately evident, so sidedressing nitrogen during the growth season helps to restore it when crops need it most.

Application of nitrogen (and other nutrients) depends on the crop, microbial activity, nutrient content, drainage, and other factors.

Where

Sidedress applications should be to moist soil, and it should happen prior to root expansion to avoid damage. To avoid snapping off plants, growers should apply nutrients before they are too tall for the toolbar.

Why

This is the meat of the issue. Sidedress fertilizer application is ideal for adding nitrogen at key stages for wheat, soybeans, corn, and other row crops. This gives the crops what they need to reach their full growth potential, delivered right to them in the soil.

It’s also helpful for restoring nitrogen after heavy rainfall or other leaching events.

Plus, sidedress fertilizer can also provide other beneficial nutrients, including supplement nutrition that wasn’t provided at planting time.

For orchards, this work particularly well for coordinating fruit development with nutrient application.

The best AgroLiquid fertilizers for sidedress application include:

• PrimAgro N, P, K, and C-TECH
• High NRG-N
• N-Response
• eNhance
• Pro-Germinator
• Sure-K
• Kalibrate
• accesS
• LiberateCa

AgroLiquid’s liquid fertilizer lineup helps address the possible deficiencies that can occur during the growing season. From essential macronutrients like phosphorus and potassium to vital micronutrients, our products can cover nutritional gaps.

Check out our research

We’ve researched multiple fertilizer application methods and conducted extensive research to help farmers optimize their nitrogen fertilizer for corn: see the results.

With crop yields continually on the rise, nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium are being used up in growers’ soils—but so are micronutrients. Planting time is the perfect opportunity to replenish micronutrients, as well as primary nutrients. Here’s info about how to replace micronutrients and primary nutrients at planter time, using corn and soybeans as examples. Read the study.

Knowing how to use phosphorus fertilizer on crops, and knowing what to expect, can help you increase yields and get the most out of your fertilizer program. Let’s take a look at the research on how to use phosphorus fertilizer.

To develop a liquid fertilizer sidedress program to boost yields, work with an AgroLiquid agronomist, and we’ll help you develop a custom nutrition plan to produce the best yields possible.

The post Sidedress Applications – You have questions, we’ve got answers appeared first on AgroLiquid.

Of course, macronutrients improve yield and quality in your crops…but don’t overlook the role of micronutrients. If micronutrient deficiencies occur year after year, they’ll damage crops regardless of the nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium already present. As a result, AgroLiquid offers our microLink® line, which is helpful for assisting any crop.

Right amount, right time

MicroLink Boron is made to give crops the right amount of boron. Without boron, fruits lose their shape, color, and flavor, and lose seed numbers, grain numbers, and quality. AgroLiquid boron fertilizer can correct in-season boron deficiencies, as well as prevent crop damage in the first place.

“Boron plays many important roles within the plant,” said Stephanie Zelinko, AgroLiquid sales agronomist. “One of the most important is its part in the reproductive growth. It aids in flowering and pollination, which equals improved yield.”

Boron is derived from sodium borate, and it can be applied individually to correct boron deficiencies or used with micronutrient combinations to supply a variety of micronutrients.

It not only addresses deficiencies, but it also helps with nutrient uptake and use. Boron interacts with various enzymes and proteins involved in nutrient metabolism, so it improves absorption. By using it, growers can help the use of other nutrients, leading to a healthier crop.

Help for the whole crop

Boron also can assist with plant stress and disease tolerance. The right boron levels strengthen cell walls, making plants more resilient to drought, heat, and disease pressure. With microLink Boron, growers can improve their plants’ natural defense mechanisms, reducing the chance plants will be susceptible to stress-related diseases. This translates into more consistent yields, even under challenging growing conditions.

MicroLink Boron helps with:

• Precision nutrition: MicroLink Boron delivers the right amount of boron, addressing deficiencies and promoting plant growth.
• Improved pollination and reproduction: Helps with viability, fruit development, and seed development, leading to increased yields.
• Better nutrient uptake and use: Improves absorption and use of nutrients, helping with crop health.
• Resistance: Strengthens cell walls, making plants more stress tolerant and disease resistant.

“Adequate boron in the plant helps makes cell walls stronger, which creates a healthier plant,” said Zelinko.

Ask an expert

Before adding boron, it’s important to know what’s in your soil composition right now. Many micronutrient deficiencies present in the same way. It’s also possible that they could be caused by soil pH, moisture, temperature, or other compound or nutrient tie-ups in the soil. Some crops are sensitive to boron, so correct application is necessary.

“Boron is a tricky nutrient and moves through the plant rapidly, therefore a multiple application approach must be done it ensure there is enough boron throughout the season,” said Zelinko.

We’d also be happy to help you learn more about boron deficiency and correct application. If your crops aren’t reaching their potential, or you keep having the same problems, ask our agronomist experts for assistance.

Research

At AgroLiquid, we study crops to determine the best fertilizer combinations. All of our fertilizer research is carefully documented, including what fertilizers we use, when, on what crops, and how those crops grow. Much of our research is conducted at our 1,000 acre research facility, the North Central Research Station (NCRS). We also partner with growers across the country to conduct fertilizer research in other climates and soil types. This helps us perfect our fertilizer programs and develop the most efficient combinations for all types of crops.

See our research on MicroLink Boron here:

Foliar Boron Applications on Canola

Effect of microLink Boron on Soybean Yield 

Even though MicroLink Boron may be in the background, it’s just as necessary as the nutrients taking the lead. Take a look at your crop, your needs, and your goals to see if MicroLink Boron is the next step in your nutrition program.

The post Getting the work done: microLink Boron appeared first on AgroLiquid.

You’ve planned, you’ve researched, you’ve reviewed at all the inputs…How can you best help your crop reach its fullest potential? When you’re planning for planting, it’s time to look at Micro 500.

Micro 500
Micro 500 is designed to give plants the micronutrient base of exactly what they need. Micro 500 contains the micronutrients zinc, manganese, iron, copper, and boron, which cover multiple requirements for crops. Let’s break it down.

• Zinc – Zinc is an important component of various enzymes that are responsible for driving metabolic reactions in crops.
• Manganese – Manganese is a micronutrient to plant growth that sustains metabolic roles within different plant cell compartments.
• Iron – Iron is involved in the manufacturing process of chlorophyll, and it’s also required for certain enzyme functions.
• Copper – Copper is required for many enzymatic activities in plants, plus for chlorophyll and seed production.
• Boron – Boron plays an important role in regulation plants’ hormone levels and promoting proper growth.

Deficiencies
When there isn’t enough of a micronutrient in the soil, deficiencies happen. This might even happen if the micronutrient is present, but they’re bonded to other compounds in the soil, and as a result the plants’ roots can’t break them down. Depending on the micronutrient deficiency, plants might have curled or yellowing leaves, weak stems, weak flower, bud or seed growth, and grow slowly. Deficiencies to the eye look similar, so performing a soil test lets growers know which micronutrients are missing.

Let’s get synergized
Micro 500’s micronutrients are synergistic, which means growers get a better uptake and response from a micronutrient in Micro 500 than if they apply an equal volume of a nutrient alone. Plus, having this combination available is helpful in parts of fields where a grower might be unaware that a particular nutrient is lacking.

Trials prove that AgroLiquid micronutrients perform better than dry micros, because applicators can place them in a root zone band, in furrow or near the seed. Micro 500 also outperforms other conventional micronutrient fertilizers.

By improving chlorophyll production and the photosynthesis process, Micro 500 helps support every growth stage:

• Prevents micronutrient deficiencies that can stunt growth
• Supports protein synthesis and enzyme production
• Improves nitrogen fixation
• Supports lignin formation
• Supports strong cell growth

Nutriq
The Nutriq Technology contained in Micro 500 is what helps fight deficiency, stimulate long-lasting growth, and support long term nutrient uptake. Nutriq Technology uses plant-derived chelates to prevent the micronutrients from binding with other elements in the soil. When this happens, they can create bonds that plants can’t break, and then can’t use. But with Nutriq technology, the chelates form a protective shell around the micronutrients which plants can still break down. Then micronutrients to release slowly, allowing the plant to use them throughout its entire growth cycle.

Application options
Like many of our products, Micro 500 is designed for easy application. It’s easy to find the most efficient way, because there are a variety of application methods available to you. Plus, since Micro 500 is safe to apply with many other nutrition and crop protection products, so you don’t have to make an extra trip just to apply a zinc, manganese, iron, copper or boron product. Fewer trips, less manpower, better crops!

See the research

Not only does Micro 500 help your crops be the best they can be…we also have the research to prove it. Check out our resources to make this season your best one ever.

The post Planning for Planting: Micro 500 appeared first on AgroLiquid.

You know there are certainties in life. Death and taxes are the normal answer, but what about positives? The sun rises, the ocean is pulled by the tides, and plants are going to need fertilizer to reach their maximum potential. Let’s look at how Sure-K works.

Sure-K
Sure-K is a soluble potash that gives plants the nutrients they need during key reproductive stages. Potash, or potassium or a potassium compound, has been used in agriculture for ages, as well as during the infancy of our country. In fact, in 1790, George Washington signed the first patent issued in the United States – and it was to Samuel Hopkins for making potash.
However, there’s always room for improvement.

Why AgroLiquid Sure-K?
Sure-K plays an important role in a variety of ways:

• Yield
The right potassium levels contribute to increased crop yields. Sure-K supports the development of fruits, seeds, and tubers, helping plants achieve their full yield potential.

• Stress tolerance
Potassium helps plants cope with various environmental stresses, like drought, disease, and temperature fluctuations. It also helps the plant’s ability to resist and recover from stress conditions.

• Nutrient uptake
Potassium plays a role in regulating nutrient uptake by plant roots. It can improve the plant’s ability to absorb and utilize other essential nutrients, promoting balanced nutrition.

• Water management
Sure-K helps regulate water uptake and loss in plants, contributing to better water use efficiency. This can be particularly beneficial when rainfall doesn’t keep up with demand.

• Quality
The right potassium levels can improve the quality of harvested crops. This may include attributes such as color, taste, and nutritional content.

• Balanced nutrient ratios
Maintaining proper potassium levels contributes to balanced nutrient ratios in the soil, preventing nutrient deficiencies or imbalances that can negatively impact plant growth.

• Improved disease resistance
Potassium has been linked to improved disease resistance in plants. Strengthening cell walls and promoting overall plant vigor can make plants more resistant to certain diseases.

In addition, the Sure-K formula provides for the best use at lower concentrations, and it has no chlorides or hydroxides. As a result, it preserves soil health long-term and makes it a safe potassium solution for any cropping system. Sure-K makes it easy to maintain the right potassium levels or correct potassium deficiencies. It can be applied in many different ways and safely combined with other nutrients or crop protection products, so growers can make fewer trips across the field. As with many AgroLiquid offerings, Sure-K also takes advantage of Nutriq Technology, which provides slow-release nutrient delivery exactly when plants need it.

Research
AgroLiquid has been performing trials testing the effectiveness of Sure-K for many years on different crops, in various parts of the county, on a variety of crops. Check out our records on:

• Soybeans – For 24 years, Sure-K has proven to provide a yield and economic benefit when foliar applied on soybeans.
• Ryegrass seed
• Corn
• Navy beans

“The biggest benefit of Sure-K is it’s a very flexible product,” said AgroLiquid national agronomist Stephanie Zelinko. “There are a number of different ways you can apply it, including in-furrow, foliar, and side dress. It works well on a number of different application processes. Plus, it also has years of research to back it up – our first data point with it is in 1998.”

Conclusion
The benefits and the research are clear: Sure-K gets essential nutrients to plants when they need it, resulting in better yields. It’s effective in improving growth and productivity across a wide range of crops and regions. If you’re not getting the results you want…it’s time to look into a product with a little more certainty. Find out more!

The post For certain: Sure-K appeared first on AgroLiquid.

AgroLiquid has looked extensively at permanent plot trials at the North Central Research Station, where the same fertilizer programs are used on the same plots over a series of seasons. With this methodology, researchers can determine year over year changes. The question: Will AgroLiquid perform over time? The answer: Yes, and we’ve got the research to prove it.

Finding out the exact science of what works through trials helps our researchers, agronomists, and sales team make the best decisions for you and your crops. Other advantages of permanent plot research include:

• Long-term impact assessment

One of the strengths of permanent plot research is the ability to assess the long-term impacts. AgroLiquid research provides a reliable and consistent nutrient supply over the duration of these studies, so researchers can not only observe immediate effects, but also monitor nutrient management and results for a series of years.

• Soil health monitoring

Soil health is always a focus, and the precise application of liquid fertilizers helps maintain a balanced nutrient profile in the soil to help with a healthy microbial makeup. Over time, this contributes to improved soil structure, nutrient cycling, and overall soil health in permanent plots.

• Adaptability to crops and practices

In permanent plot research, where the goal is to understand the impact of changes on different crops, this adaptability matters. Researchers can customize nutrient management strategies based on the needs of each crop, allowing for a better understanding of agronomic practices.

• Data-driven use

The precision application of fertilizer minimizes runoff and leaching, which helps with the responsible farming practices that permanent plot research supports. AgroLiquid also helps with data-driven decision making. The consistent and precise application of fertilizers generates reliable data on the response of crops to specific nutrient use. This helps everyone involved make better decisions about resource use, to help with the best productivity.

What results did the data give?

The first plot trials ran from 1996 to 2005 on corn, comparing AgroLiquid Pro-Germinator, Sure-K, Micro 500, and High NRG-N use with conventional liquid, and conventional dry. The results: The AgroLiquid program had a higher average yield despite lower pounds per acre of actual nutrients applied, and did not have extra application trips of dry fertilizer.

Researchers performed tests over ten years of corn yields and ten years of soybean yields, all with four replications of treatments. Here are the results for the permanent plot corn yields 2011-2020.

What do you notice?

Yields were much higher than the 170 bu/A yield goal, even for the nitrogen only. The highest average yield was with AgroLiquid. The AgroLiquid yield was statistically higher than the conventional dry treatment, and the AgroLiquid yield was significantly higher than that of the “pound for pound” rate of conventional fertilizers.

That’s not all…this table shows the extra corn produced over 10 years compared to using only nitrogen. By using Pro-Germinator, Sure-K and Micro 500, an extra 219.3 bu/A was produced, which is like producing an entire extra year of corn.

With permanent plot research, AgroLiquid can help understand the effects with continuing monitoring and analysis, helping us refine our products and practices over time. Our goal is to give growers the best, evidence-based solutions for increased yields, better soil health, and a more positive agricultural future.

Our trials provide evidence that AgroLiquid not only performs consistently over time, but also beat conventional fertilizers in both yield and efficiency. The long-term impact assessments, soil health monitoring, adaptability to crops, and data-driven precision application highlight the advantages of this approach.

For all of our research, visit our site.

The post Permanent plot research: How, why, and what it means appeared first on AgroLiquid.

Even though we want everything to happen quickly, it doesn’t always work that way – and it’s not always the best. With fertilizer, it can lead to a waste of time and money. But what if you were able to tap into both the fast and slow?

As we all know, crops need phosphorus to grow well. But when we use phosphorus fertilizer, we have to be careful about tie up in the soil, which means the phosphorus can’t be easily used by the plants. In soil that’s more acidic, phosphorus can get stuck because of iron, aluminum, and manganese. In soil that’s more basic, calcium is what makes it difficult for plants to use the phosphorus.

But! Pro-Germinator avoids tie up in the soil.

Pro-Germinator is a mix of phosphate, nitrogen, potash, and iron which is used to help crops at their growth stages. The combination of quick-release phosphates with slow-release, carbon-protected, polymer phosphates, promotes growth early on, and then continues to support plants through their reproductive stages.

Avoid Tie Up

Pro-Germinator contains both ortho-phosphate and carbon-protected polymer phosphate to provide readily available and controlled-release phosphorus…but what does that mean for you? It means there is minimal danger of tie up in the soil. Pro-Germinator’s phosphates are protected by AgroLiquid’s proprietary nutrient technology, which means there’s nutrient extraction throughout the plant’s growth.

Low Risk of Tissue Damage

The risk of tissue damage can be a danger with some fertilizers, but Pro-Germinator protects crops by using a safe formulation that doesn’t cause plant tissue damage. As a result, it can be safely used at planting with little risk of seedling injury, making it a powerful part of a planter fertilizer program.

Application

Not only can it be used as early as planting, but it can also be applied in a variety of ways. You can apply by broadcast, topdress, sidedress, as a foliar, or through fertigation. With this flexibility, you can reduce manpower and make fewer trips across the field.

These benefits make Pro-Germinator a valuable tool for growers looking to optimize crop growth, yield, and crop quality.

Pro-Germinator:

• Stimulates early growth: Pro-Germinator promotes faster and earlier growth of crops, allowing them to quickly establish themselves.
• Improves seed formation: It enhances the seed formation process, leading to even better-quality crops.
• Balances nutrient supply: Pro-Germinator’s formula provides a well-balanced source of essential nutrients, including phosphorus, nitrogen, and potassium.
• Reduces risk of leaf burn: Unlike some fertilizers that can harm early plants, Pro-Germinator has a gentler formula that minimizes the risk of leaf burn and seedling injury.
• Is compatible with other products: Pro-Germinator can be easily mixed with crop protection products – nutrients, pesticides, fungicides* – which helps for application management.

We invite you to read our research:

Experimental Phosphorus on corn

Pro-Germinator saves application costs on potatoes

Evaluation of Pro-Germinator and spring-uP combinations in corn

Pro-Germinator vs grower standard

For more information, go here.

*Always follow label instructions and perform a jar test before mixing any fertilizers or crop protection products.

The post Slow release and fast results – Pro-Germinator appeared first on AgroLiquid.

With so much going on this time of year, it’s easy to focus on now, but it’s critical to start thinking about next year. Postharvest irrigation and fertility can be the most important aspect of growing trees and vines. Increasing yields and quality depends on having a solid postharvest plan.

After the stress of harvest, nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium will begin to transition from leaves to spurs in almonds, and from leaves to roots and woody tissues in vines. In almonds, bud initiation and differentiation has already begun, so the fate of the next crop is already underway. Water stress at this point in time will significantly reduce next year’s crop.

Postharvest irrigation is also very important to ensure that the leaves stay active for as long as possible so they can continue photosynthesizing and storing much-needed carbohydrates for next year’s crop. When dormancy breaks in early spring, trees and vines will be functioning solely on stored nutrients. Nutrient uptake from the soil is very minimal at this point due to cool soil temperatures as well as the lack of leaves.

Adequate postharvest fertility to replenish nutrient reserves will help make sure that your crop has the energy it needs to maximize production when dormancy breaks come spring.

Nitrogen (N)

Up to 20% of the total seasonal demand for nitrogen in almonds can be applied postharvest. This is also very similar for grapes. Postharvest nitrogen will help maintain leaf area and extend the time for photosynthesis to keep producing carbohydrates in the trees and vines.

Postharvest N will also ensure that reserves are replenished and early shoot growth and leaf out will be strong in the spring. It is important to take in-season tissue samples into consideration when determining how much nitrogen to apply. Any soil-applied nitrogen in the nitrate form that is not taken up by the roots will be subject to leaching from rainfall and irrigations.

Foliar-applied nitrogen is also a good choice for postharvest applications. It is common to use a fast acting nitrogen source in this situation, such as urea-based products.

Phosphorous (P)

The amount of phosphorous used by trees and vines is much less compared to the demand for nitrogen and potassium. However, this does not mean it’s less important for optimal growth and yields. A postharvest application of phosphorous will promote healthy fall and spring root flushes, as well as ensure the trees and vines have a good energy source when dormancy breaks in the spring.

Choosing a phosphorous fertilizer that is protected from tie up from cations in the soil is important and will ensure that it’s free and available for the plant to uptake as needed.

Potassium (K)

Potassium demand in almonds and grapes is even higher than that of nitrogen. A postharvest application of potassium is essential in order to restore reserves, even more so if your yields were above average this season.

Potassium is an important aspect in plant water relations and cell reproduction. If potassium reserves are deficient when dormancy breaks in the spring, new fruiting spurs will develop at a slower pace or even die prematurely as compared to a tree that has optimal potassium reserves. Root uptake is minimal at this point, so a soil application of potassium will serve to replenish K reserves in the soil.

A postharvest foliar application of potassium is a great way to ensure you get the potassium into the trees and vines to replenish those reserves. Choosing a K product that is free of chlorides and hydroxides, as well as effective at penetrating the leaf cuticle and easily translocated once in the leaf will provide the greatest return on your fertilizer investment.

Zinc (Zn)

Zinc is a very important micronutrient that plays a major role in synthesizing auxins. These auxins ensure a uniform bud break and a good fruit set in the spring.

Almonds are commonly zinc deficient. This is due to a number of reasons, including certain rootstocks that are not adequate at taking up zinc from the soil. Zinc deficiencies are also common in areas with alkaline soils. Zinc is fairly immobile in the soil so postharvest foliar applications are most effective at correcting deficiencies and restoring reserves.

Boron (B)

Collecting hull samples to send off for boron analysis should be a staple in your postharvest game plan. Hull samples are the most effective indicator of boron levels in almonds.

Boron is very critical for development of flowers, specifically pollen development and viability. If the hull analysis shows less than 80 parts per million boron, the trees are deficient and are most likely losing yield potential. Postharvest foliar applications of boron are an effective way to correct deficiencies and restore boron levels in the tree.

On to the next

As you complete this year’s harvest, let your mind shift gears and begin thinking about next year’s crop. Its fate is already underway and having a solid postharvest irrigation and fertility game plan will ensure your trees and vines go into dormancy with adequate nutrient reserves.

With a good postharvest fertility program, your crop will be off to a great start come spring and you’ll be well on your way to improving yields and quality year after year.

The post Thinking About Postharvest Fertility appeared first on AgroLiquid.

Pretend you’re constructing a new building. Even if you have all your materials, you need to prepare the site. Level it, build up the foundation, make it solid, and make sure it’s prepared to support your construction.

It’s the same with growing crops. Even if you have great material, you still need to form a strong foundation. Crop development is in part dependent on nutrients available in the spoil, and nutrient interactions happen when one influences the uptake and use of another. They can have beneficial interactions, or if not done correctly – negative ones.

You’d expect that fertile soil will give crops the nutrients they need…but some nutrients can interfere with the utilization of others. For instance, higher rainfall will cause potassium to move down in the soil. In dry climates, high evaporation keeps cations on the surface. When crops are being irrigated, the irrigation water carries other nutrients, and the soil can take on the properties of the water. The result may be a great potassium level…but it could actually limit your production. All of these variables affect crop nutrition.

Soil testing

The only way to really know what’s happening is to perform a soil test. Let’s look at what you could find:

• Cation exchange capacity – The higher the number, the more water and nutrients it can hold.
• Calcium – A Calcium base saturation range of 60-75% makes sure that other nutrients aren’t being crowded out.
• Phosphorus – Phosphorus is very reactive with calcium. Since zinc, iron, manganese and copper are cations, they can be displaced by high levels of calcium.
• Magnesium (Mg) – Look for Mg to be between 10 and 20%. Over 20, and compaction is more of an issue. Under 10% and deficiencies begin to occur.
• Potassium (K) – Go for between 3- 8%. It’s rare to go over 8%, but this would restrict water infiltration.
• Hydrogen (H) – The higher the hydrogen number, the more acidic the soil, so it’s best to keep soil near the neutral level of 7.
• Sodium (Na) – A base saturation of sodium over 2% can limit production when temperatures rise and water is demanded by the plant to cool itself.

Cation management has a big influence on the productive capacity of soil, and a balance is important for nutrients to give the maximum return. Is it always possible to have a perfect balance? No. But in an ideal world, we would like calcium in a range of 60-75%, magnesium between 10-20%, potassium between 3 and 8%, hydrogen less than 10% and sodium less than 2%. These ranges will provide the most consistent yields through a variety of environmental conditions.

For more information, visit: Improving Crop Yields and Fertility

Nutrient stabilization 

You’ve calculated, you’ve done the work, and now that your foundation is complete, you’re ready for the next steps in growing a high yielding, quality crop. Contact one of our crop nutrition experts to get started.

The post Nutrient interactions in the soil: a firm foundation appeared first on AgroLiquid.

We’re nearing the most exciting, stressful, and rewarding time of the year for farmers – so don’t let up on the gas before harvest. Finish the season strong! If you want the best quality yield, you’ll keep working with your crop right to make sure you reach its full potential.

Let’s look at how it works all season long, and how AgroLiquid can help.

Soil testing

Growers need to know the current condition of the soil to know how to best help what’s planted in it. Not only does this help identify deficiencies, but it also tells them how much nutrition is already in the soil to balance out the added nutrients. Of course, this changes over time, so regular soil testing is needed. The soil test also reports on the relationship of nutrients in the soil; if one is high, it can affect the availability of others.

Tissue testing

During the season, this gives growers a deep understanding of what’s happening in the actual plant. It answers questions about nutritional effects and its current nutrient status. As a result, growers can look at tissue tests to help decide the next steps of a nutritional program.

Foliar applications

If the crop is lacking in a nutrient, the next step is to determine why its deficient, and what a grower can do about it. If it’s decided that a nutrient needs to be applied, then a foliar application with liquid fertilizer can be directly applied to the leaves, get absorbed, and move through the leaves into the plant. This is a quick method to make a difference in the crop. Already making a pass for fungicide or other crop protection application? Why not add nutrition to the tank to help finish out the season strong? Ask an AgroLiquid representative how this type of application can work for you.

Complete seasonal support

AgroLiquid nutrient plans are designed to provide the right nutrients at the right time, to make sure crops have access to what they need most during all growth periods. By preparing for the crop, testing the crop, and applying the right fertilizer, growers can can help prevent nutrient imbalances and deficiencies that could hinder the plant’s potential. This is true all season long.

Late-season fertilizer

Using late-season fertilizer contributes to improved growth, yield, and overall crop health. Advantages include:

• Maximized yield potential: Late-season fertilizer applications help make sure crops get the necessary nutrients during their critical growth stages, maximizing their yield potential and optimizing the production of fruits and grains.
• Nutrient balance: Help maintain a balanced nutrient profile in the soil, and make sure essential nutrients – from nitrogen to boron – are available in the right proportions.
• Nutrient uptake: Providing nutrients in the later stages of growth helps address any nutrient deficiencies that may have developed over the growing season. This allows crops to absorb nutrients more efficiently, which can lead to healthier plants and improved yields.
• Improved crop quality: Nutrients provided during late season contribute to factors like taste, color, size, and nutrient content, making crops more appealing and potentially more profitable.
• Stress resilience: Crops face various stressors as they approach maturity, like fluctuating weather conditions, pests, and disease. Late-season fertilizer applications boost resilience by supplying the nutrients needed to fight these stress factors, reducing the risk of yield loss.
• Extended growing period: Late-season fertilization can extend the effective growing period for crops, allowing them to continue their development even as the natural growing season starts to wane. This can be especially beneficial in regions with shorter growing seasons.
• Adaptation to crop variability: Different crops and growing conditions can result in varying nutrient requirements. Late-season fertilization allows growers to adjust nutrient applications based on crop performance and specific conditions, making sure each crop receives the support it needs.

Start with soil testing, move onto tissue testing, and go with a flexible nutrition plan – your crop will be supported all season long. Incorporating late-season fertilizer applications into crop management practices offers a strategic advantage by addressing the needs of crops as they approach maturity. This can result in healthier crops, improved yield quality, and ultimately, a more successful harvest. Happy harvesting!

The post Finish the season strong: don’t let up on the gas before harvest appeared first on AgroLiquid.