May 25, 2017 — One of our Iowa WakeUP clients sent this photo of corn dug today from a field with an in-furrow biological treatment, compared to corn planted the same day without in-furrow treatment.
Both hybrids are on similar soil, from the same hybrid family, and planted in almost adjoining fields the same day, April 24. The two treated stalks on the right clearly show more root mass and height than the untreated two stalks on the left. Our client said the untreated stalks popped out easily with a trowel, but the treated stalks required a shovel — “and even then, digging down eight inches, I could hear roots snap off as I pried out the root ball.”
This root vigor will provide more uptake capability for nutrients and moisture. That would become especially critical for yields through any later-season weather stress.
Here’s the “recipe,” which is one we’ve never seen combined in quite the same way:
— 6 liquid ounces per acre of Vitazyme, a biostimulant which has been developed and refined in the U.S. for more than 15 years. About $3 per acre. Normal recommended rate is 12 ounces.
— 2 dry ounces by weight of Lignition, which is a “beta research” product we’ve been testing for three years. It’s also a biostimulant with a different mode of action than Vitazyme. Lignition enhances chlorophyll activity, accelerating conversion of carbon dioxide into sugars and other components of the growing crop. About $3 per acre.
— 16 liquid ounces of a biological product called 401, from Biodyne Midwest LLC. This is a “consortium” of over 25 strains of beneficial live microbes. The microbe mix is a recent addition to the growing array of bacterial and fungal growth aids which are especially effective when applied in-furrow where new roots can multiply them with fresh root exudates. About $7 per acre.
— 3 ounces per acre of WakeUP Spring. This is the vital link which mobilizes the biostimulants, and enhances uptake into emerging roots. $2 per acre.
— 2 gallons of non-chlorinated well water per acre as a carrier.
With two biostimulants and one microbial product in the cocktail, there’s no way of sorting out the impact of any of the individual components. But for a total materials cost of $15 per acre, it looks like the treated corn is building a vigorous early-season foundation.
Naturally we’d recommend coming back over the crop of this corn at V2-V3 (two to three leaf stage) with a foliar spray of 5 ounces of WakeUP Spring, to accelerate sugar movement out of those new leaves to the growing points of roots. That would intensify the feeding of mycorrhizal webs on the roots, serving to greatly enhance nutrient absorption capability.