The outside observer may think farming is as simple as throwing some seed in the ground, watering it once in a while, and waiting for something to grow. Of course, nothing could be farther from the truth. Even barring disease and drought, it takes a lot to produce a successful crop of potatoes.
Here, you’ll find much of the latest technology in growth promotion for potatoes.
This fertilizer appears in the March 2018 issue of Potato Grower.
Nachurs Alpine Solutions
(800) 622-4877
www.nachurs.com
Bio-K
Plant growth and development (which ultimately relate to yield) rely on hormone cycles, enzyme activation and complex physiological processes. A potato piece planted in a field in Colorado, Washington or Maine will not grow properly without adequate nutrition. At some point in time, the resources required to do this will become more limited. This is where responsible choices enter the picture in order to protect the environment, both now and in the future.
Nachurs, through the 4R nutrient stewardship initiative, focuses on providing soluble, efficient and available plant nutrient solutions at the right rate, time and place to increase yield and sustainability. The company’s latest nutrient technology, Nachurs Bio-K, is a potassium acetate-based fertilizer that provides many advantages over other potassium fertility choices. Potatoes require large amounts of potassium at specific growth stages (tuber initiation and bulking) in order to achieve maximum genetic potential. Having available potassium at these times will also aid in the plant’s ability to tolerate stress, both biotic and abiotic. According on third-party and university research, the use of Nachurs Bio-K at these times will produce better fry quality, more uniform tuber size and higher yields.
Nano Ag Technologies
(785) 477-9118
www.nanoagtechnologies.com
AGpHRx
AGpHRx is a novel, biological-based, sustainable solution designed to instantly lower pH and water hardness for long-term stability. AGpHRx blends with most herbicides, insecticides, fungicides, fertilizers and micronutrients, and it improves the solubility and effectiveness of those products through improved foliar and ground penetration.
AGpHRx also separates salt that is already in the soil into the separate sodium and chloride components, making sodium available for the plant to utilize. After salt becomes bio-available, a plant can use up to 30 to 40 percent of it.
Soil pH also affects soil conductivity and electrochemical balance. AGpHRx helps reverse the damage caused by high-salt, chemical-based fertilizers and improves the balance in subsoil acidity and conductivity.
Soil irrigated with AGpHRx-treated water also stays wet a little longer, which translates into fewer rotations of the pivot and a measurable savings in water. Some estimate up to a 30 percent savings in water alone.
In the meantime, AGpHRx releases the calcium, clay and zinc that cause compaction, allowing water and plant roots to more easily penetrate the soil, reducing compaction and further conserving water.
SNF Holding Company
(877) 339-8349
www.snf.us
SoilPam, FloBond
PIC: snf Agriculture Logo
SNF is the global leader in water-soluble polymers, producing SoilPam and FloBond products for the agricultural market. These products are used for wind and water erosion control, crust prevention, water efficiency and wheel track rut control under center pivot irrigation systems. These products have proven to increase yield and enhance potato and sugarbeet quality.
West Central Distribution
www.wcdst.com
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(320) 235-8518
Levesol
Levesol’s ortho-ortho EDDHA chelate is the most scientifically proven and only patent-pending chelating agent in the industry. Other phosphorus efficiency products bond with micronutrients to increase phosphorus levels, inefficiently leaving micronutrients such as zinc and manganese tied up. Levesol chelates micronutrients, protecting them from interacting with molecules like phosphorus, allowing both to be more available for plant uptake. Levesol has three modes of action: It unlocks the nutrients in the soil, makes the nutrients it’s applied with more available, and remains mobile in the plant for season-long activity.
R
edline
Redline starter fertilizer includes a premium mix of macro- and micronutrients plus the purest, most highly concentrated form of ortho-ortho EDDHA chelate in the industry. This chelating agent keeps the nutrients in Redline from binding to negatively charged particles in the soil, making the nutrients more available for plant uptake. Redline also makes essential nutrients, already present in the soil, more available for plant uptake and can be applied to a variety crops.
Yara North America, Inc.
(800) 234-9376
www.yara.us
Yara Fertilizers
PIC: Yara logo and white tagline VECTOR
Yara is committed to helping farmers grow a top potato crop in terms of both yield and quality, and having a positive impact on their profitability. Crop knowledge, application competence—including technology tools and services—and the most comprehensive crop nutrition portfolio on the market make up the core of Yara’s Crop Nutrition Solution for potatoes.
Yara fertilizers, crop nutrition programs and technologies increase yields, improve product quality, and reduce environmental impact from agricultural practices.
AgroLiquid
(800) 678-9029
www.agroliquid.com
marketing@agroliquid.com
Pro-Germinator
Plant-available phosphorus is important for more and larger tubers. Pro-Germinator, through proprietary manufacturing technology, contains both ortho-phosphate and carbon-protected polymer phosphate to provide both readily available and controlled-release phosphorus with minimal danger of tie-up in the soil. This controlled release of nutrients provides needed nutrients at planting, hook stage, tuber initiation, and on through flowering and bulking. Pro-Germinator is used primarily for the application of phosphorus but also includes nitrogen, potassium and micronutrients for maximum performance.
Kalibrate
PIC: Kalibrate
Potatoes use more potassium than any other nutrient. Potassium is required for nutrient movement in the potato plant. It is essential for the makeup of over 40 different enzymes and is involved in more than 60 different enzyme systems in plants. Potassium is also important in the formation of sugars and starches in plants. In potatoes, potassium influences tuber size, specific gravity, blackspot bruise susceptibility, after-cooking darkening, sugar content, fry color and storage quality. Kalibrate is a highly efficient carbon-chelated liquid potassium that, when applied at planting or side-dress, is taken up from the soil along the length of young, fibrous roots. Potassium is transported in all directions among plant organs in response to metabolic demand. Kalibrate also contains 6 percent sulfur, another essential nutrient for potatoes.
Westbridge Agricultural Products
(509) 669-7600
www.westbridge.com
Organic Triggr, Organic BioLink
Organic Triggr is a liquid auxiliary soil and plant input containing natural plant extracts. It provides plants with the energy boost they need by increasing photosynthesis, which leads to enhanced nutrient and water uptake and a stronger root system. Organic Triggr works well in combination with Westbridge’s Organic BioLink nutritional program to promote good root development, improve seedling vigor, and improve tuber size and uniformity. The program enhances starter and pre-plant fertilizer efficiency and increases tuber specific gravity. Enhanced fertilizer efficiency has an equivalent effect to lengthening the growing season due to elevated starch deposition.
When applied at key times during the growing cycle, Organic Triggr and the Organic BioLink nutritional program can improve potato grade and increase yield. Organic Triggr is water-soluble and is suitable for use in both organic and conventional production systems.
Certis USA
w
ww.certisusa.com
LifeGard WG
The EPA has registered LifeGard WG, the first foliar-applied biological plant activator available on the market, for use on potatoes, sugarbeets, fruiting vegetables, pecans and other specialty agricultural crops to control diseases. LifeGard’s active ingredient, the Bacillus mycoides isolate J (BmJ), is a naturally occurring bacterium that triggers an induced systemic resistance (ISR) response in plants. This ISR response mode of action offers efficacy, resistance management materials, low residue levels, and crop and worker safety. LifeGard is NOP-approved and OMRI-listed, is residue exempt, has a four-hour REI, can be applied the day of harvest, and is bee safe.
LifeGard triggers a plant’s natural immune response to pathogenic fungi, bacteria and viruses. Plants respond to initial detection of potentially pathogenic micro-organisms by “switching on” resistance genes, causing a cascade of metabolic responses to limit infection and disease development. LifeGard is unique in that it works entirely as a microbial ISR activator with no direct antagonistic effect on plant pathogens. LifeGard induces the same genetic resistance pathway as the class of chemical ISR inducers known as benzothiadiazoles, but for longer periods and with lower risk of phytotoxicity.
J.R. Simplot Co.
(208) 336-2110
www.simplot.com
www.simplotfusn.com
FUSN
The J.R. Simplot Company collaborated with Honeywell to fuse ammonium nitrate with ammonium sulfate to create FUSN, an ammonium nitrate-based fertilizer that is less detonable, more efficient and socially responsible than other fertilizers.
FUSN (26-0-0-14s) gives growers the ability to improve farm productivity with a fertilizer that is easy to use and enables a strong return with clear agronomic benefits. FUSN is a dry, granular, homogenous fertilizer that delivers nitrate, ammonium nitrogen and sulfate sulfur to the plant. The fused sulfate-nitrate compound also decrease volatilization of surface-applied nitrogen.
Tiger-Sul
(800) 239-3647
www.tigersul.com
Tiger XP
Tiger XP by Tiger-Sul is formulated to meet crops’ sulphur needs. Its unique composition of sulphur bentonite and a proprietary activator sets a new industry standard for higher sulphate release rates. Tiger XP can address early-season soil sulphate deficiencies by accelerating plant sulphate availability and consistently offers higher sulphate levels throughout the growing season. It is one of the safest sulphur bentonite products available.
Tiger XP’s proprietary activator offers higher sulphate release rates as compared to traditional sulphur bentonite products. It improves soil sulphur levels and enhances the sulphur oxidation process. Tiger XP also increases nitrogen efficiency and reduces nitrogen leaching.
Compass Minerals Plant Nutrition
(800) 551-8216
www.protassiumplus.com
Protassium+
Protassium+ from Compass Minerals is a dual-nutrient source that delivers high potassium and sulfate sulfur with virtually no chloride and a low salt index. It is the premium potassium source to helps a potato crop grow to its full potential. The sulfur in Protassium+ is immediately available for uptake and use by plants, which helps with seed development and stress and pest resistance, plus contributes to increased yield and tuber quality. It replenishes critical potassium that helps improve quality and uniformity of yield, gravity and storage capabilities, and decreases risk of external defects.