IntraCrop team supports customers at UK events
It was a busy summer for the IntraCrop team this year, as they were out supporting customers at a variety of technical events, with a focus on yield maintenance, from Herefordshire to Nottinghamshire, Kent to Suffolk. Discussions were had on nutrient use efficiency and how biostimulants can help maintain yield and quality, both under abiotic stress and when the crop is encountering normal conditions.
In Kent, at a Frontier Agriculture 3D Thinking Event the milling wheat trial was of particular interest. Growers entered a competition to guess what fertiliser programme granted the highest margin over input cost (MOIC). They were able to choose from low, standard and high nitrogen regimes, all of which were tested with and without biostimulants.
The Frontier Fertiliser Business Development Manager, Finley Hawkins, told us, “Growers in attendance were surprised how significantly nitrogen inputs could be reduced – with yield maintained – when used in combination with biostimulants. Conversations were lively and it certainly seemed to get them thinking about how they could include biostimulants in their management programmes.
“Despite there not being significant differences between the treatments in terms of yield and protein, there were still some important topics discussed. Due to it being a milling wheat scenario, the higher nitrogen rates (250 kg / N) gave the highest yield and protein %. Interestingly, 170 kg / N gave unexpectedly high yields, but didn’t hit protein specification (>12%), leaving it well down the MOIC tables. Under a reduced N regime (210 kg / N), just 1 application of Status at T0 outperformed the reduce N regime alone, giving a 0.2 t/Ha response. The addition of Status also gave a greater protein response versus the standard N regime alone (+0.35%) meaning that it hit the 12% threshold for low grade milling wheat.”
There was excellent feedback from the growers involved on Status performance, particularly on pulses and spring barley. Growers commented that Status helped winter bean crops recover after a challenging late spring, with positive effects being seen as soon as seven days post application. On spring barley, Status also helped turn the crop around on thin, limestone brash soils giving a 0.4 – 0.5 t/ha yield uplift.
The team also attended demonstration at the NIAB SpotFarm hosted by RJ and AE Godfrey, with the event also being supported by CUPGRA. Located on the Lincolnshire and Yorkshire border, the site spans 440 hectares of main-crop potatoes for the packing market. The farm grows peas, sugar beet, wheat, oilseed rape and linseed. The theme of the meeting was ‘What is the role of biostimulants in potato production?’ Growers in attendance were largely interested in using biostimulants to reduce the risk of heat stress.
Mark Palmer, Commercial Director for IntraCrop, said, “There was plenty of interest and debate around how biostimulants should back up their label claims. It was pleasing to see that the performance of Status at SpotFarm did just this. Two applications of Status had been applied to a crop of Lanorma, and those on site witnessed an increase in root length and architecture, which would support improved nutrient use efficiency and help to buffer against abiotic stress, such as drought, heat or high UV.”
The conversation continued over the likely impact of biostimulant use should the crop encounter only ‘normal’ weather conditions and therefore not be put under stress.
Mark continued, “Of course, growers need to know that there is a benefit to them if their crop doesn’t undergo stress and it is important to us to be able to demonstrate this too. Take Status for example; we have conducted multiple trials of its action on healthy plants under typical conditions and proven that it increases amino acid synthesis and root biomass, therefore improving nutrient use efficiency and, in turn, increasing yield. Regardless of whether the plant is put under abiotic stress or not, biostimulants will be of benefit to the grower.”
If you are interested in attending some of IntraCrop’s events, you can contact us to find out where the team will be in the next few months.
7th November 2023
