Biologicals hold tremendous potential for crop production — there’s growing proof that products that fix nitrogen and help manage plant stress can contribute to higher yields.
But it’s still early days for the sector and many manufacturers are working to fine-tune best management practices that will allow growers to see consistent performance when using the products in their fields.
At the Commodity Classic in Denver, Colorado, RealAgriculture’s Bernard Tobin caught up with Azotic lead agronomist John Squire to discuss how the company is developing BMPs for Envita, a nitrogen-fixing bacteria that feeds the plant with nitrogen that is converted from the air to a form the plant can use.
Squire says the product can enhance crop uniformity, photosynthesis, and root systems, leading to darker green, healthier plants. It’s his job to help farmers find a fit for Envita in their cropping system and position it for success. He notes that the biological can be both soil- and foliar-applied giving it a wide range of application. His goal is to understand a growers’ operation, “then we can tailor, or give you some examples of how to use it, whether it’s in-furrow or whether it’s foliar tank-mixed with a product that you’re putting on there already.”
Squire compares the success of Envita to that of new hybrids, emphasizing that while not every hybrid performs well, overall, farmers should see benefits. “If I’m getting hybrid, XYZ, and I know it’s a good hybrid, that hybrid is going to perform well in general. But that hybrid will not win every time,” says Squire. He notes that Envita will consistently deliver enhanced quality factors, including darker green plants that are healthier and more stress tolerant, “so, overall, growers should see a benefit.”
In the video, Squire also discusses the Envita performance guarantee, which includes BMP and positioning support, as well as the availability of a new wettable granular form of the product. Watch the report below.
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