Establishing healthy, vigorous stands early in the planting season is critical for achieving high yields. One way to ensure this is to provide the seed with all the nutrients it needs to get a head start. Recently, seed applied micronutrients have become a popular way to boost early season growth.
For many years, banded starter fertilizer has been the main source of available soil nutrients placed directly for the seed to utilize. Research has shown that the nutrients available to the seed during germination can be directly related to seedling vigor. This early vigor helps create even and healthy stands that lead to strong yields. Many times we overlook the benefit of micronutrients and focus on the main macronutrients most fertilizers provide. However, those micronutrients play a crucial role for development.
The newest trend of seed applied nutrition has put a focus on micronutrients including zinc, iron, and molybdenum. These nutrients are being looked at in conjunction with the macronutrients commonly used in starter fertilizers. One way to ensure the seed has all of the resources needed to create vigorous stands is to incorporate some of these nutrients on the seed as they flow through the planter. Previously used talc and graphite enabled easier flow through planters but did not provide the early season boost needed to enhance plant stands. With the addition of these micronutrients to the talc or graphite it allows us to get it directly to the seed, research has shown these applications give seeds a head start and does not starve the seed of the materials it needs to prosper. At SEEDWAY, we are proud to offer two products that provide micronutrients directly on the seed from Rocket Seeds; PMZ Dry and Moly Dry. Rocket Seeds is a company that creates products to help put nutrition right where the plant needs it most.
PMZ Dry is designed for corn, wheat, and major row crops. Created to be a replacement for talc and graphite, PMZ Dry provides 1% ammoniacal nitrogen, 10% available P2O5, 2% water-soluble manganese, and 8% zinc. This formulation is meant to enhance the plant’s root systems, reduce skips, and provides improved resistance to early-season cold and water stresses. It also supplies the enhance lubrication and flowability through the planter previously seen with graphite or talc products.
Moly Dry is designed for use on soybeans and pulse crops. The formulation guarantees 1% ammoniacal nitrogen, 5%available P2O5, 1.5% iron, 3% water-soluble manganese, 3% molybdenum, and 10.5% water-soluble zinc. These nutrients improve nodulation and promote early season nitrogen uptake to increase early-season vigor. Plants will be encouraged to develop deeper root systems and be better prepared to withstand early-season water and cold stresses. The available iron that is provided is a tool to help combat early onset of iron deficiency chlorosis that may be seen in many fields across the region. This product can be used to replace talc or graphite and provides lubrication and improved flowability from planter to field.
Field studies have shown PMZ Dry increases overall corn yields by an average of 3.9 bu/ac when compared to the growth standard practice. When comparing biomass in a growth chamber, plants that received PMZ Dry showed an increase in above-ground biomass by up to 62% as well as an increased root biomass by up to 86%. In field trials, plants with PMZ showed the same results of increased above-ground and root biomass. Trialing of the Moly Dry produce continues and shows results similar to those of the Poly Dry.
We at SEEDWAY are continuing research on these products locally and hope to deliver more data in 2021.
At SEEDWAY we are always looking to bring new innovative products to our customers that help maximize yields. With current market prices where they are today, growers should be looking to take advantage of products that enhance their yields and continue to have a positive return on investment. These two products provide your plants a head start early in the season. If you are interested in trying either of these products, reach out to your SEEDWAY TFM or local dealer to get more information.
Written by: Cassidy Fletcher, SEEDWAY Northeast Sales Agronomist and Technical Lead
Graphics from : Compass Minerals