
Autumn applications ‘bring dividends’
Farmers are being encouraged to consider alternative products – including biostimulants – to boost crops and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Autumn-applied biostimulants could be a solution alongside other factors, such as vigorous varieties and changes to establishment systems, says Tom Wheelhouse, technical specialist at UPL.
More farmers are considering outside-the-box solutions. Foliar biostimulants are typically applied in the spring alongside macro and micro nutrition. But last year UPL launched Vitalroot to help encourage farmers to look into autumn applications.
Some 50 farmers were supplied with enough Vitalroot to cover 20ha. They were recommended to apply the biostimulant from two leaves until the beginning of tillering, which often combines with early post-emergence herbicide applications.
Seaweed extract
“The main ingredient in Vitalroot is GoActiv (GA142), an oligosaccharide isolated from seaweed extract,” says Mr Wheelhouse. It is filtered to produce a high concentration in the formulation, with some added potassium and phosphate.
“The oligosaccharide kick-starts enzyme activity, producing more amino acids for the plant’s metabolic pathways. This has a snowball effect on the plant. More extensive roots and greener leaves enhance nutrient uptake and energy conversion for further growth.”
Agrii agronomist Sam Bailey tried some Vitalroot on a wheat crop last season, having taken up UPL special offer. The crops that had Vitalroot were some of the best ones he looks after coming out of the winter, says Mr Bailey.
Better performance
After a pre-emergence herbicide, he tank-mixed the Vitalroot with the peri emergence follow-up three weeks after drilling on 1 November. It was the first time he had applied a foliar biostimulant in the autumn.
Autumn applications represented a new approach. Mr Bailey had experimented with a few other biostimulant products in the spring, when the major challenge with applying of biostimulants is the large tank mixes.
“If I’m going through a poorly performing crop with nutrition, I would put one in, but I can’t find room in the tank mix for them in routine spring applications.
Autumn, when farmers apply an early post-emergence herbicide or a BYDV spray, could be a position to include a product to boost plant health, adds Mr Bailey. “That’s the position where I’ve used Nutri-Phite PGA in the past,” he says.
“That would be where I can see Vitalroot having a place. It’s a timing when there’s only two or three products in the tank, so there’s room for it, and if farmers get additional biomass going into the winter, they will see the value.”
Soil health solutions key to reducing fertiliser emissions
Soil enhancing products are becoming increasingly popular with growers looking to reduce their reliance on synthetic fertilisers, support soil health, and enhance nutrient efficiency in crop production.
David Newton, soil health specialist and Timac Agro UK technical product manager, said: “By promoting soil health and enhancing nutrient cycling, these solutions can provide a practical pathway for reducing greenhouse gases. Biostimulants and soil conditioners improve soil structure and support microbial activity, which aids in nutrient mineralisation – a process that converts organic matter into nutrients plants can easily absorb.”
These products can help reduce farm emissions as well as increasing productivity, says Mr Newton. Calcium-based conditioner Humistart+, for example, helps optimise fungal and bacterial activity in all crop types, he adds.
“The base of marine calcium provides neutralising effects for acidic soils, and boosts rooting and nutrient availability for both crops and livestock,” says Mr Newton.
Nutient efficiency
“While further trials observing nitrogen mineralisation in the soil for 28 days post-application, show a 38% increase in total nitrogen available at a rate of 240kg/acre compared to a control soil conditioner.”
One Wiltshire-based dairy farm, for instance, used a soil condition achieved a 14-tonne reduction in artificial fertiliser usage between two seasons and observed improvements in silage quality.
Mr Newton adds: “The results highlight the huge
potential of soil conditioners and biostimulants as a scalable solution for farms of all sizes looking to lower emissions from artificial inputs.”
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