Can liquid inoculant get nutrients to the plant faster? Yes, dual-action liquid inoculant, can make fertilizer more accessible and promote root growth getting nutrients into the plant faster. In this week’s edition of Growing Possibilities, we will explore how dual-action liquid inoculant can be an effective way to get your soybean plants off to the right start. Spring is upon us. In the Midwestern US soybean planting has been underway for a few weeks. Here in Western Canada famers are preparing for the soil to reach 8-10 °C (46-50 °F) so they can start planting soybeans. But are farmers giving their soybeans a head start, by combining liquid fertilizer (like 10-34-0 or Alpine G22®) with a dual-action liquid inoculant?
Liquid fertilizer is often recognized as the best way to get nutrients to the plant right away. Some experts recommend applying granular fertilizer in the fall to build fertility in the soil, but liquid fertilizer in the spring due to its uniformity and ease of accessibility (1, 2). Farmers with liquid in-furrow capability are already taking advantage of this by applying liquid fertilizer in-furrow at planting. But are they using a dual-action liquid inoculant to get the most out of their liquid fertilizer program?
“I’m a big believer in putting the best stuff to it right away,” says Chris Tuchscherer owner of Optimum Ag Solutions “liquid in-furrow stuff as far as fertilizer and getting that plant off to a really good start.” Tuchscherer has been using XiteBio® OptiPlus® with his custom planting operation for the last few years and his customers have been very happy with the results (3). The synergistic effect of liquid fertilizer with a fertility plan that includes XiteBio® OptiPlus® has been shown to increase yields by as much as 12 bu/ac (4).
As with any product a dual-action inoculant needs to fit into your program to produce maximum ROI. “A good dual-action liquid inoculant will have advanced tank mix compatibility allowing farmers to dump it directly in their tank without the need for extra passes. The inoculant will colonize the roots quickly allowing for the soybeans to access nutrients in the early stages of growth,” says Jared Joyal Regional Sales Manager for Western Canada at XiteBio.
XiteBio® OptiPlus® dual-action liquid inoculant for soybeans has advanced tank mix capability and dual bacterial strains to ensure maximum performance. It has a rhizobium strain that fixes nitrogen and a Bacillus strain that provides a rooting hormone and a Phosphorus (P)-solubilizer. The rooting hormone allows the roots to develop quickly while the P-solubilizer makes the P accessible to the plant. When farmers lay down P (even in liquid form) less than half of what is applied is available for uptake by the soybean plant. This can impede growth (5). But by combining a P-solubilizing bacteria with your fertilizer you can ensure the highest rate of uptake as early on as possible.
With industry and governments prioritizing sustainability and regenerative agriculture, manufacturers are starting to talk about selling outcomes rather than selling fertilizer (6). At XiteBio we have been selling outcomes for 15 years. Our products have low application rates with XiteBio® OptiPlus® often requiring less than half a liter per acre* while delivering a 3:1 ROI. Are you buying an outcome or are you buying fertilizer? Talk to one of our sales reps today about how XiteBio’s ag-biological technology can result in healthier plants and better yields.
*Variable rate depending on row spacing and previous history of soybeans in field. Consult label for full details.
References
- https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/pros_and_cons_of_granular_and_liquid_fertilizers
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=devU5lPf5Vk
- https://xitebio.ca/testimonials/
- https://xitebio.ca/xitebio-optiplusdual-inoculant-for-soybeans/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9105353/
- https://cen.acs.org/food/agriculture/technology-helping-farmers-grow-food/101/i15