Use Extractor to Guide In-Season Plant Nutrient Needs

There are a myriad of factors which influence crop yield potential. While some are controllable, others can’t be changed. For example, you can select the crop variety and the planting date, but you cannot establish the last day of spring frost.

Let’s focus on an important factor that is controllable – plant nutrition. This has a significant impact on crop yield potential, and it’s one that can be influenced in both pre-planting and post-planting operations.

Let’s discuss a new tool that can help you be more precise in monitoring and influencing in-season plant nutrition.

Extractor, one of Helena’s AGRIntelligence offerings, is an advanced tissue management system designed to provide you with the crop’s current nutrient status, as well as recommendations for correcting nutrient deficiencies and hidden hunger. It begins with plant tissue sampling at key growth stages starting shortly after emergence and going through maturity.  In perennial crops, this may even include a post-harvest tissue sample. These samples are analyzed in agricultural laboratories for macro-, secondary, and micro-nutrient concentrations. Optimum thresholds for each nutrient and growth stage are well established, and the report you receive quickly displays the current status of each nutrient.

This allows you to utilize the Extractor reports to optimize your in-season fertility program. Early in the season you may have an opportunity to sidedress or topdress liquid or dry fertilizer. Another option is adding a nutritional product to the tank when applying crop protection products. This is a sure way to get an added benefit without much additional cost. Where feasible, water-run key nutrient needs with irrigations. Uptake of nutrients in small and frequent doses is often more efficient than trying to provide all the nutrition up front. These applications frequently provide a much-needed nutrient boost at crucial physiological stages for enhanced crop yield potential. Using Extractor to help guide your in-season nutrient decisions is a convenient and accurate way to improve crop production.

Don’t suffer with “what might have been” when it comes to crop nutrition. Extractor is a great tool for ensuring you’re on the right track with your in-season fertility program. Talk to your Helena representative today about Extractor.

- Michael Larkin, Precision Information Manager