Tag Archive for: agrical

The Importance of Calcium • Tim Tesreau | VP of Agronomy

/in /by
Calcium is the trucker of all plant nutrients; it is essential for proper nutrient transportation into the plant. When calcium is deficient, crops suffer not only from lack of calcium but other essential nutrients as well. 


Skip to Video

SIGNS THAT AgriCal® MAY BE BENEFICIAL:

• Tight soil that does not drain well
• Soil that does not flocculate
• Hard dirt clods forming 
• Plants appear drought stricken even when moisture is normal
• Excessive problems with weed control
• Diseased plants more prevalent
• Constant need for fungicides
• Lack of good nitrogen fixation
• Poor response from fertilizer
• Low test weights

HOW TO CONFIRM AgriCal® IS NEEDED:

Conduct a thorough soil test measuring all the cations and base saturation percentages.
Use tissue analysis for growing crops.

BALANCED SOIL
Base Saturation %’s

WILLIAM A. ALBRECHT | 1888-1974

Chairman of the Department of Soils at the University of Missouri

Don’t depend on PH to determine a need for AgriCal®.
HOW DOES AgriCal® IMPROVE CALCIUM AVAILABILITY?

1. PROVIDES A QUICK SHOT OF READILY AVAILABLE CALCIUM
2. INCREASES SOLUBILIZATION OF PRE-EXISTING CALCIUM STORES IN SOIL

AgriCal® contains 10% calcium by weight.

AgriCal® recommended application rates:

  • 2-5 gal/acre soil application
  • 1-3 gal/acre foliar application
PROVIDE A QUICK SHOT OF READILY AVAILABLE CALCIUM
  • Calcium movement in plants coincides with water translocation, i.e. via transpiration.
  • Therefore conditions which limit transpiration (drought, high humidity), also limit calcium uptake and can result in a calcium deficiency.
  • Plant tissues with high transpiration rates like foliage get adequate calcium while tissues with low transpiration rates can experience calcium deficiencies.
  • Additionally, calcium is not able to be easily mobilized from one plant location to another. 60% of calcium in a plant is associated with the cell wall which prevents mobilization to deficient locations.
  • Blossom end rot of tomato is a prime example of a localized calcium deficiency in the developing tomato fruit (typically due to inconsistent water availability).
  • AgriCal® contains a proprietary chelated form of calcium which can be applied foliarly through the plant tissue.
The calcium in AgriCal® is 30,000 times more soluble than calcium found in limestone.

 

WATCH THE VIDEO
Tim Tesreau goes into full detail on all information you need to know regarding calcium and using AgriCal® in your crop production.

https://vimeo.com/420041977

Request a Quote


Locate a Dealer

AgriCal Increases Marketable Yield in California Tomato Study

/in , /by

In a study performed by in Williams, California, AgriCal significantly increased marketable tomato yield.

One trial produced an additional 16,680 lbs. of tomatoes/acre, while the other produced an additional 8,440 lbs.

 

Large Scale Processing Tomato Trial

Williams, CA | Colusa County Farm Supply Research Department

 

Objective:

To produce performance data by testing nutritional products in a “real world” production system. All study results were conducted….”Under the conditions of this study.”

 

2018 Seasonal Overview:

  • Trial site and culture was excellent
  • Very little insect and disease pressure in this field. Grower and PCA did an outstanding job.
  • All treatments were compared to the grower standard.

 

Program Overview:

  • Drip plot sizes = split field (10+ acre / plot)
  • Drip applications were made using a 1,000 gallon ball tank, and standard gas-powered injection pump
  • The products were mixed at CCFS and agitated very well before injecting
  • The solution was pumped at 5 GPM into the irrigation mainline at the filter station • Harvest was achieved via Morning Star commercial tomato harvester – the entire plot was harvested

 

Results:

 

 

 

 

 

 

View/Download PDF:

 

Diversity and Richness in the Soil

/in /by

 

“Anytime an imbalance of species start to occur within the soil, a new set of challenges begin to emerge.”

 -Tim Tesreau  |  VP of Agronomy & Technical Support

 

Just as diversity is healthy for a well rounded society it is also true below the soil’s surface. Anytime an imbalance of species start to occur within the soil a new set of challenges begin to emerge. Some of the symptoms may include increased insect infestations, plant diseases, stunted plant growth, slow germination, increased weed pressure, and even changes in the soil structure. 

Any of these issues will contribute to lower yields and less profit. 

What are some things we can control that could help alleviate issues related to a lack of diverse soil life?

    1. Avoid keeping fields in continuous, same crop production year after year. Avoid continuous corn, beans, rice, wheat etc. Rotate crops.

    2. Change up your chemical weed controls, especially if not rotating your crops.

    3. Evaluate your soil nutrient balance. Many weed species are reduced by balancing the soil. Plant diseases may also be addressed by ensuring that minimum levels of essential nutrients are available outside of the standard NPK.  Soil test for all macro and micro-nutrients.

      • For example, are sulfur levels kept as high as your phosphorus levels? They should be. 25 to 30 ppm of sulfur per acre is just as important as maintaining 25 – 33 ppm of P using an M3 extraction as a minimum.

    4. Soil microbes are fed from the exudate of plant roots. Are you leaving any living roots once you harvest your crop? Are the microbes building resources and reserves during the fall and winter for you next spring?  If not, you need to be considering how to use microbes to your advantage.

      5.  

       

      Residue Management

      One of the symptoms of a lack of diversity and richness in soil life not mentioned earlier includes crop residue buildup. If you are seeing stubble, cobs, stover, etc. left from the prior year’s crop, then you have an untapped source of nutrients you can draw from in the future by adapting some of the following suggestions to increase microbial diversity and richness.

        • Work towards balancing your soil cations to give the best air to water ratio for soil life. Think of it like tuning an old carburetor to have the proper fuel to air ratio for maximum horsepower. Calcium controls the amount of air in the soil and magnesium controls the water retention. With calcium lacking you have less air and therefore less oxygen for life. Too little magnesium and water is not retained in the soil. Too much magnesium and you have a sticky wet soil and aerobic microbes starving for oxygen.

        • Use a prebiotic to feed the microbes, such as IgniteS2 , FoliarBlend or Ultra. Supply additional carbon when needed. Testing back in 2001 by the Gene Research Institute indicated AgriGro products increased the gaseous rate in soil by 25% as well as increasing soil porosity and expediting soil aggregation.

        • Plant multiple cover crops to maintain many different types of roots to build up a diverse population of microbes and to reduce surface soil erosion.

        • Spray harvested crop residues with AgriGro prebiotics and any lacking nutrients, such as AgriCal liquid calcium to stimulate microbes and breakdown plant material in preparation for the next seedbed. 

         

        Check out this study from the University of Missouri released in early 2019 which reveals FoliarBlend’s Impact on soil health by increasing native microbial richness and diversity.

        [button class=”” url=”https://agrigro.com/crops_research/foliarblend_impacts_soil/” text=”View Study”]

Mick Johnston Discusses the Importance of the Reproductive Stage of Growth

/in /by

 

“Most crops are entering the reproductive stage of growth. Focusing on plant and root health is very important.”

Mick Johnston | AgriGro Rep – Boone, IA

Growers,

2019 is a challenging yet exciting year. Production difficulties driving higher commodity prices will provide real returns for added bushels this fall.  We don’t want to leave bushels on the table any year, and 2019 is no exception.

Most crops are entering the reproductive stage of growth. Focusing on plant and root health is very important.  Many producers are concerned with how excessive rains will impact nitrogen availability and how diseases may attack stalk and leaf quality.

We still have some key opportunities to drive grain quality, yield, and soil health to finish the 2019 season strong.

1.  Nitrogen Management:  Taking a soil and tissue test is one of the best ways to understand where you stand on nitrogen availability for your growing crop.  With high clearance sprayers and Y-Drop technologies, you can feed your plants the nitrogen they need to finish strong. Lack of nitrogen is one of the most significant robbers of yield and quality we can experience.

2.  Foliar Feeding:  Every year, producers experience hidden hunger in crops.  By using foliar feeding technologies, you will have a higher probability of achieving maximized yield and profit potential.

3.  Disease Management:  Fungal and bacterial diseases provide yield-limiting challenges every production year. Crop scouting and understanding the limitations of your crops is an integral part of a successful crop plan.

Start Strong and Finish Strong with AgriGro:

With our season-long approach to plant and soil health you have the opportunity to increase your microbial activity, nutrient availability, plant health and additional profit potential.

–  IgniteS4:  By adding IgniteS4 to your nitrogen you will increase availability to your plants.  Research has shown up to a 28% increase in nitrogen availability with the addition of IgniteS4.

–  AgriCal:  Adding AgriCal to the mix will provide another rise in uptake of all nutrients.  Adding AgriCal and IgniteS4 to your late-season nitrogen application, will balance the carbon-nitrogen ratio, drive microbial activity, and provide cell building calcium.

–  FoliarBlend: Adding FoliarBlend to your foliar nutrient application will increase nutritional uptake, root growth, plant health and soil microbial activity.  Research has shown significant increases in nutrient uptake with FoliarBlend or Ultra in the tank mix. Adding these products to your fungicide application will support better plant and root health creating healthier plants that can withstand the challenges that diseases may cause.

Don’t let your crops fall behind. We still have some key opportunities to drive grain quality, yield, and soil health to finish the 2019 season strong.

Improve your soil microbial richness and microbial diversity today – Let us help you. 

 

[button class=”” url=”https://agrigro.com/crops/locate-a-dealer/” text=”Talk to a Dealer”]

Mississippi State University AgriCal® Study Shows Significant Yield Increases in Cotton when Calcium is Needed

/in , /by

AgriCal® research at Mississippi State University has indicated that when AgriCal® is applied in cotton fields, significant yield increases result.