How PROTIVATE™ Early Success Means More Bushels Per Acre

For growers using PROTIVATE™ seed enhancement on their farm, the impact often shows long before tassel and pollination – with consistent emergence and stronger stands. But when the yield monitors flip on, what can growers who use PROTIVATE expect to see? Tim Laatsch, director of agronomy at Koch Agronomic Services (KAS), paints a picture of how consistent, vigorous early growth can mean bushels at harvest.

 How PROTIVATE’s seed-applied nutrition shows up at harvest

Q: As combines start rolling, what does PROTIVATE bring to the table for growers?
A: When you look across a field at harvest, yield comes down to one thing: more plants producing more grain. The primary benefit of PROTIVATE is seed-applied nutrition right at planting, when the plant is most vulnerable. By putting nutrients directly beside that emerging seedling, we get consistent, uniform emergence and more seeds turning into viable plants. At the end of the season, that means several thousand more plants per acre, a direct multiplier for yield potential and harvest totals.

Fewer skips and fuller stands mean more bushels

Q: How does that early start show up now at harvest?
A: You’ll see fewer skips in the stand and a fuller canopy of ears when you’re shelling corn. Every skip you eliminate is bushels you get to keep. PROTIVATE’s lubricity keeps seed singulation consistent so each plant has the space, nutrients and sunlight it needs to thrive. More even stands mean more ears and more grain in the combine tank.

What sets PROTIVATE apart from other planter box treatments

Q: What’s different about PROTIVATE compared to other options?
A: First, it’s an easy replacement for the talc/graphite most growers already use, so it fits right into existing planter operations. Second, it’s not just micronutrients like zinc and manganese. It delivers meaningful amounts of nitrogen and phosphorus, too. That balanced load fuels early root development and vegetative growth through V5, which is when the plant sets its maximum potential ear size. By eliminating stress in that window, we preserve the plant’s full capacity for rows around and length, which pays off in bushels.

A good fit for many farm sizes and equipment setups

Q: Is it suited for certain farms or conditions?
A: It works across a wide range of operations, but it’s especially seamless for growers with seed tendering equipment that meters lubricants automatically. They’ll get extremely uniform seed treatment. That said, I hand-treat my seed and still won’t plant without PROTIVATE. I use it on corn, soybeans, wheat and even cover crops because consistent stands and fast starts matter in every crop if you want to maximize biomass or yield.

Yield advantages in wheat and cover crops

Q: You mentioned wheat and cover crops. Do those see the same benefits?
A: Absolutely. On fall-planted wheat, I get strong, uniform stands that overwinter well and tiller aggressively in spring. With cover crops, time is short in the fall, and PROTIVATE helps them establish quickly and produce biomass fast, which is the name of the game for soil protection and nutrient capture. A consistent stand sets you up for better biomass yields before winter

Planning for next season with harvest results in mind

Q: What advice would you give for planning next season?
A: Be intentional. Lubricity agents are often an afterthought — a bucket of talc or graphite grabbed on the way out of the parts store. PROTIVATE lets you meet that need while giving every seed a nutritional boost that shows up in the combine at harvest. As you make seed decisions for next year, pair them with a plan for early nutrition that sets the highest possible yield ceiling from day one.

 The harvest story for PROTIVATE users

Q: Heading into harvest, what’s your main takeaway for growers who used PROTIVATE this year?
A: When you look at your monitor or check your yield map, the benefit is in the plant count. More plants per acre, more ears, more grain. That’s the harvest story PROTIVATE delivers.

From planting to harvest, PROTIVATE’s value as seed-applied nutrients and a flowability agent in the planter is easy to see – even emergence, impressive stand counts and bushels in the tank. The early boost it delivers isn’t just about getting out of the ground fast — it’s about finishing strong. Learn more about how PROTIVATE delivers at harvest.