The Role of Micronutrients in Boosting Crop Yields

Micronutrients are vital to plant health and development. These important elements contribute to the plant's overall structure by enhancing nutrient absorption and supporting key enzymatic processes. By providing an adequate supply of micronutrients, growers can cultivate more robust and healthier plants that thrive, reinforcing the value of targeted nutrition in nut trees.

How Mo, Co and Ni Improve Nitrogen Use
Products that include molybdenum (Mo), cobalt (Co) and nickel (Ni) can have a positive impact on a crop’s overall performance. This is due to all three micronutrients playing a significant role in nitrogen metabolism, which helps the plant process and use nitrogen more quickly and efficiently. 

• Molybdenum: Aids in nitrogen utilization, an essential component in converting nitrate into usable forms of nitrogen.
• Cobalt: Promotes cell division in plants and mitigates plant stress.
• Nickel: Essential element in the urease enzyme and plays a key role in other enzymes needed for nutrient metabolism.​

While molybdenum is found in many micronutrient blends, cobalt and nickel are needed in much smaller percentages. By understanding how these three nutrients benefit crops, growers have the opportunity to gain an advantage.

The Almond Bloom Origin Story
The blend of molybdenum, cobalt and nickel in OPTRIENT™ MoCo-Ni was initially designed to address almond bloom. The goal was to enhance flower retention, allowing bees more time to pollinate, resulting in increased yield potential. 

“The typical bloom time on almonds is very short, and during that timeframe, there can be clouds, rain — weather that affects bee pollination,” said TJ Bingham, technical agronomist, Koch Agronomic Services (KAS). “With this blend, we’re trying to lengthen that window in hopes of good pollination from the bees.”

This improved bloom and flower retention is a direct result of the plant using nitrogen more efficiently to stay healthier and less stressed during this critical period. In a 2023 almond trial (Figure 1), OPTRIENT MoCo-Ni showed a 200- 420+ pound increase in nuts produced¹. 

Figure 1:

Benefits of MoCo-Ni in Other Crops
The insights from the almond trial provided a clear model for other crops. Because nitrogen is so important for vegetative growth, a focused application of micronutrients that support nitrogen’s optimal function can benefit a variety of crops.

“We found the optimal timing for almond trees to use this product to boost their nitrogen efficiency, but all crops have a point in their growth cycles in which they could use a boost in nitrogen utilization,” Bingham said. “So that's where we went — and we’re seeing great results.”

In addition to almonds, trials for OPTRIENT MoCo-Ni have been run in a variety of other crops, including:

• Pistachios
• Pecans
• Cotton
• Peanuts
• Sugar beets

“Across the board, we’re getting the right nutrients to make the nitrogen processes quicker and easier for the plant — which means a better result for the grower,” Bingham said. 

Maximize Your Nutrient Investment

By supporting a crop’s nitrogen efficiency, growers can help their plants perform at their best. See how a targeted nutrition strategy fits into a larger seasonal plan by learning more about the benefits of OPTRIENT MoCo-Ni in nut trees.

¹The underlying data was provided by SYSMA under a Research Trial Financial Support Agreement with Koch Agronomic Services, LLC. Neither these institutions, nor the individual researchers referenced, endorse or recommend any product or service. Improvements in yield and nutrient use efficiency may not be observed in all cases. 

OPTRIENT MoCo-Ni is not registered for sale or use in all states. OPTRIENT and the OPTRIENT logo are trademarks of Koch Agronomic Services, LLC. Koch and the Koch logo are trademarks of Koch IP Holdings. All Rights Reserved. ©2025 Koch Agronomic Services, LLC.