Unlocking Yield Potential with Uniform Emergence

“As an industry, agriculture has continually innovated to improve production — from precision planter technologies to improved seed genetics and even novel nitrogen stabilizers,” said Evan King, technical agronomist for Koch Agronomic Services (KAS). “The next game-changer is being able to support emergence by providing the micronutrients a seed needs for a strong start.”

In multi-year plot studies, late emergence showed the potential for huge losses in corn. Plant emergence delayed by just 24 hours realized a 15% loss in yield. Those losses jumped to 78% after two days and 90% loss of yield after three days.¹ 

To support early emergence, growers are turning to PROTIVATE™ nutritional seed enhancer from KAS. PROTIVATE is designed to give plants the nutrients needed for optimal crop establishment in the early stages of growth, lending to improved germination and ultimately increased yield.

Supporting growth from the start

Delayed and uneven emergence can put plants behind and reduce yields. Neighboring seeds will compete for nutrients unless each has easy access to the nutrition it needs. This competition can result in uneven emergence, creating a considerable disadvantage for slower emerging plants. Older plants will edge out younger plants for light, water and nutrients, making them vulnerable to disease. Later-emerging plants also have higher and varying grain moisture levels that increase both kernel damage and cost to dry grain. 

“Growers can mitigate uneven emergence and unlock a crop’s potential to optimize yields with the dual-purpose seed enhancer PROTIVATE,” King said. “PROTIVATE provides young plants the opportunity to thrive in the early stages of growth with highly concentrated nutrients to combat deficiencies we see in cold, wet soil.”

To support uniform crop emergence, PROTIVATE delivers critical nutrients for early plant growth right where the crop needs it. Multiple formulations offer flexibility and contain phosphate, manganese and zinc to support both growth and the metabolic reactions needed by the plant. Having the nutrients closer to the root zone helps to develop a healthy root system so crops can better withstand yield-limiting weather. 

“In one root growth study, seeds treated with PROTIVATE NU4-DRI had two times larger root growth over the untreated plants,” King said. “A more robust root system will give the crop a healthier stand and make the plant less susceptible to yield loss from limiting factors like drought or cold weather conditions.”

One of the other key benefits of PROTIVATE is that it works as a seed-drying source. Even in those higher humidity areas, PROTIVATE improves singulation and flowability — acting as a replacement for talc and graphite.

Higher yields with PROTIVATE

By giving plants the help they need to defend against limiting factors, PROTIVATE has proven to increase yield. In 19 trials over five years in the Midwest and Southeast, PROTIVATE NU4-DRI provided a 4 bu/acre yield advantage over standard applications with just talc and graphite.² 

“The yield results we are seeing with PROTIVATE really prove the benefit of critical nutrients at the right time and place,” said King. 

To learn more about PROTIVATE and how it can unlock crop potential, contact a KAS sales representative.

¹The underlying data is based on multi-year field trials in Michigan conducted by B&M Crop Consulting. 

²The underlying data was provided by AgRevival. Agrithority, Michigan Ag Commodities, Alpha Ag Research, SGS North America, Stoneville R&D, and Tidewater Agronomics under a Research Trial Financial Support
Agreements with Koch Agronomic Services, LLC. Neither the universities, 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.