News > Co-op News > Micronutrients Aren't Optional

Micronutrients Aren't Optional

Jun 07, 2021

Micronutrient Deficiency

Prioritizing Micronutrients

With corn, there are three micronutrients I encourage you to focus on. The first is zinc, which is commonly one of the most deficient micronutrients in corn. Zinc is immobile in soil and tissue, so it’s critical that plants have a constant supply throughout the season to meet growth and development needs. In addition to a seed treatment, you can boost early-season zinc levels with a starter fertilizer. You can often tank mix zinc products with a postemergence herbicide application to address substantial crop needs from V5 to V8.
 

Prioritize zinc, manganese and boron in corn

Look at different micronutrient options and choose formulations that are more efficient for plant uptake. A micronutrient option such as MAX-IN® Zinc with CornSorb® technology is a foliar option that increases droplet spread, droplet coverage and humectancy for increased movement of nutrients through the leaf cuticle to internal leaf structures. That means more zinc gets into the plant.
corn1-(1).png
Southwest Wisconsin Corn tested deficient or responsive to Zinc in 71.8% of the tissue samples taken from 2017 to 2020.

Next, I would look at manganese levels in corn. Manganese is an essential micronutrient for photosynthesis. The corn plant maximizes photosynthesis from V9 to V15, making it an ideal time for a manganese application. Manganese is typically tied up in the soil, so one of the best ways to get it into the plant is via a foliar application. MAX-IN Ultra ZMB® is an effective product that supplies zinc, manganese and boron, which are vital for plant health and vigorous growth.
 
Boron is another micronutrient I recommend looking at in corn. One of boron’s jobs is to help transfer carbohydrates in the plant. Around tassel time, a plant’s stalks and leaves lose boron as it is remobilized to the ear silk and to the tassel. This means that plants may not be able to transfer carbohydrates effectively to the newly developing kernels as efficiently ahead of pollination. MAX-IN® Boron is a foliar plant nutrition product option that can help replenish boron levels in the leaves. It’s formulated with a patented adjuvant for maximum nutrient efficacy and is compatible with other crop protection products.
corn2-(1).png
Southwest Wisconsin Corn tested deficient or responsive to Boron in 73.6% of the tissue samples taken from 2017 to 2020.

Set soybeans up for success with boron and manganese

Similar to corn, sufficient amounts of manganese are needed in soybeans to maximize photosynthesis. Timing a manganese application between R1 and R4 will help ensure plants have enough of the nutrient to help put on flowers and fill pods. Taking a tissue sample during these times will allow you to assess the needs of hidden micronutrient hunger. Remember that manganese makes the entire photosynthetic process more efficient. MAX-IN Ultra Manganese is a foliar product that includes CornSorb technology to increase plant uptake and nutrient availability.
soybeans-(1).png
Southwest Wisconsin Soybeans in the reproductive stages tested deficient or responsive to Manganese in 39% of the tissue samples taken from 2017 to 2020

I’d also recommend analyzing boron levels in soybeans. Similar to corn, boron in soybeans plays a role in plant health and takes the carbohydrates produced via photosynthesis and moves them throughout the plant. Pairing boron with manganese in soybeans is a one-two punch for optimal micronutrient management. First, manganese increases photosynthesis efficiency and carbohydrate production, then boron ensures that those carbohydrates are remobilized within the plant.
 

Monitor plant nutrition throughout the season

Use both physical and virtual tools to assess crop health and plant nutrition. In-season imagery and modeling applications, including the R7® Field Forecasting Tool, can help you visualize where there might be a nutrient deficiency in your fields. That can help you target your tissue-sampling strategy to get the best data to make in-season fertility decisions.
 
Speak with your local Premier agronomist to learn more about managing micronutrients to maintain yield potential.
 
 

Jon Zuk

Agronomist
Winfield United
 

Latest Posts

From the Manager's Desk
Mar 03,2023
With spring just around the corner, your cooperative is gearing up for another one of our seasonal rushes…spring planting season. Not only will we see our total employee count peak for the year, but nearly every asset in the company will be in use. While many businesses have equipment and buildings that are in use all year long, our grain and agronomy divisions have millions of dollars invested in some assets that only get used for a few months out of the year. It is critical that these assets are fully operational and ready to go when the season starts. Our agronomy operations team has spent the winter months going through all the equipment to make sure it's in good working order, unwrapping and greasing up the new sprayers, trucks and other equipment we’ve purchased this year, updating technology and precision tools on existing equipment, and conducting hours of training on its use and safety. 

In addition, the crop advisors and admin staff have been putting the finishing touches on crop plans and seed orders, wrapping up input financing and nutrient management plans, hiring and training new staff including college interns to help scout fields, and maybe taking a little time away to get rested for what is sure to be long days and short nights ahead. If you’re still looking to finalize plans for this planting season, please don’t hesitate to reach out to one of our highly trained crop advisors.

Gearing up for spring is not only about the equipment, but also the additional staff needed to provide the products and services our members rely on to help feed the world. Each year we try to fill about 100 full and part time positions at our eleven agronomy locations. These positions can last from six weeks up to eight months. Most seasonal positions involve delivering product to our members or directly to fields to keep our custom application machines running smoothly. If you or someone you know is interested in seasonal or year-round employment, please contact Shayla at our Mt Horeb office or stop by one of the agronomy locations. The hours can be flexible and available up to seven days a week. If agronomy work isn’t for you, ask about openings at any of our other locations including retail associates, plant operations, truck drivers, administrative professionals and more. Premier is always looking to add quality people to our team.

Thank you for your continued support of Premier Cooperative and its staff. Have a great month and stay safe!
Evaluating your Herd's Mineral Program
Mar 03,2023
Cattle nutrient requirements can vary by season and stage of production. Now is a great time to evaluate your cattle mineral programs and map out a plan to maximize impact.

While minerals are a relatively small portion of the diet, they control many vital functions in cattle and impact everything from cattle reproduction to feed efficiency and overall herd health. That's why it’s so important to make sure the mineral needs of your cattle are being met year-round.
Take Care of Early Season Weeds before Planting
Mar 03,2023
I know many of you have plans in place for a spring burndown herbicide application. If not, here are a few reasons for you to get in contact with your Premier agronomist to do so. Spring burndown applications typically target winter annuals and perennial grasses that overwinter and resume growing as soon as temperatures warm in the spring.  As they get going in the field they immediately begin stealing water and nutrients from the soil, and can create planting challenges. With the onset of resistant weeds like waterhemp, and standby challenges like giant ragweed, it is a best practice recommendation to add a strong residual herbicide to your preplant spring burndown application.  Doing so helps keep populations down and gets ahead of your first early post application. Here are some tips for establishing clean fields that give your crop a strong start.

 

Related Topics

Crop Production
CPP
Fertility
Forage
Dairy
Beef
Animal Nutrition

Related Posts

Premier Co-op

From the Manager's Desk

With spring just around the corner, your cooperative is gearing up for another one of our seasonal rushes…spring planting season. Not only will we see our total employee count pe...

Mar 03, 2023
Premier Co-op

Evaluating your Herd's Mineral Program

Cattle nutrient requirements can vary by season and stage of production. Now is a great time to evaluate your cattle mineral programs and map out a plan to maximize impact. While min...

Mar 03, 2023
Premier Co-op

March Energy News

So much for March coming in like a lion. I’m writing this late February and although we received a late February storm, the 10 day forecast looks like March is going to be coming ...

Mar 03, 2023
Premier Co-op

Grain Update - March 2023

Another February down, and I don’t have many complaints about the weather. I had a lot of days outside working in a sweatshirt, and not too much snow overall.  As we are c...

Mar 03, 2023
SEE ALL CO-OP NEWS