A Pound is a Pound
For years, the agricultural establishment has contended that fertilizer availability to the crop is all the same no matter what the source of the fertility element. The only issue that had meaning was how many pounds of N, P₂O,, and K,O a producer was getting for the price paid. Since recreational waterways have been a topic of discussion by North American environmentalists (and other citizens), Growers Mineral, Corp. established a project to try to allow early season plant growth to talk about nutrient availability as it relates to fertilizer price.
The chart featured on page three shows three com seeds germinated with three different solutions. Two of the solutions are Growers Mineral Solutions (GMS) at different concentrations and the third solution is a much lower cost per gallon fertilizer material.
Growers Mineral, Corp. realizes plant root growth is not proof of crop yield; however, root growth may suggest the volume of area that the plant has access to for water and nutrition. Also, early season root growth may indicate usage of nutrients in the soil by the plant and the amount of applied nutrients that could possibly be lost to the environment.
One of the indicator tests to measure nutrient usage by the crop was TDS (total dissolved solids). The fact that the TDS for the GMS plants decreased from start to finish suggests that the plant was actually absorbing nutrients from the solution and lowering what was left to effect the TDS of the solution.
Also, the pH test suggests that the plant was absorbing nutrients from the GMS solutions, since the plant secretes H (hydrogen) to replace an absorbed nutrient. This secreted H lowers the pH of the remaining solution.
Finally, for the cost conscious individuals, the cost comparisons of the various materials were calculated by considering the concentration of the fertilizers that were used in the growth solutions.
The dilution factors used when making cost comparisons should also be considered by the environmentalists. A fertilizer that has been diluted by a factor of 4 times has significantly less material placed into the environment for potential loss. This is very important when considering the applied amount of P₂O,. Growers Mineral, Corp.'s experience with P₂O, relates directly to the purity of the phosphorus (P) used to make the fertilizer and the balance of the P in relation to the other elements in the fertilizer. The balance and purity in starter fertilizers is critical with high priced seeds and transplants. Remember a "runt hog" is always a "runt hog."
This is an excerpt from the Early Fall Growers Solution (2020) written by Growers Research Project.
Signup for our newsletter to stay in the loop
