Foliar Applications Give Crops a Good Boost

Jun 26, 2024


healthy corn early season
In spite of the rush to get herbicides applied, it’s good to consider feeding your crops with foliar applications. “Especially on lighter soils, there’s lots of potential to minimize nutrient deficiency,” said Mike Slater, Federated ag sales rep from the Isanti location.
 
Nutrients get tied up in the soils, especially under cooler and wetter conditions. A foliar application of Legend™ Elite or VersaMax™ AC can give your crops “ready to use energy.” These products feature Yield Burst™ technology, a patented blend of amino acids from Rosen’s.
 
For sulfur deficiency, Federated recommends Taurus® Sulfur ((sulfur in sulfate form). The cold and wet soils this year are “taking up all the sulfur,” said Slater. This product can easily be mixed with your fungicide application. (If you are particularly tight on time, you can potentially tank mix Taurus with a herbicide – but get your Federated Agronomist to do a jar test before making that mix.)
 
If yellow flashing is a concern on soybeans (or at times, on corn) following your glyphosate application, a shot of manganese can boost plant health. This needs to be EDTA chelated manganese, such as Versa EDTA Mn 6%, according to Slater.
 
Slater said, “You can add a biostimulant, such as Triad™, to promote “more nodes on the beans” and more “kernels on the ears.” The biostimulants can also improve test weights – and they can be tank mixed with the foliar nutrients.
 
Ideally, Slater noted, foliar applications should be done early in the morning or evening, with a high-pressure mist (fine droplet size) and a flat fan nozzle. This timing may preclude the herbicide tank mix for best results, but foliar applications are beneficial even if the timing isn’t perfect.
 
For best results, do foliar applications on corn at V3-V5, and apply again at V8-V10. On soybeans, apply at R1, pod set.
 
Talk to your Federated Agronomist about foliar applications and their potential benefits on your crops.
 

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