WHAT IS THE TRUE COST OF CONVENIENCE IN NUTRIENT MANAGEMENT? An honest look at the past and future of production agriculture practices

CONVENTIONAL APPROACH  Determine nutrient levels  Soil test (by field or grid)  Apply nutrients at convenient times  Lime to pH without regard to nutrient relationships  Rescue crop with additional nutrients  Don’t account for pesticide or nutrient interactions Summarized as, “Spread and Hope” agriculture

CONVENTIONAL DECISIONS ARE BASED UPON:  Single input comparisons looking for yield responses  No integration of input evaluated  No information gathered that would further the understanding underlying processes in.  Soils  Plants  Microbiology  Pathogen interactions  In other words, “Simple Applied Research”

DECENT RESULTS  A steady progression of yield increases  Corn increased 50 bu./ac. in 30 years  (45% or 1.5% per year)  245 bu./ac. by 2050  55 bu./ac. short of demand  Other concerns:  Offsite environmental contamination  Limited supply of critical mineral nutrients including phosphorus

SCIENTIFIC BREAKTHROUGHS DURING THE PAST 50 YEARS  Soil, air, and water management  Soil microbiology  Plant genetics  4 R’s - Rate, timing, placement and form of nutrients  Role of plant signaling systems (hormones)  Underlying chemical, physical, and biological processes

NEW APPROACH IS INEVITABLE Basic Science  Delivers with true innovation and consistent results  Is transferable Ability to feed 9 billion people Reduce environmental footprint Reduce input supply pressures The Maximum Farming System – Delivers increased profitability today!

WHAT IS MAXIMUM FARMING? Understanding and managing key processes that determine yield and quality  Climate and crop selection  Soil test by soil type and management zone  Optimize soil, air, and water interactions  Optimize minimum soil nutrient status  Apply nutrients to fulfill crop’s physiological needs  Optimize nutrition to optimize plant signals  Keep the crop ‘burning’ until harvest  Evaluate the total result

CLIMATE Long-term climate drives  Soil properties  Crop selection  Soil, air, and water interactions Basic understanding of climate aids in developing a nutrient management system

SOIL TEST BY MANAGEMENT ZONE  Soils separated into regions with similar properties  Not arbitrarily imposed borders without scientific basis  Greater accuracy for determining:  pH  Cation relationships  Nutrient status  Plant populations  Polygons more closely reflect yields

CROP SELECTION Understanding the soil status and crop interactions improves yield outcomes  Soil test potassium  Calcium status  Sodium status  Water holding capacity  Drainage

OPTIMIZE SOIL AIR AND WATER  Eliminate surface sealing  Increase hydraulic conductivity  Increase rooting depth  Proactively manage water table  Manage clay surface chemistry to optimize stabile aggregate formation

OPTIMIZE SOIL NUTRIENT STATUS FOR NON-PEAK REQUIREMENTS  Assure minimum sufficiency in soil tests  Optimize cation ratios  Do not allow the plant to ‘luxury’ feed on any nutrient that may negatively interact with yield and quality

OPTIMIZE CROP REQUIREMENTS  Plants have peak demands for specific nutrients  Provide the nutrients:  At the right time  In the right amount  In the right place  In the right form  Alternative application methods may be necessary to optimize crop production and quality Pre-PlantingPlanting Emergence -V6 V6-Rapid Growth Pre-SilkPollinationGrain FillMaturity

MANAGE NUTRIENTS TO OPTIMIZE PLANT SIGNALS  Did you know that when plant roots contact nitrate nitrogen in the soil a signal is sent to the meristematic tissue the induces cell division?  Did you know the optimum cellular potassium allows the plant signals to move most rapidly?  Did you know that during cell division the zinc requirements are dramatically increased to facilitate major protein folding?  Did you know that ammonium nitrogen in tissue signals growth (increases in mass) in plants?

KEEP THE CROP ‘ENERGIZED’ UNTIL HARVEST Photosynthate typically decreases during fruit/grain fill growth stages. A lack of root growth slows nutrient and water uptake Microbial community decreases Natural mineralization process slows Keep the plant active to correct these shortcomings Our FOLIAR is the answer!!! Proven through independent research to be absorbed Compared against dozens of other products/combinations

INSPECT THAT WHICH YOU EXPECT Evaluate the total result including: Profitability Quantity Quality Soil health/nutrient status Environmental health

Get the System Working For You!

NITROGEN DYNAMICS  Rate  Form  Placement  Temperature  Uptake  Mobilization/immobilization  Air/water dynamics  Leaching  Volatization  Exchange equilibrium