Get Ahead Of Plant Nutrient Deficiencies With MAX-IN® Micronutrients

Whether your dry fertilizer application didn’t quite do the job , your soil type is prone to deficiencies , or heavy spring rains washed nutrients from the soil , it’s likely that your crop will benefit from supplemental foliar micronutrient applications during the growing season to help plants fill big ears , pods , and bolls.
 
Fortunately the MAX-IN^® line of plant micronutrients is well positioned to help you do just that. But how do you determine which micronutrients are needed , and when to apply them?
 
First , WinField^® United Regional Agronomist Gabe Saxon urges growers to avoid overreacting if they observe micronutrient deficiency symptoms earlier than expected. Begin by walking through your fields during the earliest vegetative growth stages (a 55 mph drive-by won’t cut it) , and take a close look at how your stands are progressing. If symptoms like slow growth or chlorosis have you concerned , hold off on pulling plant tissue samples.
 
“When growers observe potential nutrient deficiency symptoms , they often want to jump right into correcting them ,” Saxon says. “But at this early point in the season , I recommend taking a deep breath and giving the crop the time it needs for Mother Nature to help. Wait around 10 days for your plants to get the water , sunlight and heat they need. More often than not , that will help your crop get on track before you need to start having tissue samples analyzed.”
 
Utilize the NutriSolutions 360^® System
Micronutrients like zinc , manganese , boron and magnesium and others play a huge role in what happens in a plant’s life cycle , so identifying and rectifying deficiencies should be viewed as a continuous process – not a one-and-done treatment. Saxon encourages producers to submit corn tissue samples for NutriSolutions 360^® System analysis every 10 to 12 days , starting around V4 or V5 and running through V10 , and then again at tasseling and once during grainfill. For soybeans , ideal plant tissue sample intervals are V3 to V4 , R1 and twice during grainfill.
 
“The NutriSolutions 360 System gives producers a valuable opportunity to a fix micronutrient deficiencies early in the season ,” Saxon explains. “Within three days or less of receiving tissue samples for analysis , it provides a forecast of where your plants will be 10 to 14 days into the future. So instead of waiting to react to visual nutrient deficiency symptoms , you can proactively treat your crop and prevent those symptoms from appearing altogether.”

When the NutriSolutions 360 System identifies micronutrient deficiencies , it recommends a specific application to correct the problem – often a product from the MAX-IN line of plant micronutrients.
 
“Every in-season application provides a shot of nutrients that serves as a Band-Aid that might need to be reapplied in 14 to 21 days depending on growing conditions and plant tissue results ,” Saxon advises.
 
Choose the Right MAX-IN Product for the Job
Seven different products in the MAX-IN line of micronutrients are labeled for use on corn and nine are labeled for soybeans. Each contains patented CornSorb^® technology – a crop-based adjuvant system that increases droplet spread and coverage , and preserves moisture for increased movement of nutrients through the leaf cuticle to internal leaf structures. This means more of the applied nutrient is available for plant metabolism , and is less subject to loss through evaporation and other environmental forces.
 
MAX-IN^® Ultra ZMB^® is one of the most popular products in the MAX-IN portfolio because it conveniently contains zinc (Zn) , manganese (Mn) and boron (B). Producers often apply it even when plant tissue analysis reveals a deficiency of only one or two of these elements , because they’ve come to expect each of these micronutrients to be deficient at different points in the season and want to limit the number of passes they make across their fields. But , that doesn’t mean it’s always the best product to apply.
 
“You can only get so much nutrient into a product , especially when it contains multiple micronutrients ,” Saxon notes. “So if your crop is only deficient in zinc , for example , you’ll probably be better off applying MAX-IN^® Zinc micronutrient because it contains a higher concentration of that nutrient.”
 
MAX-IN micronutrients mix easily with other plant nutrients and most crop protection products , including glyphosate-based herbicides. When tank-mixed with glyphosate , an ammonium sulfate source such as Class Act^® products should always be used.
 
Keep Accurate Data for Next Year’s Fertility Planning
Finally , don’t miss out on the chance to incorporate this year’s results into next year’s planning. In addition to helping optimize the yield potential of this year’s crop , plant tissue analysis results can help producers fine-tune their dry fertilizer applications for next year. By keeping good record of what and where micronutrient deficiencies were experienced this season , you can adjust the rates you apply pre-plant season.
 
Be sure to consult your local GreenPoint AG specialist if you have questions about the MAX-IN line of plant micronutrients. They’ll help ensure that you include the right products , rates and tank mix partners in every application.