January 2015
Corn
Soybean
Sorghum

Balanced Crop Nutrition in a Cropping System

Objective

Quantify the effect of a comprehensive fertility program including MicroEssentials® SZ® (12-40-0-10S-1Zn) + Aspire® (0-0-58-0.5B) compared to a conventional fertility program of MAP (11-52-0) + MOP (0-0-60) or MAP Only in a four-year cropping system.

OVERVIEW

  • Balanced crop nutrition is key to maximum crop production.

  • MicroEssentials® SZ® supplies N, P, S, and Zn in every granule thanks to our proprietary Fusion® technology. Features include uniform nutrient distribution, increased nutrient uptake, and two forms of sulfur for season-long availability.

  • Using Nutriform® technology, Aspire® supplies K + B in each granule and provides two forms of B for season-long boron availability.

  • Using only two fertilizer sources, growers can partially or completely manage six crop nutrients.

TRIAL DETAILS

Crop: Soybean (Glycine max), Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor), Corn (Zea mays)

Years: 2015 -2018

Location: Pine Tree Research Station in Colt, AR

Data Source: Dr. Nathan Slaton, University of Arkansas

Experimental Design: Small-plot RCBD with 4 replications

Treatments: MAP (11-52-0)
MAP + MOP (0-0-60)
MicroEssentials® SZ® (12-40-0-10S-1Zn) + Aspire® (0-0-58-0.5B)

P Rate: 30, 60, 90, and 120 lbs P₂O₅/ac as MAP or MicroEssentials® SZ®. Because P rate was typically not a significant effect, responses were averaged across all P rates.

K Rate: 90 lbs K₂O/ac as MOP or Aspire® (2015-2017) or 120 lbs K₂O/ac as MOP only or 50:50 MOP Aspire blend (2018).

Application Details: Preplant broadcast and incorporated

RESULTS

Fig 1. Yield increase (%) as a function of fertility treatment and crop-year combination within a cropping system.

MAP+MOP vs MAP Only
MESZ+Aspire vs MAP Only
yield-response-cropping-system

LSD (0.1) values by year: 2015 (ns), 2016 (6.1), 2017 (1.8), 2018 (12.0).

SUMMARY

  • Balanced crop nutrition significantly increased yield throughout a multi-year cropping system study (Table 1).

  • The magnitude of yield response to MicroEssentials® SZ® + Aspire® over MAP Only increased over time: +0.7% (2015), +9.9% (2016), +16.1% (2017), +41.1% (2018).

  • Notably, a 67.1 bu/ac and 37.1 bu/ac response was observed in corn (2018) when MicroEssentials® SZ® + Aspire® was compared to MAP Only and MAP + MOP, respectively.

  • These data suggest the potential for synergistic and compounded benefits with repeated balanced crop nutrition usage.

©2020 The Mosaic Company. All rights reserved. AgriFacts, MicroEssentials, SZ, Fusion, Aspire and NutriForm are registered trademarks of The Mosaic Company.

Individual results may vary, and performance may vary from location to location and from year to year. This result may not be an indicator of results you may obtain as local growing, soil and weather conditions may vary. Growers should evaluate data from multiple locations and years whenever possible.

WARNING: Contains boron. Use of boron may result in crop injury. DO NOT place this product in direct contact with the seed.