The Yara Incubator Farm experienced extremely dry conditions in the 2021 growing season, with only 15% of the 30 year average of rainfall. Plants need water for growth and cooling. Being able to maximize the amount of water used by the plant is critical under stressful conditions such as drought.
Soil moisture probes were installed in each of the treatments in the trials at the Incubator Farm in 2021. The intention was to understand what was happening with soil moisture and root activity. Under extremely dry conditions, the Yara nutritional package showed earlier root development and the roots accessed stored soil water deeper than the Grower's Standard Practice (GSP), resulting in improved water use.
The soil moisture probes measure root activity at 10, 20, 30, 50, 70, and 100-centimeter intervals.
Yara treatment accessed the soil moisture at depths earlier than the GSP.
Yara treatment accessed the soil moisture at depths earlier than the GSP.
In both crops, the amount of water used by each treatment was calculated.
Water is used by plants to take in nutrients for growth and to cool the plant. Under extreme moisture deficiency and excessive heat, having a complete nutritional package will improve the plant's ability to access soil moisture. |
Nutrients need to be applied in the right balance to be used by plants effectively. Yara makes this easy with the line-up of products available for Western Canada.
YaraVera® AMIDAS™ is a unique granular, homogenous nitrogen and sulphate sulphur fertilizer that is readily available to crops. YaraVera AMIDAS is more effective than blends because it delivers the essential nutrients in one granule for optimal crop nutrition efficiencies.
YaraVita® PROCOTE™ efficiently distributes essential micronutrients to growing crops. It is available in Boron, Copper, Manganese, Zinc or a blend of BCMZ.
YaraVita® Foliar products deliver foliar macronutrients and micronutrients, providing supplemental nutrition throughout the growing season. Essential during critical nutrient sinks and periods of stress.
Micronutrients provided by YaraVita PROCOTE aid in the early development of root systems which improves the roots' ability to explore for nutrients and water. Foliar applied micronutrients as found in YaraVIta FLEX have a significant effect on crop yield and water use efficiency (WUE), particularly under drought stress conditions. Some studies indicate that the micronutrients (Zn & B) increase the pollen viability under drought and heat stress that consequently increase yield and WUE (Karim et al., 2012).
Pocklington Training Centre, Yara UK