The Lakehead University Agricultural Research Station is testing new environmentally friendly products

Jun 13, 2023

The Lakehead University Agricultural Research Station (LUARS) is testing new products that may benefit local farmers by improving soil health or crop yields while also minimizing environmental impacts.

This season, LUARS is testing three new products:

1. Utrisha N: is a nutrient efficiency biostimulant from Corteva Agriscience that provides crops with a unique way to capture nitrogen (N) from the air and provide it directly to the plant without the risk of loss, helping crops reach their full yield potential.

By utilizing Utrisha N in combination with soil nitrogen applications, farmers could get a sustainable alternative source of N that reduces the reliance on soil N uptake, and provides an integrated approach to ensure crops have access to nitrogen throughout the entire season. Since Utrisha N is not applied to the soil there are no chances of losses of N from it to the environment. LUARS is testing Utrisha N in spring wheat at three rates of N application; 0, 45 and 90 kg/ha.

2. Puryield 45-0-0: is a polymer coated urea. Because of its polymer coating, N is released slowly in the soil for uptake by crop plants matching with their N requirements and consequently N losses to the environment are minimal. LUARS is comparing Puryield with other sources of N (urea, ESN and their blends) in canola and will be testing it on winter wheat in the Fall 2023.

3. Holganix 800⁺: is a mixture of multiple soil organisms that improve soil health. LUARS is testing Holganix 800⁺ in four spring crops (wheat, barley, canola and soybean).

Source : Lakeheadu.ca

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