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Foliar fertilization in drought conditions

30.06.2020
A water deficit and its extreme form, i.e. drought, is one of the strongest and most destructive factors in terms of the quantity and quality of crop yields. The weather changes observed in recent years mean that the phenomenon of a more or less severe water deficit appears relatively often and statistically occurs every two years; recently we observe almost annual issues with the availability of water for crops. This important weather factor, i.e. precipitation, makes it necessary to look at plant agricultural practices in a new way, both through the prism of agrotechnical operations themselves and planning the structure of sowing, in order to secure satisfactory economic results from field crop production in these changing realities.
Phenological effect of water deficit - shortening of internodes (including the peduncles) and acceleration of subsequent development stages with a simultaneous acceleration of lower leaves reduction (degradation of photosynthetic potential).

 

Curling of maize leaves in the initial stage is a defensive reaction, when the water deficit is extended, the yield potential is irreversibly degraded.

 

Foliar fertilization is beneficial in times of water deficit or drought. One could diplomatically answer: yes and no. While you can easily use foliar fertilization in plants in periods of water deficit and thus effectively provide nutrients that may not be absorbed in the form of traditional fertilizers, a greater dose of common sense and a balanced approach is recommended during drought.

The period of limited water deficit is associated with the fact that soil fertilizers dissolve less well and do not have the physical capacity of transferring to the soil solution (this requires rain). This limitation eliminates foliar fertilization because the ingredients are put on the leaves and the plant can easily take them and use them in metabolic processes or embed them directly into cell structures. We dealt with this situation in the current growing season (2019/2020), in the second half of March and the first half of April - there was already a shortage of water, but the plants had not yet responded to its deficit. During this time, foliar fertilization can and should be used, but bearing in mind that the water deficit may worsen at a later stage. Hence, the recommendations always took into account micronutrients as the most important element - minimal building components, but most of all having regulatory and control functions.

Later on, recommendations for foliar fertilization include phosphorus at this stage - an energy component whose role is to strengthen the development of the root system (at the beginning of spring vegetation, you can still act in this direction, which will later pay off in the form of increased capabilities of water uptake from the deeper layers of the soil profile) and potassium - a water management regulator (which was discussed earlier).

The question remains, what about nitrogen? The answer is yes, yes and yes again. Taking nutrients from the soil is weakening, the application of subsequent doses of soil nitrogen is ineffective, and the plants are (still) growing intensively, which leaves no doubts here.

Time goes by, there's no rain and a drought begins. The big question is: what then? This is where you enter a minefield - you can succeed if you act wisely, but it only takes one mistake for your actions to end in failure. So what to do, or in other words: how to do it? The most important thing is to know your own field - how long the soil your plants grow on is able to provide them with at least a minimum amount of water. You can think about further foliar feeding as long as it is possible. If the stock runs out or is about to run out, you must also end all treatments. You will be able to resume them as soon as it rains. Of course, the concentration of fertilizers used must be correspondingly lower, so as not to reach too high a concentration of ions in plant cells, as this will result in physiological drought, the consequences of which are just as severe as those of hydrological drought. Another question is what ingredients should be served then? Again, micronutrients come to the fore as the ones that control the shifting metabolic pathways. Only potassium remains of the macronutrients, but the role of additional ingredients that can be administered in foliar increases significantly. These are the components whose role is to maintain the turgor pressure in cells and protect them against the fatal phenomenon of disturbing the physiological and osmotic balance. Hence, fertilizers containing amino acids, short-chain organic compounds, boron (responsible for the production of carbohydrates), and vitamin C (antioxidant) are the solution you should choose.

 

Below are the products and their ingredients that you can and should use in order to be successful despite difficult conditions, or to limit the negative effects of weather as much as possible:

MAXIMUS Platinum extra PK, MAXIMUS Platinum extra PKMg and MAXIMUS Platinum extra K – mainly used for the potassium and phosphorus they contain (the first two). Why these ingredients - this was discussed before, but there are two more relevant elements behind these fertilizers: LSA and MPC2. LSA's, i.e. lignosulfonates, which are a carrier for iron, manganese and zinc, are also a shield that protects plants against mechanical risks (on a micro-scale, of course), while MPC2 includes seven substances (short-chain organic compounds) that support plants in a defensive reaction against abiotic stresses and allow plants to recover faster after the stress factor has subsided.

MAXIMUS AminoMicro – micronutrient fertilizers with a very high concentration of ingredients. The micronutrients in these fertilizers are complexed with amino acid - glycine, thanks to which they are very quickly absorbed by plants, they move quickly in their tissues and can effectively stimulate and regulate metabolic processes. Glycine, which is a carrier, is responsible for the stability of plant cell structures and effective defense response to the emerging drought stress. This combination of micronutrients and glycine is one of the most effective and, at the same time, very safe foliar nutrition solutions in plants subjected to abiotic stresses.

NITROSPEED 39 – nitrogen and magnesium fertilizer with micronutrients responsible for nitrogen metabolism is a solution almost tailored to our times. On the one hand, it is an excellent source of nitrogen, which you can safely use even in periods of water deficit, and on the other hand, it provides ingredients responsible for the metabolism of this nutrient in the plant. In total, you get good nitrogen nutrition in plants, while minimizing the phenomenon of physiological drought - the effect of accumulation of non-protein nitrogen compounds with water deficit.

Foliar fertilization is a tool that can help in conditions of water deficit but must be used skillfully. It is a solution that gives you opportunities, but you need common sense and must follow the most important rules. It is also a challenge to expand your knowledge and use it in a difficult period so as to achieve satisfactory production and economic results. Foliar fertilization is an opportunity worth trying out.

Products recommended for use in the issue in question:
please click on the product for details.

MAXIMUS Platinum extra PK MAXIMUS Platinum extra PKMgMAXIMUS Platinum extra K

MAXIMUS AminoMicro Cereals MAXIMUS AminoMicro Rapeseedseed/Beetroot MAXIMUS AminoMicro Maize/Potato

MAXIMUS AminoMicro Universal NITROSPEED 39

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