Energize Your Crops

• Rudy Allen, CPAg-CCA

Ag Tech Services, LLC

Mount Vernon, Washington

32 years in the agricultural retail business from in field sales to co-op General Manager. Associated with BHN for the last seven years.

Why Chose BHN Products?

• Good Agronomics: The products are designed to work with the plant and not against it.

• Repeatable Quality: If it works once, it will work again.

• Manageable Rates: It does not take gallons per acre to make things work.

Horizontal Integration( Working Together)

• Soil Complexity: Interactions with soil types and nutrient levels is an on-going process.

• Plant Complexity: If you think soils are complex, try figuring out a plant under stress!

• Biological Complexity: PGPR’s and how they fit.

One Crop at a TimeSilage Corn

• The plant on the right has 1-19-0, SuperPhos, and PGPR Galaxy in furrow at planting.

• 29.5 tons per acre with a value of $1,083 per acre.

Green Peas

• Plant on the left has two quarts 1-19-0 with one ounce of PGPR Galaxy in furrow at planting.

• County average was 2 tons per acre. This field went 2.7 tons for an additional $280 per acre.

Spinach Grown for Seed

• The plant on the right has 2 quarts of SuperPhos, 1 quart of Z-Max, and 1 ounce of Galaxy banded over the row after planting.

• Variety average was 1,600 lb per acre and we got 2,720 lb per acre. $582 per acre increase.

Peas Grown for Seed

• Treatment was 2 quarts of 1-19-0 and 1 ounce of PGPR Galaxy in furrow on the seed at planting.

• Average yield is 1,200 pounds per acre. We got 2,800 pounds per acre and 90% germ. An increase of $1,600 per acre.

Zap Trial on Red Onions

• The three plants on the right were from an area treated with 2.75 gallons of Zap per acre. Application was at the 3-5 leaf stage and watered in.

• Yield was twice the untreated check.

Full Program on Potatoes

• Top slide is yellow potatoes with BHN planter, SuperPhos, and PGPR.

• Bottom slide is a “just like” program.

Crop-Gard on Silage Corn

• Crop-Gard was applied at 1.5 quarts per acre broadcast.

Crop-Gard (cont.)

• This was 7 days after application.

• The rule is “Apply Crop-Gard and go fishing for 3 days.”

• When they come back, they have a new crop.

• This field went 32 ton per acre.

Magic, Smoke and Mirrors or Just Good Agronomics?

• Its All In The Roots: If you take care of the roots, they will take care of the plant.

• Plant Hormones: Hormones that drive yield are produced in the root and shoot of the plant.

• IAA and Cytokinin: IAA keeps the root developing and Cytokinin triggers seed shoot development.

Hormone Balance for Optimum Plant Growth

Plant Hormone Balance and CyclesH

orm

on

e L

eve

ls

Key Nutrient Hormone Co-factors:

GA

STAGE II:Vegetative

Growth

B, Ca, Cu, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, Zn,

amine N

Cell Sizing

Cytokinin

STAGE I:Germination & Establishment

Ca, Fe, Mg, Mn, N, P, Zn

Cell Initiation

[ Cell Division ]

Ethylene

STAGE III:Flowering & Reproduction

B, Ca, Cu, K, Mg, Mo, amine N

Cell Maturity

ABA

STAGE IV:Fruit Sizing &

Maturity

B, Cu, K, Mg,Mn, Mo, Pamine N

Senescence

Any imbalance in these hormone cycles at any time can irreversibly reduce genetic expression

Auxin

How DoesHorizontal Integration Work?

• Soil Products– Lase, Blend, Kleenstart: All work to amend the

soil, aid in friability, and reduction of salt. They also increase soil biological activity.

– PGPR Galaxy/Enhand: Both are plant growth promoting rhizobacteria whose activity is enhanced by the presence of Lase, Blend, and Kleenstart. PGPR also triggers Induced Systemic Resistance (ISR) in plants.

Horizontal Integration (cont.)

• Foliar Products– Vitol, Vitol II, Breakout: All contain naturally

occurring plant health properties that aid in the overall health of the plant.

– PGPR Stealth: Foliar applied plant growth promoting rhizobacteria that also triggers the plants immune system known as Systemic Acquired Resistance (SAR).

Vitol vs. Actagro Foloplex 6-23-6 on Red Potatoes

• Foloplex applied at 1 gallon per acre with 3 applications during the bulking period.– 27.75 ton per acre– A’s 66% B’s 22% C’s 12%– Gross value per acre $19,587

Vitol vs. Actagro (cont.)

• Vitol applied at 1 quart per acre with 3 applications during the bulking period– 29.0 ton per acre– A’s 65% B’s 19% C’s 16%– Gross value per acre $20,923– Difference of $1,336 per acre

How Did 3 Quarts Out Perform 3 Gallons?

• Solution pH: Foloplex is 6.6 while Vitol is 2.3. Trying to get a phosphorus molecule with a neutral pH into a plant is like pushing an elephant through a window.

• Stress Reduction: Vitol reduces stress and enhances tuber set and bulking better than Foloplex.

Challenges for the Future

• Education– Even more than the farmers, we need to get

the dealers to “buy” into the program.– Look at the number of sales people the typical

dealer has.– Dealer meetings with good independent data.

Challenges (cont.)

• Marketing– Make it as easy as possible for customers to

buy from us.– Keep the quality at its present high state.– Local advertising featuring specific product for

specific crops.• Vitol: potatoes, onions• Breakout: soybeans, peas, bush beans, small fruit,

tree fruit.

Questions?

• Thank you to the following:– Lyndon, Eldon, Mike S., Mike B., Stuart and

the rest of the BHN staff.

– Rudy Allen, CPAg/CCA– Ag Tech Services, LLC– agtech@comcast.net– www.agtechservicesllc.com– Ask about “The Growing Edge”