A scientific approach to Nitrogen can increase potato crop yield (Sponsored)

(Sponsored) Nitrogen(N) is the most used and least understood of all agricultural nutritional inputs. It is well known that typically only a third of applied N is taken up by crops. However, the effect that the form of N is delivered in has a direct relation on how, and which crop cells grow and develop, is less understood, and offers great potential to increase yields.

Nitrogen can be taken up as amine (NH2), Ammonium (NH4) or nitrate (NO3), but due to conversion by soil bacteria, the vast majority of N applied to crops is taken up as nitrate.

It is nitrogen uptake that dictates how fast and where crops grow, with nitrogen form being the main contributor to growth hormone synthesis in crops. Nitrates encourage auxin production, favoring vegetative growth (top growth of shoots and leaves), while amine nitrogen encourages cytokinin production, favoring reproductive growth, the growth we harvest.

When we feed crops N, they mostly take it up as nitrate, no matter what form it is applied in. This means plants mostly use their N to put on top growth. In crops like potato, farmers must manage conflict between applying the N their crop needs, and the crops natural propensity to use that N to grow foliage rather than root tubers. This leads to a reduction in tuber setting and bulking of roots.

Scientists at the UK company Levity CropScience have developed LimiN, a technology that helps keep nitrogen in the Amine form. Cell Power® SizeN® is a product powered by LimiN technology that provides crops with bursts of Amine N, which helps to direct growth towards root tuber development.

Cell Power® SizeN® in the U.S., helps crops invest more in root/tuber growth

On root/tuber crops there is a constant battle between encouraging growth by applying nitrogen, and managing canopy growth as too much N leads to excessive vegetative growth at the expense of root /tuber growth and crop yield. Farmers must feed the crop to get growth, but growth is disproportionately allocated by the crop to the part not harvested.

This is an effect generated by nitrate exposure, as nitrates encourage production of the growth hormone auxin, which makes crops allocate growth to shoots rather than roots. Using valuable energy at the expense of reproductive parts. We see this even when nitrogen is applied in other forms like amine, as it changes after application and is taken up as nitrate.

Cell Power® SizeN® uses LimiN technology that ensures that the plant takes up the Amine nitrogen, and the effects on crop physiology are remarkable. Fig.1 shows how conventional Amine N (Urea) increases shoot growth but decreases root/tuber development. However, when Cell Power® SizeN® is applied using root/tuber development increases. The same form and quantity of N is used but the plant grows in a different place. This powerful effect achieved by stabilizing amine with LimiN technology can be used to increase yield in root crops.

An enormous amount of research has been conducted, showing how exposure to the LimiN-stabilized Amine N in Cell Power® SizeN® can help root crops put on yield. Levity’s Research shows that exposure at key growth stages have an effect on where the crop puts its resource, Cell Power® SizeN® exploits this, forcing better tuber setting and development.

By applying 3-5 5lt per ha/1-2 quarts per acre, applications at tuber initiation and through bulking, the crop is made to focus growth where it counts on tubers. The product keeps the plant green, reduces effects of drought, and ensures adequate tuber numbers and bulking.

In 2018 Levity scientists published this groundbreaking research in the Proceedings of Crop Production in Northern Britain. The research clearly shows how potato yield increases of between 5 and 6 MT per hectare are achievable using just 20 liters per ha of Cell Power® SizeN®, with the better yield coming via the crop allocating proportionately more growth to roots/tubers rather than vegetation.

Dr. David Marks says “Levity is using knowledge of how plants grow, to create inputs which make the most out of root crops like potato and carrots. By properly understanding how potatoes divvy up their resource we have developed Cell Power® SizeN® in the USA, a product that ensures the crop focuses on developing tubers not leaf” adding “this technology is well proven and is being used by farmers around the world to improve root crop yields.”

For more information on Cell Power® SizeN®, please contact your local OMEX® representative or call 559-661-6138, and you can visit www.omexusa.com.