Agripower’s head agronomist Bruce Cairns said that with the high cost of fertilisers, increasing scrutiny on fertiliser applications, and the potential environmental effects, every grower needs to ensure that they get the most out of their fertiliser application.
“Making sure the ‘4R’ principles of fertiliser application are followed, where the right fertilisers are applied at the right rate, at the right time and in the right place, is extremely important,” he said.
“Ensuring nutrient uptake and nutrient use efficiency – a measure of how applied nutrients are converted to yield – are both as high as they can be, is also critical.
“We’ve seen many instances where the nutrient use efficiency of applied nitrogen and phosphorus can be surprisingly low in some situations, and it’s important that growers know to watch out for this, and have the tools to combat it, which is where Agrisilica can help.”
Mr Cairns said Agrisilica is proven in the field to improve nutrient uptake and improve nutrient use efficiency. The result is increased yields and increased crop quality. It achieves this through its high levels of plant available silicon.
“By providing this crucial nutrient, Agrisilica enables plants to increase nutrient uptake and improves the efficiency in which nutrients are used. By adding Agrisilica to your standard fertiliser practice in a blend you can ensure the best results.
“With a long running R&D program, Agripower has been on the cutting-edge of research into the role of silicon in agriculture. In addition to improving the effectiveness of applied fertiliser, Agrisilica also protects the crop from losses caused by drought, salinity, and soil imbalances, as well as improving the crop’s natural resilience to abiotic and biotic stress.”
Mr Cairns said Agrisilica 2–5mm granules can be blended and applied with other granular fertilisers, e.g., DAP, MAP, Urea, NPKs, or applied as a stand-alone application. Agrisilica is also available in powder and chip forms.
“For all growers, this is your low-hanging fruit. Get the most out of your fertiliser, use Agrisilica in conjunction with your next fertiliser application and see the difference.”
Agripower urges growers to contact their local agronomist for soil testing to ensure optimal rates of plant available silicon are used for their unique soil and crop combinations.
