Additives’ potential role in cost-cutting: A look at current data

University of Minnesota Extension Nutrient Management Specialist Dan Kaiser talks with the Linder Farm Network about the current data on soil additives as a cost-cutting measure.

TRANSCRIPT

Linder Farm Network: It’s time for the AFREC Spotlight, the Agricultural Fertilizer Research and Education Council. Joining us, Dan Kaiser, University of Minnesota nutrient management specialist. Dan, what are your thoughts on the role of additives when it comes to fertilizer cost cutting measures?

Dan Kaiser: Well, know, Linda, that’s a really good question because when it comes to additives, there’s a lot of talk out there of just higher efficiency with certain products. You know, I haven’t really been pushing a lot of these things because we just really haven’t seen consistent evidence where a lot of these things will work. In many cases, if you look at these additives, I mean, there might be some benefit that’s been, if you look at in a lab setting or greenhouse setting where they’ve been able to show some benefit from this from a certain concentration, it’s just kind of an issue of what’s out there in the field, whether or not it’s going to do anything. And phosphorus is kind of a big one right now. We see some products out there that are supposed to release some of the soil phosphorus.

But you know, I think in many cases, the recommendations of efficiency really are kind of more based on the fact that a lot of these companies know that growers are probably more aggressive than they need to be anyway. So cutting back by a few pounds isn’t going to hurt them and they can save on the cost where it’s enough to buy the product itself. So, you know, I just would be cautious for most growers just to start really looking at some of the claims of these things that we just really haven’t seen anything that’s really widespread, especially we start talking about affecting soil biology. It’s when you look at, the ability to do that, it gets really difficult, from a lot of our research because once the things hit the soil, it’s really when you’re dealing with these biological systems, it’s very unpredictable in terms of what’s gonna happen.

Linder Farm Network: Dan Kaiser, University of Minnesota nutrient management specialist with the AFREC update. For more information, visit mnsoilfertility.com.