Micronutrients are ‘hitch pin’ of fertility programs

ST. CHARLES, Mich. — Micronutrients are the “hitch pin” of a good fertility program, according to agronomists who shared advice during Crop Nutrition Week.

AgroLiquid agronomists Stephanie Zelinko and Reid Abbott detailed how micronutrients help farmers’ N-P-K investments work harder.

Three Takeaways

1. Soil testing can reveal what’s limiting before you see symptoms. “First and foremost, get a current soil test,” said Stephanie Zelinko, AgroLiquid agronomist. “Then, work with someone who knows how to read that test and understands what nutrients are going to respond when.”

Not only can soil tests identify deficiencies before they show up in the field, but they can also help you determine the best time to apply different nutrients.

For example, some nutrients, like boron, are highly leachable and may be best applied later in the season.

2. Micronutrients are critical connectors. Zinc, manganese, boron and other micronutrients are critical for the performance of all nutrients, said Reid Abbott, AgroLiquid agronomist.

He compared micronutrients to a hitch pin.

“A guy can have a tractor and a big implement behind it, but if he doesn’t have the little things like the hitch pin, then none of it works,” he said.

3. Balanced micronutrients can yield a bigger response. Micronutrients don’t work in isolation. They interact with each other and with macronutrients.

Examples include:

• Phosphorus needs adequate zinc to get into the plant and function properly.

• Iron and manganese need to be kept at a 2 to 1 ratio for optimal availability.

• High pH soils — above 7.5 — can lock up micronutrients even when soil levels look adequate.

“A lot of micronutrients, like zinc, manganese, iron and copper, are cations,” Abbott said. “Those are positively charged, and their availability is highly dependent on soil pH.”

Learn more at cropnutritionweek.com.