As farmers plan for the 2025 growing season, optimizing early plant growth and nutrient uptake is key to maximizing yields, especially in challenging conditions. Insights from our agronomist, Craig, shared during a recent agronomy meeting, highlight the power of starter fertilizers and biologicals like Tune Up Plus to address micronutrient deficiencies and enhance nutrient delivery. This blog post explores how these tools can transform your fertility program, backed by practical strategies and on-farm trials.
The Case for Starter Fertilizers and Biologicals
Craig’s presentation emphasized the importance of micronutrients—iron, manganese, and zinc—often overlooked in fertility plans. These three are critical for early growth and chlorophyll production but are frequently deficient in plants, even in soils with adequate levels. His 2023 tissue sampling revealed surprising deficiencies in these micronutrients, as well as potassium and boron, despite optimal soil test levels. This gap between soil availability and plant uptake underscores the need for targeted solutions like starter fertilizers and biologicals.
Tune Up Plus, a biological product featuring bacillus bacteria and micronutrients, is designed to bridge this gap. By enhancing nutrient cycling and delivering iron, manganese, and zinc directly to plants, it supports vigorous early growth and stress resilience. Craig’s upcoming split-planter trials in 2025 will test its impact across diverse conditions, offering farmers actionable insights.
Key Strategies for 2025
1. Address Micronutrient Deficiencies
Craig’s tissue samples from a fertile Muscatine silt loam field showed low to deficient levels of iron, manganese, and zinc, despite medium to optimal soil tests. Why? Soil-bound nutrients often remain unavailable to plants due to tight binding (e.g., potassium to clay) or limited root access. To overcome this:
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Use Starter Fertilizers: Products like Tune Up Plus include iron, manganese, and zinc, which are critical for early growth and often deficient. These micronutrients kickstart chlorophyll production and root development.
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Conduct Tissue Sampling: For just $24-$50 per sample, tissue testing (e.g., via Midwest Labs) provides a snapshot of nutrient uptake. Craig recommends sampling at silking (first leaf below the ear leaf) to assess your fertility program. Compare treated and untreated fields to quantify the impact of biologicals or starters.
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Target Boron: Boron, often low in soils due to parent material, supports pollen production, seed formation, and water use efficiency—crucial in dry years. Craig plans to apply NutriBus NKBS (containing boron) at V5-V8 with herbicides, earlier than the typical fungicide timing, to ensure availability during key growth stages.
2. Harness Biologicals for Nutrient Delivery
Bacillus bacteria in Tune Up Plus act as nutrient couriers, pulling soil-bound nutrients like potassium into plant roots. Craig’s 2023 tissue samples revealed a potassium deficiency despite high soil levels (1200 lbs/acre), likely due to binding in clay-heavy silt loams. Biologicals offer a solution:
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Enhanced Nutrient Uptake: Previous trials showed bacillus bacteria increase nitrogen uptake by 43%, phosphorus by 30%, and potassium by 100-200%. These endophytes cycle nutrients into roots throughout the season, addressing deficiencies that traditional fertilizers can’t.
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Stress Mitigation: Tune Up Plus also combats soil-borne fungal diseases, nematodes, and drought stress, promoting rapid germination and early vigor to outpace challenges like rootworm feeding or dry springs.
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Broad-Spectrum Benefits: Craig advocates for the “shotgun approach” of biologicals, which deliver a wide range of microbes to address field-specific needs. Until soil tests pinpoint exact deficiencies, this ensures consistent value across soil types and geographies.
3. Conduct On-Farm Trials
Craig’s 2025 trials, including a whole-farm split-planter study and a large organic farm trial in DeKalb, Illinois, will evaluate Tune Up Plus across soil types, fertility practices (manure vs. conventional), and organic systems with minimal seed treatments. These trials, paired with FieldView yield data, will quantify the impact of biologicals on nutrient uptake and yields. Farmers can replicate this approach by:
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Testing starters or biologicals on small plots.
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Using tissue sampling to compare treated vs. untreated areas.
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Collaborating with agronomists to analyze results and refine fertility plans.
4. Address Macronutrient and Sulfur Challenges
Beyond micronutrients, Craig’s tissue samples flagged potassium and sulfur deficiencies. Sulfur, a negatively charged ion, leaches easily, similar to nitrate. To manage these:
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Potassium: Rely on biologicals to unlock soil-bound potassium. Traditional fertilization alone can’t solve uptake issues in high-clay soils.
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Sulfur: Monitor soil levels and consider sulfur-containing fertilizers, as leaching depletes this critical nutrient.
Why Tissue Sampling Matters
Tissue sampling is a game-changer for fertility management. Craig’s $24 investment in 2023 revealed deficiencies he hadn’t noticed, like potassium and boron, despite focusing on nitrogen. By sampling representative fields, you can:
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Identify hidden deficiencies.
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Evaluate the effectiveness of starters and biologicals.
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Adjust your fertility program mid-season or for 2026 planning.
Midwest Labs and other providers offer easy-to-follow guides for sampling, making it an accessible tool for any farmer.
Final Thoughts
Starter fertilizers and biologicals like Tune Up Plus are powerful tools to close the gap between soil nutrients and plant uptake. By addressing micronutrient deficiencies, leveraging bacillus bacteria for nutrient delivery, and conducting tissue sampling, you can optimize early growth and build resilience against stressors like drought or pests. Craig’s 2025 trials will provide a roadmap for integrating these tools into your operation, ensuring every dollar spent on fertility delivers maximum impact.