Stress Busting - Bio 20 and other tools

  Weather & Crops Forget cereals – harvest is in full swing, but for other crops there is potentially a long way to go. Most crops just need rain and lots of it but not dumped from a violent thunderstorm. They might get some as we approach the end of July, but the long-term weather forecast is for the drought and warm weather to continue. Next week is expected to be cooler – back to low 20 degrees. This is an opportunity to help crops that are under stress and keep them going that bit longer.

In Field Advice

Fields should be assessed before any application to check there is active growth. If the crop has shut down because of the heat any foliar application will not be absorbed. The best time to apply is mid-late evening once the ambient temperature is below 20 degrees.  

Default Product

The default product in abiotic stress situations is  Bio 20 . The product has a justifiably excellent reputation and once customers have used it, they keep coming back for more. In recent weeks usage has been way beyond what would normally be used at this time of year. Foliar Nutrition Recommendations Bio 20  @ 2L/ha – probably the best stress buster in the world – will provide a multi-nutrient feed combined with kelp biostimulant, which will keep the crop going until conditions improve. Repeat after 10-14 days. 3X Solution @ 5L/ha will help maintain levels of NPK and can be used as part of a foliar nutrient programme. Kelpak @ 2L/ha is very kind to the crop and will stimulate new root growth. Use on recently transplanted brassicas or crops with poor root development. OSR Drilling – In Row Treatments If you can apply liquid fertiliser at drilling, consider adding one of the following to your fertiliser: Kickstart @ 1L/ha will stimulate extra root growth to help find moisture lower down the soil profile. Kelpak @ 3L/ha will also stimulate extra root growth. If you cannot apply in row, apply Kelpak @ 2L/ha from expanded cotyledon to 2TL, or Kickstart @ 1L/ha from 2-4TL.