The aim of spring foliar feeding of winter wheat is to ensure balanced mineral nutrition of plants throughout the spring-summer growing season. It is especially important to prevent macro- and microelement deficiency in the critical plant development phases: tillering, the period of maximum growth from the start of stem elongation to heading, and grain formation.
The positive effect of feeding at the start of the resumption of spring vegetation (tillering) lasts until the end of vegetation, especially affecting growth processes, photosynthesis and plant productivity. The later the feeding is done (in the period from the start of heading to grain fill), the smaller the effect of microelements on yield and the greater on the quality of the product grown. In this period of growth and development plants are quite sensitive both to nitrogen, whose shortage leads to a reduction of the number of stems per plant or to lagging of part of the stems that do not form a full ear, and to macro- and microelements responsible for full nitrogen uptake, in particular magnesium, sulfur and copper. In our climate this period differs substantially in different years in timing, duration and temperature regime and the level of moisture available to plants. The second important element necessary for full plant growth and development is phosphorus. Sometimes even on plants that developed normally since autumn, phosphorus deficiency shows in spring because of a long period of relatively low temperatures at which plants cannot take up phosphorus from the soil. On late, weakly tillered crops, phosphorus shortage at the time of vegetation resumption can be one of the main causes of thinning. Plants with a weak root system simply die. Such instability of weather early in spring leads to stress phenomena that significantly affect yield formation. According to various scientific data, yield losses in grain as a result of plant stress can reach 5–20% and even more of the biological potential of the sown varieties. In 2016 Ecoorganic launched on the market several anti-stress compositions containing critically necessary elements and amino acids, suitable for bringing plants out of a stress state. Wheat plants take up macroelements most intensively in the period from the start of stem elongation to the start of heading. At this time plants form vegetative mass and some of the most important yield components: the number of productive stems and the number of grains per ear. Besides macroelements, small-grain cereal plants have a high need for zinc and copper. Copper is taken up intensively by the plant at the tillering and heading stages; zinc, needed for internode growth, is taken up in the period from tillering to stem elongation. During the growing season, depending on soil and climate conditions, a need for other microelements may also arise. The «Ecoline» line of foliar feeding fertilizers makes it possible to supply plants with all microelements in a form readily available to them. This also applies to some macroelements that play a key role for plants during the growing season but are temporarily hard to access because of poor uptake through the root system. A bright example is the foliar application of phosphorus in the form of phosphite. The phosphite form is quickly absorbed through the leaves, moves quickly in the plant and stimulates root system growth, which is especially important in spring. It stimulates the plant's synthesis of a specific group of proteins, phytoalexins. Based on the above, for foliar feeding of winter cereals Ecoorganic recommends several variants of its microfertilizers.
Basic feeding
Designed for producers who, for one reason or another, are not aimed at obtaining the maximum yield of high quality. It includes one or at most two foliar feedings. In this case we recommend using complex compositions that include a balanced set of macro- and microelements most important for cereal crops. These are Ecoline Cereal Chelates and Ecoline Magnesium Chelate. With a single feeding it is better to use Ecoline Cereal Chelates at 1.0–2.0 l/ha at the start of stem elongation. With two feedings, at the start of stem elongation it is more advisable to first use Ecoline Magnesium Chelate at 1.5–2.0 l/ha, and to carry out the second feeding with the composition Ecoline Cereal Chelates at heading at 1.0–2.0 l/ha.
Intensive feeding
On areas sown with high-reproduction seed, after the best preceding crops (legumes, perennial grasses), where a high yield of good quality is planned, foliar feeding should be planned taking laboratory diagnostics into account, to account more fully for plant needs. The best option in the conditions of 2016 for such crops was three foliar feedings with microfertilizers from ECOORGANIC LLC.
- First feeding at the start of stem elongation – Ecoline Magnesium Chelate at 1.5–2.0 l/ha;
- Second feeding at the start of heading – Ecoline Cereal Chelates. Application rate 1.0–2.0 l/ha;
- And the third feeding at grain fill – Ecoline Cereal Chelates – 1.0–2.0 l/ha + Ecoline Phosphite K – 1.0–1.5 l/ha.
Intensive feeding plus
It can be used on areas sown with high-reproduction seed, after the best preceding crops, where a high yield of good quality is planned; foliar feeding should be planned taking laboratory diagnostics into account, to account more fully for plant needs. Recommended in cases of stress related to the temperature regime or the negative action of crop protection products.
In the conditions of a cool, prolonged spring plants cannot take up the phosphorus they so need, which inhibits plant growth and development and weakens their competitiveness against weeds and diseases. To improve plant phosphorus and potassium nutrition at the tillering stage we recommend using the concentrated fertilizer with phosphorus in the form of phosphite Ecoline Phosphite K at 1.0–1.5 l/ha, which is absorbed at lower temperatures than phosphates. Another important property of the phosphite form of phosphorus is stimulation of the plant's synthesis of specific phytoalexin proteins, which raise plant immunity and suppress the development of disease-causing fungi.
The next foliar feeding at the start of stem elongation – Ecoline Magnesium Chelates at 1.5–2.0 l/ha. At the same time stress caused by moisture shortage may appear. To overcome stress we recommend adding Ecoline Universal Growth-Amino with a high content of free L-α-amino acids at 1.0–1.5 l/ha to the tank mix.
Feeding at the start of heading – Ecoline Cereal Chelates – 1.0–2.0 l/ha.
And the last feeding at grain fill to improve its quality – the microfertilizer Ecoline Cereal Chelates at 1.0–2.0 l/ha in a tank mix with the special fertilizer Ecoline Phosphite K at 1.0–1.5 l/ha.
Although our recommendations are developed based on the results of using Ecoorganic microfertilizers in the fields of various farms in different soil and climate zones, they cannot be considered dogma. In real conditions specific weather, climate, soil and other factors may arise that will influence the state of crop development, and accordingly the set of microfertilizers and their doses for each particular field may differ somewhat. Here the professionalism of the agronomist comes to the fore, as well as help from Ecoorganic specialists, who will always help select a foliar nutrition system that is optimal for the given farm in terms of «quality/cost».
We would also like to note the following:
All Ecoorganic microfertilizers are produced according to the ISO 9001:2015 standard.
The metal microelements in our products are in the form of 100% EDTA chelates.