Unique biostimulant breaks new ground for Australian broadacre growers
This is branded content for Corteva Agriscience
New biostimulant shows yield gains in real-life conditions
A unique biostimulant that provides supplementary nitrogen for the entire season with just one application has broken new ground for Australian broadacre growers looking for higher yields and more sustainable farming practices.
Developed by Corteva Agriscience, Utrisha®N is a naturally occurring bacteria (Methylobacterium symbioticum) that is sprayed onto the plant and converts atmospheric nitrogen to plant-available ammonium in a process that uses no plant energy.
Absorbed through the green leaves of an actively growing crop, Utrisha N rapidly translocates to surrounding vegetation in as little as three days, depending on temperature and species. One application lasts for a full growing season.
It is recommended for use in cereals, canola, corn, cotton, lucerne, millets, pasture, pulses, rice, sorghum, sugarcane, and sunflower, as well as a multitude of vegetables, berries, tree, and vine crops.
Good tank mix compatibility offers options
Dan Cornally, Corteva Agriscience Plant Health Category Manager, said Utrisha N provides growers with a hedge against adverse conditions, due to its ability to provide a level of nitrogen when other options are not available.
"Application of conventional nitrogen fertilisers can sometimes be a challenge when fields are waterlogged or the season turns dry," Mr Cornally said.
"With Utrisha N adding supplementary nitrogen to the crop growers have more flexibility in how they manage later season nutrition.
"Utrisha N has a broad application window and good tank mixing compatibility with a range of herbicides, insecticides, fungicides and foliar fertilisers, so it can be utilised easily during an already scheduled pass of the crop. Detailed information is available on the Corteva website.
"It has a secondary effect of promoting root mass and deeper root development in the crop."
Extensive trials confirm success of global product
Close to 100 small trial and farm demonstrations of Utrisha N have been conducted across Australia in the last 18 months, confirming the yield and quality benefits seen in extensive trials overseas, where it has been established in the market for some time.
During the 2023 winter season, Utrisha N samples were provided to a number of farmers in the northern grain growing area north of Dubbo, NSW, to assess whether there was a benefit in using Utrisha N in addition to their regular fertiliser program under real-life farm conditions.
Enough product was supplied to apply to 15ha of wheat at mid-tiller when the crop was actively growing, and yield monitor data was collected at harvest.
Despite a dry spring the majority of these demonstrations returned a positive result with yield gains from the application of Utrisha N ranging from 0.1t/ha at Nyngan to 0.3t/ha at Coonamble and just over 0.5t/ha at Mullaley, near Gunnedah.
In a replicated field scale trial in Western Australia, Utrisha N was used to supplement the nitrogen program in Calibre wheat and provided a significant yield increase of 160kg/ha when applied in conjunction with 30L/ha of UAN, compared to 30L/ha of UAN alone.
Utrisha N and UAN were applied separately - UAN is not compatible with Utrisha N.
Mr Cornally said both sets of information offered excellent examples of how Utrisha N can supplement a nitrogen program to optimise the yield potential of a paddock.
While the northern NSW trials were not small plot, so cannot be statistically analysed, he said the trends in the results were clear.
"We believe Utrisha N, and other products in the Corteva Agriscience pipeline, have a role in helping farmers appropriately manage inputs and improve sustainability," Mr Cornally said.
"Corteva Agriscience is heavily invested in the plant health space, with a goal of increasing productivity and ensuring the longevity of Australian agriculture."
For more information on Utrisha N visit utrisha-n.com.au or contact your local Corteva Agriscience Territory Manager.
This is branded content for Corteva Agriscience
