SARDA Ag Research

Bio stimulant Trial

by Megan Allard, Research Coordinator

The bio stimulant trial began its first year in May of 2020. SARDA Ag Research is working with two other research associations on this project which include Farming Smarter out of Lethbridge, Alberta, and Battle River Research Group from Forestburg, Alberta.

The objective of the trial is to test the full package system of some fertility and bio stimulant companies to determine it’s potential for improve crop yields. To better understand the scope of this trial, it is helpful to have some background information on bio stimulants. It has been stated that bio stimulants have the potential to increase a plant’s growth. Additional benefits would include a plant’s ability to recover from stress due to climatic conditions, improving the quality of the crops seed, access to water more efficiently from increased root growth, and to improve a plant’s metabolism to enhance the crops yield production.

Each treatment consists of the traditional fertility application of N, P, K, S based on soil sample recommendations. The 6 nutrient application treatments are being tested on wheat, canola, and field peas. Methodology for this trial is detailed through the treatment list below: 1. Check - standard fertility application of N, P, K, S 2. Advanced PGR Application 3. APT Nutrition – Chemtrition System 4. Alpine Canada - Phazed Nutrition Program 5. Stoller Enterprises - Canada Advanced Program 6. Penergetic Canada Prior to seeding treatments of each product package begins with either a seed treatment and/or soil application prior to seeding. This can be in the form of a liquid or powder seed treatment, as for soil it can either be applied as a foliar application or an infurrow liquid fertilizer application. The idea of using the full package nutrient system is to take advantage of being able to tank mix the nutrient applications with a herbicide or fungicide foliar applied.

Based on the findings from 2020 the bio stimulant trial, results have been showing a slight difference when a nutrient product is applied to a specific crop. It is important to note that although there are slight yield fluctuations within the treatments that are being shown in the graphs. The statistics had shown that there were no statistical differences. This means that based on the statistics there were no differences between either of the treatments; or in other words neither application was better or worse than the other.

Unfortunately, at this time the 2021 bio stimulant results have not been made available due to the extremely low yields from the lack of precipitation throughout the year. Due to this it had made it difficult to collect the necessary data to calculate accurate yields for the treatments. SARDA Ag Research, Farming Smarter, and Battle River Research Group will be completing the bio stimulant trial this year. Final data results will be available in February of 2023. These results will include additional data collected throughout the years such as, plant population, vigor ratings, biomass of plant and root tissue, plant heights, growing dates (start/end of emergence, start/end of flowering, seed filling dates, and maturity dates.), yield (kg/ha, bu/acre), bushel weights (kg/hL), and seed moisture at the time of harvest.

Photo above taken July 21, 2020.

Photo above taken July 7, 2021. 12 13