Fertigation with Nitro-Mag from Growth Technologies during in-Season Management

As summer approaches, growers are beginning to transition to in-season management, utilizing center pivots and other forms of irrigation to meet their crops’ fertility needs. Fertigation allows growers to maximize efficiency by delivering nitrogen and other vital nutrients in a controlled, “spoon-fed” manner. This method reduces the risk of nutrient leaching, ensuring that more of the applied fertilizer stays in the root zone where plants need it throughout the growing season.

While applying nitrogen fertilizer through irrigation systems is a common practice for many, using Nitro-Mag in fertigation applications is relatively new and gaining a lot of attention from growers all across the Midwest. Nitro-Mag from Growth Technologies is a great solution for growers looking to build even more efficiency into their fertigation program and is proven to outperform traditional UAN sources. Here are 3 key benefits of using Nitro-Mag in your fertigation fertilizer program this season.

1. Energy Conservation

When applying 28% or 32% UAN sources, much of that will eventually end up in the nitrate form. Plant roots absorb nitrate from the soil, and once inside the plant, nitrate is reduced to nitrite, and then to ammonium through the nitrate and nitrite reductase enzymes. This process requires secondary metabolites and carbohydrates, which are ultimately drawn from ATP and photosynthesis. The process also consumes water and puts a demand on phosphorus within the plant. Ammonium is then assimilated through glutamine synthetase and glutamate synthase enzymes forming amino acids, which are then used to synthesize protein needed for growth and reproductive functions. Studies have shown that this process consumes nearly 16% of a corn plants daily photosynthetic energy.

The Stabilized Amine Nitrogen component in Nitro-Mag bypasses many of these energy-consuming enzymatic processes by entering the plant and going directly into amino acid formation - one step away from protein synthesis. As corn approaches rapid uptake and reproductive stages, nutrient demand, water uptake, and abiotic and biotic stresses all increase. By using Nitro-Mag, plants can conserve more energy or sugar that can be directed towards growth, reproduction, root exudation and ultimately, higher yield.

2. Plant Health

When nitrate can’t be reduced to nitrite during nitrogen assimilation, it is stored in the vacuole of the plant. Too much nitrate stored in cells can cause several issues on plant health:

• The plants vascular system may experience a “bottle-neck” effect or even cell rupture, ultimately limiting uptake of key nutrients like potassium and phosphorus.

• Excessive nitrate accumulation also elongates cell wells, making plants more susceptible to disease and insect pressure and more reliant on fungicide and insecticide applications.

While much attention is given to the nitrogen form in Nitro-Mag, many overlook the other nutrients that are crucial for plant health:

• Magnesium is the central atom in the chlorophyll molecule, giving plants their green color and playing a vital role in photosynthesis. Without Magnesium, chlorophyll cannot form properly, limiting the plant’s ability to produce energy.

• Chloride increases biomass, greater leaf expansion, and increases elongation of root cells and promotes plant water efficiency.

• Boron helps guide and move nutrients in the plant and is a cell wall strengthener also an essential nutrient in pollination and reproduction.

 All the components of Nitro-Mag focus on building a more balanced, healthier plant later into the growing season.

3. Flexibility

One of my favorite aspects of using Nitro-Mag in fertigation applications is the ease and flexibility it offers in delivering a turn key product tailored to meet the unique fertility needs of each grower. With Nitro-Mag, growers can address many limiting factors and nutrient needs with one product.

Our Nitro-Mag S and Nitro-Mag K-S blends are widely used in fertigation applications, offering the added benefits of sulfur and potassium. In addition to these key nutrients, the ability to incorporate micronutrients into Nitro-Mag blends gives growers a distinct advantage over traditional nitrogen sources this growing season.

Kyle Olson