The Experiment at the Veliškovci Agricultural Center Was Conducted in 12 Variants, Each with Two Repetitions, Showing a Significant Advantage of Specialized Fertilizers
Soy, as one of the most important fodder and oil crops, requires a specific approach to fertilization to ensure optimal yield and quality, with soil analysis playing a key role as it provides fundamental information on the physical-chemical properties of the soil and available nutrients, explained mag.ing.agr. Ana Šoštarić from Timac Agro.
This year, an experiment was conducted at the Agricultural Center (PC) Veliškovci. The first phase involved soil analysis, which revealed a pH of less than 4.5, indicating a strongly acidic reaction. The humus content was 0.90 percent, while the levels of phosphorus and potassium were 7.14 mg/100 g of soil and 17.69 mg/100 g of soil, respectively. “These results indicate low nutrient availability, which is crucial for determining the formulation and specificity of the fertilizer that needs to be applied,” emphasized Šoštarić.
Expert Collaboration and Innovations: The Role of Pest Pro
The experiment, according to Timac Agro, was conducted under the expert guidance of Pest Pro, a company that conducts up to 100 experiments annually on various agricultural crops. Pest Pro adheres to good experimental practice (GEP) rules and the guidelines of the European and Mediterranean Plant Protection Organization (EPPO), which, as they explain, ensures the high quality and reliability of the research conducted.
“For the second year, we are conducting trials for Timac Agro, and verifying the effectiveness of fertilizers is of great importance for agricultural production. These experiments allow us agronomists to thoroughly analyze the needs of plants and the impact of different fertilizers on their growth and development,” said Ivan Havajić from Pest Pro.
Setting up the experiment at PC Veliškovci
The experiment started in mid-April on a 2,400 m² plot, divided into 12 variants, with each variant having two replications. Pre-sowing fertilization was carried out using Eurofertil Top 34, Physio Mescal G18, NPK 0:20:30, and Ecodig fertilizers, while the control group received no fertilizer application.
They explained that Eurofertil Top 34 has a high phosphorus content, which is essential for root development, especially on acidic soils like those at PC Veliškovci, where phosphorus is often unavailable. This fertilizer ensures its quick availability, allowing plants to have a strong start and better absorption of other nutrients.
Physio Mescal G18 also contains phosphorus, but its value lies in its ability to improve the physical and chemical properties of the soil. With its Physio Plus specificity, this fertilizer stimulates the activity of beneficial microorganisms in the soil, improving soil structure and increasing nutrient availability for plants.
Phosphorus plays a crucial role in acidic soils, where it is often poorly available due to high acidity, promoting the development of a healthy root system.
“From mid to late June, during key vegetative stages BBCH 58-61 and BBCH 65-66, biostimulants Seactiv Gold and Seactiv Vital were applied, further stimulating the plants’ response to fertilization,” they emphasize, explaining that applying biostimulants at these stages can significantly affect harvest success.
Using the NDVI index and analyzing root nodules
To assess the crop condition, they used the NDVI (Normalized Difference Vegetation Index) index, which utilizes satellite or drone imagery to assess plant health by analyzing light reflection in the visible and infrared spectrum. NDVI values range from -1 to +1, where higher values closer to +1 indicate healthy, lush vegetation, while lower values point to stressed plants, lack of vegetation, or the presence of water.
“The highest NDVI index values were measured on plants treated with Eurofertil Top 34, with a value of 0.89,” says Šoštarić, adding that this result indicates the absence of nutritional stress in the plants, confirming that the application of this fertilizer achieved optimal nutrient supply.
In addition to this index, they also monitored the number of root nodules, which are crucial for nitrogen fixation processes in plants, especially soybeans. With the application of Physio Mescal G18 fertilizer and Seactiv Gold biostimulant, a higher number of root nodules was observed, indicating that these fertilizers stimulated the activity and development of symbiotic bacteria. This could be a result of improved nutrient availability in the soil or stimulation of nodule growth, ultimately leading to better growth, health, and potentially higher soybean yields.
Harvest results
When the time for harvest finally arrived, the results could only confirm the effect of the applied fertilizers. They emphasize that the Eurofertil Top 34 variant with the addition of Seactiv Gold achieved a yield of 3,445 kg per hectare, with a moisture content of 12.1% and a hectoliter weight of 73.4 hl/kg. “These results highlighted the importance of specialized fertilizers in optimizing the growth and development of soybeans, especially under conditions of low soil pH,” Šoštarić said.
These results clearly highlight the significant advantage of applying specialized fertilizers compared to the control group, where the yield difference was 761 kg, they emphasize, noting that these results provide farmers with valuable information for making strategic decisions regarding fertilization practices, taking into account the specificities of the soil and the needs of the plants.
In comparison with Eurofertil Top 34 + Seactiv Gold, the yield with NPK 0:20:30 is 12.6% lower, while the combination of NPK 0:20:30 + Seactiv Gold results in a yield that is 10.7% lower. Although the application of commodity fertilizers combined with Seactiv Gold can increase yield, the results show that the increase is not significant, especially due to the low soil pH, which can limit the availability of nutrients.
“Soybean yields in the trial field are satisfactory, given the weather challenges this year,” said Danijel Devčić, chief agronomist at PC Veliškovci.
He highlighted that they conduct their own trials on their plots, and the results are measured using yield mapping from their combine harvesters, which precisely shows the outcomes. He also mentioned that they are satisfied with the long-term cooperation with Timac Agro, and in addition to the mentioned products, they also use their fertilizers Hyper Top Phos, Sulfammo, and biostimulants Fertiactyl Starter and Seactiv Gold.
Author: Karolina Rastija
https://www.agroklub.com/korisnici/karolina-rastija-13125/tekstovi/
https://www.agroklub.com/ratarstvo/unatoc-kiselom-tlu-i-losoj-godini-specificnim-gnojivima-ostvarili-prinos-od-345-tha-soje/99324/
