Reduced nitrogen trials reveal 3.9:1 ROI on feed wheat with hybrid bio-stimulant applications
Independent commercial winter wheat crop trials have demonstrated an almost 4:1 Return on Investment (ROI) by reducing nitrogen (N) intake and replacing with a hybrid bio-stimulant product that short-circuits the crop’s natural growth process.
While some growers have been gambling yield and profits with the reduced use of nitrogen fertiliser treatments, with imported ammonium nitrate (AN) approaching £900/tonne and Urea well over £800/tonne, these trials demonstrate that performance can be maintained with lower inputs.
The trials compared a 100% N application plot of winter wheat (var. GRAHAM), against a 75% N plot and a 75% N plot with a 20 l/ha (10 litres at T1 and T2) application of AminoA BLAAZT, a new UK developed bio-stimulant product that introduces a concentrated form of nitrogen into the plant.
Undertaken on a Grade 3 loamy sand soil type in Lincolnshire, where a good wheat yield would normally be a little over 10t/ha, the trial revealed the AminoA BLAAZT treated plot returned a yield of 11.65 t/ha, well above the 10.92 t/ha of the untreated 100% N sample, and 10.54 t/ha yield of the untreated 75% N plot.
The residual nitrogen on the site was very low due to the previous crop of winter oats with a 10kg reserve, so an additional 210kg was applied through the season, taking the 100% N plot to a total of 220kg.
“With the reduced AN inputs, this represents a margin over fertiliser cost for the BLAAZT treated plot of £2746.60, or £274.90 more than the 100% N untreated plot. This represents a ROI of 3.9:1,” explains AminoA managing director Richard Phillips.
“Even without the yield increase, it would have been cheaper to replace the additional AN with AminoA BLAAZT, with total input costs of £492.10 against £564.06 for the 100% N plot.”
Reducing total nitrogen application
The hybrid bio-stimulant product is not only maintaining but in fact improving yield and quality, while addressing environmental concerns by reducing the total nitrogen application needed on crops.
“By harnessing the amine form of nitrogen, normally only produced and found in the plant itself, AminoA BLAAZT helps improve yield and quality in all crops,” adds Mr Phillips.
“It improves root foraging and enables the plant to recover more nutrients from the soil profile, as well as providing a significant amount of the plant’s phosphate, calcium, magnesium and boron requirement, along with amino-acids.’’
In addition to providing effective nutrition, BLAAZT also reduces the risk of environmental pollution from the run-off of easily leached chemical fertilisers. Allowing for the efficient application of nitrogen in Nitrate Vulnerable Zones (NVZs), it also reduces the carbon footprint of transporting bulky fertilisers.
Soil microbiology
“On the 2022 Cereals Event site, we had multiple plots treated with BLAAZT, but used no more than 150kg soil applied nitrogen. Despite this, all plots were friable, and when we conducted soil microbiology analysis, we found active soil microbes and protozoa,” says Mr Phillips.
“The conventional wheat plots just a few metres away all received 220kg nitrogen, but the plots were compacted and had no protozoa. The BLAAZT treated plants had effectively increased their root area by interacting with mycorrhizal networks,” he adds.
Formulated to mix with most agrochemicals, improving their efficiency, applying BLAAZT can result in reduced field operations, while significant amounts of the crop’s nutritional requirements can be delivered simultaneously.