Unlocking the power of biological nutrient enhancement

While growers and agronomists are becoming more familiar with the biological products available to them across the UK and Ireland, the knowledge, experience and trust required to invest in them is still being built season after season.

Optimising a plant’s nutrient use efficiency is viewed as the holy grail of crop production – the key to unlock a crop’s true yield potential.

But success relies on many factors both within and outside of the control of farmers.

What is within their grasp is utilising nutrient use efficiency biologicals to improve the availability of nutrients like nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium.

Doing so ensures crops can take up and utilise these nutrients for optimal yields and quality while reducing the need for excessive fertiliser applications, minimising environmental pollution and thus contributing to sustainable farming practices.

Corteva Agriscience’s BlueN™ is a revolutionary biological nitrogen use efficiency product designed to support plant growth by providing a season-long supply of nitrogen inside the plant exactly when it needs it.

© Corteva Agriscience

Unlike synthetic fertilisers, BlueN harnesses the power of beneficial bacteria to help crops capture nitrogen from the air, reducing the dependency on chemical inputs while improving soil health and sustainability.

BlueN contains the bacteria Methylobacterium symbioticum, which when sprayed onto the crop enters the stomata and rapidly colonises the leaves, shoots and stems.

The bacterium converts atmospheric nitrogen into ammonium which is used by the plant to make amino acids for growth.

Ensuring a crop has a reliable and ready source of nitrogen at a time when it needs it most contributes to healthier crops, better yields, and a reduced environmental footprint.

Through customer experiences and trials work over the past few years, Corteva has seen a measurable benefit in terms of marketable yield when applied to key crops such as potatoes and sugar beet, as well as yield and dry matter increases in maize crops.

How to apply BlueN in potato crops 

Potatoes are considered a nitrogen-intensive crop which also require a steady supply of nutrients to achieve optimal tuber development, size, and yield.

Applying BlueN to your potato crop can significantly enhance nitrogen availability throughout the growing season, leading to improved plant vigour and increased marketable yields.

“We recommend that BlueN is used on top of a grower’s usual fertiliser strategy, not as a replacement,” says Chris Menzies, Field Technical Manager at Corteva.

“It is recognised that the response to nitrogen in potatoes is not linear but, working away inside the plant, BlueN delivers a continuous supply of nitrogen as it grows, and because it’s inside the plant, it is not vulnerable to leaching, run off, or demineralisation.”

BlueN should be applied early in the season when the crop has enough leaf area to efficiently absorb the product. Ideally, this is during early vegetative growth at around four-to-six weeks after planting.

BlueN is foliar applied and should be sprayed during mild temperatures, avoiding very hot or very wet days.

Potato growers using the product have observed increased nitrogen use efficiency, stronger root development, and improved tuber uniformity, ultimately leading to higher-quality, marketable yields.

Farmer view: “Overall, the trial delivered bigger yields and fewer smaller potatoes.” Read more about Andrew Houghton’s experience of BlueN.

Using BlueN on sugar beet

Excessive nitrogen use can lead to unwanted leafy growth at the expense of root development.

BlueN offers a more efficient way to supply nitrogen, ensuring balanced growth and optimal sugar production.

On average, it can supply the equivalent of 30kg of nitrogen per hectare.

Our trials show that between growth stages 16-35 is the optimum application timing, from mid-morning to late afternoon or early evening when the stomata are open.

Chris said: “By providing a steady, natural nitrogen supply, BlueN helps the plant focus energy on root development and sugar accumulation rather than excessive vegetative growth.

“Using the biological in this way also supports environmentally-friendly farming by lowering nitrogen leaching into water systems.”

BlueN is an innovative, biological solution for farmers looking to improve crop performance while adopting more sustainable practices.

By incorporating BlueN into your nutrient management programme, you can achieve more vigorous crops, better marketable yields, and contribute to a reduced environmental footprint.

© Corteva Agriscience

Whether growing potatoes, sugar beet or maize, BlueN provides a season long supply of nitrogen which can lead to increased marketable yields.

Find out more about BlueN.