Applying biostimulants boosts forage productivity without affecting soil biotic and abiotic parameters on a Central Coast California rangeland

There is increasing interest in using biostimulant products, such as microbial inoculants and humic substances, to help manage rangelands regeneratively. Understanding how plant and soil communities on rangelands respond to these products is therefore important. In this study, we examined the combined effects of a commercial inoculant and humic product that are currently on the market, and asked whether they influenced rangeland forage productivity and quality, soil microbial biomass and community composition, and abiotic soil parameters in Central Coastal California. We found that forage productivity and some metrics of forage quality responded positively to the foliar application of a commercial microbial inoculant and humic product, but that these benefits were not mirrored by changes belowground in the microbial community or abiotic parameters. Depending on the goals of using the products, this could be seen as a winning scenario and suggests microbial inoculants and humic products could warrant attention as a potential tool for regenerative stewardship of rangelands. While our study derives from one ranch and therefore requires confirmation of its ubiquity prior to broadscale adoption, our results provide new insights into the usefulness of this approach for managing rangeland productivity in California's Central Coast.

Maize Growth and Grain Yield Responses to a Micronized Humic Product Across Soil Types and Annual Weather Patterns in Central Iowa, United States

Despite growing interest in humic products as crop amendments, very few field evaluations have considered environmental factors of humic product efficacy. We determined the spatial and temporal variability in the efficacy of a micronized humic product on maize (Zea mays L.) growth and grain yield in two rainfed fields supporting a maize−soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] rotation in 2012–2014, and 2016 in central Iowa, U.S. Crop management in both fields otherwise followed conventional farmer practices. In two dry growing seasons, mechanized combine measurements of grain yield increased significantly (P < 0.10) with humic product application on an eroded hilltop soil, amounting for two application rates to 930 and 1,600 kg ha–1 (11 and 19% of the control grain yield) in 2012, the droughtiest season, and 700 kg ha–1 (7% of the control) for the higher application rate in the somewhat droughty 2013 season. On a fertile side slope soil in the 2012 field, though, only a faint numeric response occurred in 2012, while on a toe slope soil the sole significant increase was in 2012, 870 kg ha–1 (14% increase above the control) for one application rate. With favorable rainfall in 2014 and 2016, significant grain yield increases with product application were small in the upland soil of 2014 and absent in 2016. Yield components analysis on 1-m row lengths of hand-collected samples attributed these yield boosts primarily to increased ear length, especially of the shorter ears. Combine grain yields, yield components, and total leaf area all demonstrated numerically slightly greater values for humic product treatments compared to the control in the vast majority of comparisons across years and soil types, with better distinction in the upland transects. Statistical significance, though, was reached only in the droughtier settings. The humic product had no consistent effects on nutrient concentrations of the grain, stover, or young leaves. Grain quality parameters showed a slight shift from protein to carbohydrates in the droughtier settings. Fifteen soil properties showed no response to the humic product. This humic product demonstrated the capability to improve maize growth in rainfed conditions in a high-yielding region, and its efficacy varied predictably with environmental conditions. This finding provides one potential explanation for inconsistent reports elsewhere of crop responses to humic products.

PRODUCTIVITY STRUCTURE OF MOSCOVSKAYA 39 WINTER WHEAT VARIETY DEPENDING ON TREATMENT WITH BIO- AND HUMIC PRODUCTS

As a result of the research, the influence of biological products recommended for foliar fertilization of crops on winter wheat productivity structure in the conditions of the Republic of Mordovia was revealed. Comparison of the effectiveness of different treatment times of plants is made. The appropriate combination of application time and biological product type has been established, which has a positive effect on winter wheat productivity structure. Appropriately selected elements of cultivation technology play a significant role in increasing crop yields. Research shows that growth stimulators have a positive effect on crops, increasing their yield and grain quality. On average, over the years of our research, the maximum yield of Moskovskaya 39 winter wheat variety in OOO “Lunga” was observed on the variant with two-fold treatment of plants with Potassium Humate in autumn and spring. The increase in comparison with the control variant (without treatments with biological products) was 1.1 t / ha. All products under study significantly increased winter wheat grain yield from 11.6 to 42.6%, but this also depended on the treatment time. The maximum yield parametres were observed on the variants where the crops were double-treated: in autumn and spring. A smaller increase was noted on the variant with spring treatment of crops. In comparison with the control, the number of survived plants by the harvesting time increased by 5.8–10.4% (by 15–27 pcs / m2) under the influence of bio- and humic products; the total number of stems - by 11–74 pcs / m2 or 2.4–16.0%; the number of productive stems - by 20–85 pcs / m2 or 5.5–23.4%. The number of grains per spike in the variants treated with biological products significantly changed in comparison with the control by 1–2 pcs. The change of 1000 grain mass was 36.3–38.2 g. The smallest value was observed on the control variant, the largest - on the variant with double treatment of crops in autumn and spring with the biological product albite.

ИССЛЕДОВАНИЕ ВЛИЯНИЯ ОБРАБОТКИ ГОРЯЧИМ ТУМАНОМ БИОЛОГИЧЕСКИХ ПРЕПАРАТОВ И ГУМИНОВЫХ ПРОДУКТОВ СЕМЯН ЯЧМЕНЯ

Целью исследований явилась оценкавлияния обработки горячим туманом биологического препарата Азотовит и гуминовых продуктовГумат калия, Экоростсемян ячменя перед посевом, а также сравнение результатов с общепринятымитехнологиями обработки с помощью протравителя семян этими же препаратами. Для полноты исследований обработку производили и химическим препаратом Атик. Высокодисперсный аэрозоль получали с помощью генератора горячего тумана GreenFogBF-130.Обработку производилис помощью устройства с наклонными полками, по которым зерно многократно пересыпалось под действием силы тяжести и подвергалось перемешиванию и воздействию горячего тумана. В результате разницы температур холодного семенного материала и горячего тумана происходил фазовый переход тумана в жидкость, что позволяло получить тонкую плёнку на обрабатываемой поверхности семянячменя.Это способствовало обеззараживанию и активизации физико-химических процессов в зерне. Экспериментальные исследования включали восемь вариантов обработки и один без обработки (контроль). Оценивались результаты продуктивности и структура урожая: число растений на 1 м2, число сорных растений на 1 м2, число продуктивных стеблей (колосьев) на 1 м2, кустистость на 1 м2, продуктивная кустистость на 1 м2,среднее число зерен в колосе, масса 1000 зерен, высота стеблей, биологическая урожайность. В соответствии с ГОСТ 53900-2010 Ячмень кормовой, ГОСТ 5060-86 Ячмень пивоваренный, ГОСТ 28672-90 Ячмень.Требования при заготовках и поставках,ТРТС 021/2011 О безопасности пищевой продукции из качественных показателей рассматривались массовая доля влаги, массовая доля протеина, массовая доля клетчатки, массовая доля сахара, массовая доля жира, массовая доля золы, массовая доля крахмала, обменная энергия, крупность, мелкие зерна, сорная и зерновая примесь, фузариозные зерна, общая токсичность, микотоксиндезоксиниваленол (DON). Лучшие показатели были получены в результате аэрозольной обработки гуминовыми продуктами Гумат калия и Экорост.The aim of the research was to assess the effect of hot mist treatment of the biological preparation Azotovit and humic products potassium HUMATE, barley seeds Ecorost before sowing, as well as to compare the results with conventional technologies of treatment with the help of seed protectant with the same drugs. To complete the research and produce treatment chemicals of Atik. The highly dispersed aerosol was obtained using The greenfogbf-130 hot mist generator. The treatment was carried out using a device with inclined shelves, on which the grain was repeatedly poured under the influence of gravity and was subjected to mixing and the influence of hot fog. As a result of the temperature difference between the cold and hot mist of the seed material, a phase transition of the mist into a liquid occurred, which allowed to obtain a thin film on the treated surface of the barley seeds. This contributed to the disinfection and activation of physical and chemical processes in the grain. Experimental studies included eight treatment options and one without treatment (control). The results of productivity and crop structure were evaluated: the number of plants per 1 m2, the number of weeds per 1 m2, the number of productive stems (ears) per 1 m2, bushiness per 1 m2, productive bushiness per 1 m2, the average number of grains per ear, the weight of 1000 grains, the height of stems, biological yield. In accordance with GOST 53900-2010 barley fodder, barley brewing GOST 5060-86, GOST 28672-90 Barley. Requirements for procurement and supply, TR CU 021/2011 on food safety from qualitative indicators considered the mass fraction of moisture, mass fraction of protein, mass fraction of fiber, mass fraction of sugar, mass fraction of fat, mass fraction of ash, mass fraction of starch, metabolic energy, size, small grains, weed and grain admixture, Fusarium grains, total toxicity, mycotoxindeoxynivalenol (don). The best results were obtained as a result of aerosol treatment with humic products potassium HUMATE and Ecorost.

Effect of humic products and chelated microfertilizers on carrot productivity during irrigation

Life Force LLC, RPE products were studied on irrigated dark chestnut soils of the Saratov Transvolga region. The objects of the studies were Chantenay carrot variety and products, containing humic acids, as well as macro (nitrogen), meso (calcium, magnesium and trace elements). The purpose of the research is to determine the most effective combinations of humic acid salts and chelated micronutrient fertilizers that provide a substantial increase in the yield of carrots. It is established that spraying carrots with a solution of Reasil® micro Hydro Mix increased the harvest of standard root crops by 1.85 т/ha for an average of three years (by 7% to the control). When using K- Humate -Na with micronutrients the yield increased by 5.51 t/ha (by 20% to the control). The maximum productivity of carrot within our experiments was obtained with the double application of Reasil® Carb-N-Humic along with K-Humate -Na with micronutrients (35.88 t / ha). Similar results (35.69 t / ha) were obtained when Reasil Ca-Mg-B Animo was used along with K- Humate -Na with micronutrients. The growth of carrots and the formation of the crop were significantly influenced by the weather conditions of vegetation season. The studied products had a positive effect on the output of standard root crops, the content of sugars, vitamin A and nutrients. The content of nitrate nitrogen in all variants of the experiments was almost the same and about 4 times lower than the maximal permissible concentration (MPC). The removal of macronutrients from the soil with the carrot yield increased under the influence of microelement fertilizers.