The focus of the Bio Minerals Technologies potato program is to stabilize phosphate in the root zone, providing a constant supply of energy and nutrition for root growth and tuber set.
When a potato plant sets tubers, it will only hold as many tubers as it perceives nutrients and energy for. The plant aborts the rest of the tubers and then will try again. If there is insufficient nutrition in the soil and insufficient energy in the plant, it will try to set tubers several times at the beginning of the growing season, resulting in fewer and smaller potatoes, with several different sizes of tubers at the same time.
If, instead, the plant perceives enough nutrients and energy at first set, it will retain more of the tubers and there will be no need to reset additional tubers later. This results in larger, more uniform tubers and higher yields. In the pictures shown below, our side of the field received 12 gallons of 10-34-0 with 1 gallon of Bio Release per acre, applied in-furrow at planting. The other side of the field received the standard co-op program.
The plant on the right is from our side of the field. It has 16 uniform tubers, progressing well toward maturity. The tubers were all set the first time and the plant had enough nutrition in the soil to hold all of the tubers. This is largely because of the stabilized phosphate (prevented from tying up in the soil by Bio Release) that remains available to the plant throughout the early growing season. Bio Release is the only way to do this, and by using it, we are able to grow more potatoes per acre with about ¼ of the normal phosphate applied. Bio Release also releases other soil minerals, both cations and anions. This provides additional minerals that are available for the plants to use.
The co-op plant on the left has seven tubers of varying sizes (3 large, 2 medium, and 2 small), indicating that it has tried to set tubers at least three times. Each time the plant resets tubers, you lose 50 sacks of potatoes per acre.
Below are close-ups of the two plants, untreated on the left and treated on the right.
Those who follow our program have seen increases of 100-150 sacks per acre over standard fields. Call us today at 435-753-2086 and let us set up the program for your fields!
Basic Potato Program Outline
The program outlined below is a general representation. The actual implementation will vary based on your individual soil and field conditions and any specific needs as indicated by soil tests and tissue testing.
- At Planting – in-furrow:
- 12-15 gallons 10-34
- 1 gallon Bio Release
- 16 oz O2-YS
- At Planting – side-dressed:
- Additional fertilizer as indicated by soil tests
- Foliar at row closure:
- ½ gallon Foliar Micro Boost
- 1 quart Bio Release
- 16 oz O2-YS
- 30-45 days prior to crop kill:
- 1 gallon Bulk-R
