Biostimulants have been described as substances and/or microorganisms whose function, when applied to plants or the rhizosphere, is to stimulate natural processes to benefit nutrient uptake, nutrient use efficiency, tolerance to abiotic stress, and/or crop quality, independently of its nutrient content. Peace Region producers are on the lookout for information on how effective these products are under their agroecological conditions and depend on applied research and extension groups like the Peace Country Beef and Forage Association to furnish them with reliable, relevant and local data on this. We tested a variety of biostimulant products such as biochar, humalite, Ecotea seed treatment and Ecotea foliar fertilizer on yield and grain quality attributes of wheat grain.
What we did
The trial was carried out at the Fairview Research Farm (NW-5-82-W6M) on RR #35, MD of Fairview. The field soil information from the surface (0-6" soil depth) before seeding: pH = 6.1, organic matter = 6.6 %. The site was summer fallowed the year before this trial was established. Before seeding, the site was tilled with a plot cultivator followed by harrowing.
A randomised complete design was used in 4 replications of small plots measuring 8 m x 1.14 m with 2 m alleyways between plots and 8 m between replicates. The following biostimulants and micronutrient treatments were implemented on AAC Brandon wheat variety:
Control (chemical fertilizer only) [Con]
Biochar (+ chemical fertilizer) [Biochar]
Humalite (+ chemical fertilizer) [Huma]
Foliar applied micronutrients (+ chemical fertilizer) [FAM]
Biochar + Humalite (+ chemical fertilizer) [Biochar + Huma]
ATG seed treatment + ATG foliar fertilizer (+ chemical fertilizer) [ATGST + ATGFF]
ATG seed treatment + ATG foliar fertilizer + Foliar Micronutrients (+ chemical fertilizer) [ATGST + ATGFF + FAM]
ECOTEA seed treatment + ECOTEA foliar fertilizer (+ chemic fertilizer) [ECOST + ECOFF]
Seeding
Seeds were treated with Vibrance Quattro cereal seed treatment for all seeds and the respective specific seed treatments.
Target seeding rates were 320 plants/m2 (128 lbs/acre). The target seeding rate calculation for small plots was based on seed germination, 1,000 kernel weight (41.6 g), plot area and 4 % mortality rate.
Seeding was done on May 20, 2022 with a 6-row Fabro plot drill equipped with disc-type openers on 23 cm row spacing. The seeding depth was ¾ - 1". The soil temperature and moisture at seeding were 15.9 °C and 7.1 % VWC at 4".
Fertility
Soil test results from 0-6" before seeding were used to determine fertilizer rates for N, P, K and S for a target grain yield of 50 bu/acre. The breakdown of the applied fertilizer blend was 183 lbs/acre N, 63 lbs/acre P, 28 lbs/acre K and 33 lbs/acre of S.
Spraying
In-crop spraying was with Prestige at 0.81 L/acre as early as when the plants were at 4 to 5-leaf stage. The ATG treatments were applied on July 5, 2022 at the Code 6 and 8 stages.
Harvest
The three middle rows were combined, and grain yield determined. Grain and straw quality samples for each plot were sent to A & L Lab in Ontario for quality analysis.
Data collection consisted of: Plant emergence, Green seeker canopy NDVI, crop residue yield and quality, head counts, grain yield, test weight, 1,000 kernel weight, and protein content.
What we found out
All wheat plant and grain attributes (Table 10) did not differ significantly between treatments.
Straw quality (data not shown) ranged 7 - 10% for CP; 45 - 50% for ADF; 79 - 89% for NDF; 50 - 53% for TDN; 0.19 - 0.32% for Ca; 0.03 - 0.08% for P; 0.24 - 0.32% for Mg; 0.44 - 0.64% for K; 116 - 157 ppm for Fe; 8 - 25 ppm for Zn and 56 - 91 ppm for Mn. Copper and molybdenum values of wheat straw treatments were all less than 1 ppm. Most of the values reported here were higher than those obtained in a similar trial at the same site done the previous year (2021).
Implication of what we found
In conclusion, the biostimulants and micronutrients tested here had very little or no impact on crop production as hardly any variable investigated was influenced by their addition. A similar experiment carried out in 2021 (PCBFA Annual Report, 2021) also did not show any impact of biostimulants and micronutrient addition on crop production but produced comparatively lower values for most of the parameters. This was most likely due to the different growth (water and temperature) conditions in the two years, where water was limited in 2021 because of the drought conditions. It remains unclear to us why biostimulants did not produce any significant impact on crop production.
References
PCBFA 2021 Research. (2021). Effect of biostimulants and micro nutrients on yield and grain characteristics of wheat and canola. Pages 63-66.
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