The 2019 planting season saw growers burdened with challenging weather conditions, delayed starts and nutrient applications lost due to the heavy rainfall. “You needed something that would stay put, weather or not,” says Ernie Sanders, vice-president of product development for Pivot Bio. Sanders spent 37 years at Monsanto with positions in technology and research. He came to Pivot Bio because of the great promise he saw in the technology the company is bringing to farm fields.
So, what is this product changing the way nitrogen is applied to corn?
The promising product Sanders refers to is Pivot Bio PROVEN™. This innovative application takes nitrogen out of the air and, through the use of microbes, makes ammonia. These microbes colonize and live on the roots of corn and apply a daily dose of ammonia that’s equivalent to about 25 pounds of nitrogen per acre.
The process sounds similar to how nodules on soybean plants put nitrogen into the soil. While the end result may be similar, Pivot Bio PROVEN™ uses a different process. “This is not the same system as soybeans,” explains Sanders. “Because the bacteria live on the roots, no matter how much it rains, our product stays on the root system.” Regardless of the exact method Pivot Bio PROVEN™ uses, it’s an exciting new technology that keeps the microbes on the roots, no matter how much it rains. Now that’s a smart supplement.
For additional information about innovative nitrogen applications, visit https://www.agweb.com/article/proven-nitrogen-source-no-matter-weather.
