Grocery stores conveniently have a tag on the shelf for comparison by price per ounce, so you can make an informed decision. The operative word being informed. There are other variables to be considered, one being the form of the product. Dry versus liquid is the most obvious, but one that used to be common was concentrate versus diluted. It is, however, one that still exists and should be considered when making a product comparison. Concentrates are not unknown in Agriculture. Farmers understand the concept of a concentrate, e.g. pesticides, that need to be diluted with water or in a tank mix before application. Ferticell® products are concentrates meant to be diluted, preferably as part of a tank mix.
Being concentrated is not the only benefit of Ferticell® products. Like previous Ag Web® articles have highlighted and explained (Article: Feed Your Crop and Soil in One Application with the Most Effective Fertilizers on the Market), Ferticell® products are hydrolyzed soy protein based amino acid products (N), are absorbed by the plant, are plant available, no need for conversion, and are active in the plant within three hours of application, not days or weeks later. That point of difference is critical in planting for early emergence and maybe even more so when climatic conditions lead to stress whether it’s too much rain or not enough (Article: Ferticell®’s Non-GMO Prescription to Prevent and/or Overcome Weather Related Stress). Most competitors’ products are applied primarily as a soil application. The reason is they need to be converted (nitrification) by soil microbiology (biome) into a useable nitrogen, N. (Article: How and Why Ferticell Concentrated Products Work, Celebrating our 20th Anniversary!). Applying anything in a soil application presents a number of issues after conventional high salt index fertilizers have been used for long periods depleting microbiology and also when there is a lack of moisture needed to unlock granular versions. With repeated applications of high salt index products (32% N 44% ammonium nitrate, 35% urea is 71.1) the microbiology has been depleted to the point where it is more difficult to convert to N and increasing the amount of unavailable nitrogen and other inputs in the soil.
To understand why price and cost is an issue to be considered, you have to determine what the real cost of a product is before using it, is there a short- or long-term benefit or detriment. Has your evaluation considered all of the variables with the same criteria, including the potential extra benefits? In doing a direct comparison in this manner leads to a better informed and beneficial decision on input.
This trial is an example of how to evaluate the potential benefits of a product against an alternative. Previously you might not have purchased one because it “costs too much”. But if analyzed in the context of how it is intended to be used and the various benefits it may have that are superior to a lower priced product, you may be paying a higher price now and in the future because of an incomplete examination of all variables in your selection.
Rutgers Horticultural Research Farm test results:
This test compares Ferticell plant derived nutrients compared to conventional, with lower rates. The following protocol was followed:
- Weekly Fertility schedule and every other day irrigation leaf tissue samples were collected on day 21. Root samples were collected on day 42
- Salinity stress used 50% Hoagland’s Solution (150mm NaCl) applied weekly
- Results show that Ferticell plant derived nutrients provide similar nutrition to the tissue at dramatically lower usage rates.
- It is important to note that while Explorer 10-0-0 provided a similar level of Nitrogen, the sodium in the tissue was significantly reduced since Explorer contains no salt and the amino acids are bio-stimulants and also a catalyst.
| | | 21day/N-Na | Salt Stress Tissue Day 42 N/Na | Root Nutrient Level N Day 42 |
| Explorer 10-0-0 | 32 oz/acre | 2.92%/3500 | 3.61%/4122 | 1.17% |
| 46-0-0 | 10 lb/acre | 3.00%/4990 | 3.52%/6575 | 1.14% |
| Pro Cal 3-0-0 20 | 48 oz/acre | 0.65% | 0.46% | 0.31% |
| CN-9 | 87 oz/acre | 0.59% | 0.42% | 0.34% |
| Pro K 0-0-20 | 21 oz/acre | 2.58% | 0.90% | 0.46% |
| 0-0-30 | 4 gal/acre | 2.88% | 1.05% | 0.39% |
Simple math of cost in use comparison per acre demonstrates the advantage, but the benefits, if monetized, would be even more compelling. It is becoming increasingly evident that an inputs’ salt index not only stresses the plant, but is part of the destruction of the biome, and the cost that represents.
No volatilization, no salt, no burn, seed safe, best tank buddy!
