Improving Crop Yield and Nutrient Uptake Efficiency with Premium Phosphate Fertilizers.

Optimum use of mineral nutrients by crops is essential for sustainable agricultural production. Importance of improving nutrient use efficiency is a priority due to the increasing food demand. We investigated the effect of MicroEssentials^® SZ™ and MicroEssentials^® S15™ on yield, nutrient uptake and economic advantage of different crops. Small plot field experiments were established in the United States and Canada. The crops evaluated were canola (Brassica rapa cv. 'Canola'), corn (Zea mays) and winter wheat (Triticum aestivum, winter).  Experiments were conducted in a randomized complete block design and factorial treatment structure with four replications in 2012-14. Factors were different sources of phosphorus (P) and varying P₂O₅ rates. Results showed that MicroEssentials SZ improved yield in corn by 357 kg ha^-1 at 102 kg P₂O₅ ha^-1 and for winter wheat by 167 kg ha^-1 at 68 kg P₂O₅ ha^-1 over the common Monoammonium phosphate blend. For canola, advantage with MicroEssentials S15 over MAP+ Ammonium sulfate was 134 kg ha^-1 at 57 kg P₂O₅ ha^-1. Grain P concentration (6 %) and content (4 %) were higher with MicroEssentials SZ for Corn at 68 kg rate. For winter wheat, grain P and Zn concentrations and content were higher in MicroEssentials SZ treatments. For canola, corn and winter wheat, lower rates of MicroEssentials SZ achieved higher yields than the higher rates of MAP or MAP blends indicating higher efficiency.  Results suggested that application of MicroEssentials at P₂O₅ rates lower than that of MAP blends can successfully improve yield and nutrient uptake efficiency, thus reducing the amount of fertilizer required to achieve same or higher yields as with MAP blends.