#Harvest23 is here…#FPS23 is going down this week and this coming weekend will mark the unofficial end of summer. It’s time to start thinking about #Plant24…a plan that hopefully includes residue management on your corn acres. We’ve got your digester.
Residue RX® keeps the shine on your disc blades, the diesel in your tank and your soil’s biology healthy and thriving.
Our solution to residue reduction also comes packed with the power to release nutrients and remove pests while maintaining and promoting the biology working to keep your soils healthy and productive.
Residue RX, is a consortium of bacteria and fungi that turn crop residue into organic matter while kickstarting the weathering process for tied-up phosphorus in the soil. Powered by BioTek, our proprietary technology that delivers a large consortium of live biology. You don’t have to worry about handling Residue RX with kid gloves to maintain microorganism vigor—BioTek delivers biology in a suspended state that becomes active within minutes of soil contact.
Residue RX uses a blend of microbes and microbiome food sources that quickly break down MANY types of residues, preventing diseases from over wintering and releasing nutrients that are bound in that residue.
Why Consider a Residue Management Product on Your Corn Acres?
There are many reasons to choose a residue management product for your corn acres, for many of the farmers our team works with, the greatest of those reasons is ROI. Below our Director of Agronomy, Bert Riggan shares how Residue RX adds value to a residue management program and ultimately, a producer’s bottom line.
The values for nutrients contained in corn stover from a 200 bu/ac crop are 78.4 pounds of N, 23.52 pounds of P2O5 and 98 pounds of K2O, on a per acre basis. Riggan says that many farmers will burn or disc their stover, but science has shown nutrient loss and soil volatilization that occurs with both of those practices.
“Burning corn stover destroys any chance of recouping any of the nutrients locked up in the remaining stover and causes N,P,K and other nutrients present in the top 4-6 inches of the soil to be volatilized off or converted into a non-useable form for the plant.”
Additionally, simply discing the stover into the soil may not insure proper breakdown of the stalk and therefore, creates an inefficient return of the nutrients to the soil profile.
“Improper breakdown of stover (anaerobic microbial action) can create planting problems as well as trash problems in ditches that may cause improper drainage and result in flooding during moderate rain events,” Riggan says.
The following nutrient values were obtained from the University of Arkansas Extension article, “What is stubble worth?” and help us to understand the monetary and nutritive value being left on the table…or rather, on the soil. The fertilizer pricing reflected below represent average US price per ton in January 2023.
A conservative calculation (65%) estimate the return values from a 200 bu/ac crop to be as follows:
N= 51 lbs X $0.386 per lb of Anhydrous Ammonia = $19.69
N= 51 lbs X $0.434 per lb of Urea/UAN = $22.17
P2O5= 15.3 lbs X $1.895 per lb of DAP = $28.99
K2O= 63.7 lbs X $0.472 per lb of 0-0-60 = $30.05
Total NPK dollar value per acre = $100.90
Why You Should Manage Corn Acres with Residue RX
The first question to ask is:
“Am I willing to throw away that much nutrition, future yield potential, soil health and ultimately, money?”
We’re guessing the answer is “no” with a capital N.
The second question: “How can I make my corn stover work for me rather than against me?”
The answer is multifaceted and involves using the resources at your disposal, and an important resource for your post-harvest residue management plan is our team at Concept AgriTek and Residue RX.
“Application of Residue Rx after harvest and at or prior to stalk destruction through cultural means can release back to the soil a large portion of the nutrients found in the stover,” Riggan says, and adds that having a game plan in place doesn’t have to be complicated and can bring peace of mind.
“We customize every agronomic plan we create and back each with products that help you turn a plan into an attainable goal. Our products are produced in Charleston, MO, at our headquarters where our office staff can help you connect with one of our agronomy team members in your neck of the woods that knows the soils, crops and challenges of your area.”
If you’re ready to sleep better this fall knowing that your corn stover is working for you rather than against you, give us a call, or contact us.
#SeeTheDifference from XtremeAg.farm Temple Rhodes: Temple’s Residue Breakdown (xtremeag.farm)