3 Benefits From a Starter Fertilizer

Getting crops off to a strong start offers season-long benefits, including higher yield and better quality at harvest. One way to give crops a jump-start is by adding a starter fertilizer at planting to promote vigorous crop growth and development.

If you aren’t using a starter fertilizer in your crop nutrition program, consider these benefits and evaluate if a balanced starter could add value to your operation.

More even crop emergence

Starter fertilizers are commonly used in corn crops and can help promote more even crop emergence.

Why is this important? A study done by E4 Crop Intelligence measured the yield difference between a field with even emergence and one that emerged unevenly. They found a 13 bushel/acre yield advantage on the field with more even emergence. When a corn crop emerges unevenly, smaller plants get shaded out by the larger ones and, thus, have a disadvantage all season long. Those plants never reach their maximum yield potential, reducing the field’s overall yield.

In many cases, especially in cool soils or no-tilled acres, nutrients may not be immediately available for plant uptake. That’s because the microorganisms that break down nutrients into plant-available forms are less active under cool conditions. As roots emerge from a germinating seed, they have limited access to extract nutrients and moisture from the soil around them.

Placing those nutrients close to the growing roots with a starter fertilizer gives plants direct access to the nutrition they need for consistent and vigorous early-season growth.

A robust root system

A plant’s roots are its lifeline, absorbing vital nutrients and moisture needed to maintain the vegetative growth that supports later reproductive processes. Starter fertilizers can help support more robust root growth, starting at seed germination and continuing later into the season.

A study published by the International Plant Nutrition Institute revealed applications of ammonium polyphosphate (APP) starter can stimulate early-season root growth of cotton, even in soil with high levels of available phosphorus.

Root growth slows in cool soils, making it more difficult for plants to absorb vital nutrients. Additionally, nutrient movement toward roots also slows in cool soil conditions. Adding a starter when sowing seeds in cool soil conditions helps overcome these challenges and helps promote plant health and growth until soil conditions warm. A robust root system is not only critical for adequate plant nutrition but also serves as an anchor that holds plants upright until harvest.

A well-developed root system can help ensure crops stand strong until harvest, maximizing yield potential.

Better stress tolerance

Biotic and abiotic stresses challenge yield and quality potential from the day the seed goes into the ground. Whether it's insect pests or drought conditions, it’s well-known that a healthy plant is less vulnerable to the effects of these stresses.

A study published in the Agronomy Journal reported a 6% increase in the overwintering success of oilseed rape when a micro-granulated starter fertilizer was applied in the seed zone.

When is a starter fertilizer profitable?

With the help of your agronomic advisor, you can determine whether a starter fertilizer may be a profitable addition to your crop nutrition program. Fine-tuning a starter fertilizer's source, rate, placement, and timing will improve your return on investment (ROI).

While starter fertilizers offer several plant health benefits, they may not result in a positive economic return in every situation. For example, in the cotton study cited above, researchers did see crop benefits, although the yield benefits were not consistent location-to-location or year-over-year. In many cases, the environmental conditions and other agronomic variables will influence the ROI of a starter fertilizer application.

Performance will also vary by crop; for example, significant early plant growth increases are common with starter fertilizers in corn but tend to be much less in soybeans.

But what about your acres?

Iowa State University reports that the following conditions may make a starter fertilizer more profitable when used in a corn crop:

1. Lower than recommended phosphorus and potassium broadcast application rates

2. No primary nitrogen application before planting

3. Cooler than average soil temperatures

4. No-till with high residue cover with low pre-plant application rates

5. Continuous corn, especially in no-till with low or no pre-plant application rates

6. Soils with moderate to poor drainage

7. Late planting dates

It’s important to discuss your yield goals, planting practices and budget with your advisor to determine if a starter fertilizer is suitable for your situation. Many starter fertilizer formulations are available, with varying price points and crop health benefits.

Amanda Allworth is an Iowa native passionate about telling interesting stories about agriculture. She has nearly two decades of industry experience working as a crop scientist, agronomist, and communicator. When she's not writing, you can find her reading non-fiction, spending time outdoors or planning her next vacation.