Corn growers can choose from a wide array of products to make the most of their crop, but the latest could bring seaweed extract to a field near you. The marine product is just one class in a growing market of crop biostimulants marketed for corn.
Biostimulants benefit crops and soil, but the dizzying array of products has farmers confused, according to Fred Below, corn and soybean researcher at the University of Illinois.
“Farmers hear the term ‘plant biostimulant’ and think they all do the same thing, and can be used in the same way at the same time. But that’s not the case. There's huge confusion over what these products do, and when and how they should be used,” says Below, professor in the Department of Crop Sciences at Illinois.
Read more at: University of Illinois
University of Illinois scientists, including Connor Sible (pictured), are making it easier for farmers to choose biostimulant products to boost corn production with a new article breaking down composition, mechanisms, efficacy, and application considerations. (Photo Credit: University of Illinois)