When commodity prices are low, the push for even more, from every acre, is very real.

Jim Schwartz, nutrient education lead for 360 Yield Center, encourages farmers to factor in plant health and nutrient availability for higher yields.

“The longer you keep a plant green during grain fill, the higher it will yield,” he explains.

And to stay healthy, plants need proper nutrition.

BOOST: “Just because nutrients are there, that doesn’t mean they will get in the plant,” says Jim Schwartz, nutrient education lead for 360 Yield Center. A foliar application of additional nutrients between V8 and VT may help give plants what they need prior to grain fill.

Schwartz explains that primary nutrients — such as nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium — are a priority because plants require more of them to stay healthy. Secondary nutrients — including calcium, magnesium and sulfur — are typically not deficient. However, Schwartz notes that sulfur deficiency is becoming more common.

As for micronutrients, Schwartz says farmers should take a close look at boron and zinc, which play a critical role in plant health. Boron helps conserve auxins, or hormones in plants, which promote plant health and help plants stay green. Similarly, zinc plays a critical role in chlorophyll production. 

And today, Schwartz says the International Plant Nutrition Institute’s national soil test research indicates that Midwest soils are deficient in boron and zinc. 

Another problem? You can’t diagnose boron- and zinc-deficient plants by looking at them. Schwartz says soil testing and corresponding tissue testing is the only way to know if plants have sufficient levels of boron and zinc.

Why aren’t soil samples enough? Plants may not take up available nutrients, even if soil tests show adequate levels, Schwartz says. Zinc deficiencies can occur if soils have a pH above 7, are too wet or too cold, or if soils have low organic matter. Boron uptake is prohibited by dry soil conditions, lack of organic matter, and a very low or high pH.

He adds that soil condition challenges, combined with a very narrow plant uptake window, lead to deficiency issues.

What can farmers do? Schwartz says a foliar application of additional nutrients between V8 and VT — giving plants what they need prior to grain fill — may be the answer.

“Micronutrient deficiencies are becoming more common as yield levels increase,” Schwartz says. “Farmers need to anticipate and correct them where necessary.”