WILLMAR, Minn. — ROI is never far from a grower’s mind, and two factors to consider for reaching profit goals are strong root development and weed control. To help growers in both areas, West Central developed starter fertilizer Paralign, helping increase nutrient uptake, and adjuvant Last Chance, which has shown to increase efficacy of herbicides.
Paralign: Dual Action Chemistries
“At West Central we are always looking for new ways to make a grower’s job easier. And with more growers planting earlier, and the need for better nutrient uptake, we knew there needed to be a way to continue to advance starter fertilizers,” said Brian Kuehl, Director of Product Development with West Central.
Working quietly under the soil, starter fertilizers ensure that seeds have access to readily available nutrients needed to develop strong roots faster. By helping plants use nutrients in the soil to their full potential, starter fertilizers give crops a stronger start, especially during variable spring conditions.
Paralign is a 5-15-3 fertilizer with 0.8 percent chelated Zinc. This product also contains right ratio of two of the most important nutrient components in starter fertilizers (N and P), 1:3 ratio of nitrogen to phosphorus is crucial for phenological transition from vegetative to reproductive state. Also, this ratio has been shown to be optimal for early growth and product stability. Research has shown that sometimes deficiency symptoms can appear not from a lack of nutrients, but rather by not having the right ration with other nutrients.
The two unique modes of actions making up Paralign are ortho-ortho EDDHA (Levesol chelate) and the enzyme hemicellulase. The Levesol chelate increases the amount of phosphorus available by ensuring the element does not combine with positively charged soil components. The hemicellulsae enzyme benefits the crops by catalyzing the reaction that converts organic matter into simple sugars, nitrate, phosphorus, potassium and micronutrients.
Last Chance: Improving an Herbicide’s Efficacy
Finding more efficient ways to tackle weeds is essential for growers. To help herbicides work better, West Central launched Last Chance. Last Chance is formulated with an AMS-FREE water conditioner, which helps to prevent the loss of active ingredient efficacy that can occur when the mixing water is mineral saturated or of unknown quality.
“Last Chance is designed to significantly increase performance over the standard adjuvant program,” Kuehl said. “It is compatible with a broad range of conventional and traited crops as well as non-crop situations, which makes it an excellent addition to a grower’s tool belt.”
Last Chance can be a strong addition to a crop protection plan utilizing glyphosate. When applied, Last Chance combines with negatively charged glyphosate to increase plant uptake and translocation and prevents glyphosate antagonism. Last Chance also improves coverage, retention and absorption.
To learn more about Paralign and Last Chance, visit www.wcdst.com or talk to your retailer.
