Wouldn’t it be nice if someone gave us a list of what to do so we may succeed in all of our endeavors? While we may not be that lucky, there are ways you can help ensure success with your crops. These three guidelines will highlight ways you can maximize the genetic potential of your crops to produce a higher yield.
1. Improve plant growth
One way to maximize the growth of your plants is by improving absorption of carbon dioxide (CO2
), which increases a plant’s ability to photosynthesize. In addition to providing disease control, strobilurin fungicides
can increase a plant’s ability to absorb and process CO2
, which results in the plant being able to produce energy. This can lead to more efficient use of the sun’s energy and ultimately result in a healthier plant and higher yields.
A second way to improve your plants’ growth is to ensure your fields are utilizing nitrogen in the most efficient possible. Nitrogen
is one of the main chemical elements required for plant growth and reproduction; therefore, improved utilization of nitrogen allows plants to produce proteins that are essential for maximum growth. In both cases, improving CO2
absorption and improving nitrogen use can result in healthier plants and ultimately higher yield.
2. Increase water use efficiency
We all know one of the most important ingredients for plant success is having the right amount of water. In times of drought, intense sun and high-temperatures, plants transpire- think of it in terms of humans perspiring when hot. Also like humans, plants can become dehydrated. In times of low rainfall, dehydration quickly becomes a big issue. This is another area in which strobilurin fungicides can help your crop in multiple ways at once. Strobilurins can help plants retain water by slowing the rate at which water is lost. A strobilurin also conserves moisture in soil and lengthens the time it takes a plant to be impacted by water deficits.
3. Extend grain and pod fill
The longer a plant maintains green leaf area, the more time there is for photosynthesis to take place. By preventing early yellowing and dropping of leaves, plants have more time to grow and reach full yield development. Strobilurin fungicides help extend grain and pod fill by maintaining green leaf longer thus reallocating nutrients from the leaves of the plants to the ears in corn or pods in soybean to improve plant quality and maximize yields at harvest.
What other growing practices do you follow that help increase yield?