Al4— Lancaster Farming, Saturday, February 23,1980
Letters To
The Editor
Dear Editor:
The Agrispon ad
vertisement on page C 43 of
the February 16th issue of
Lancaster Farming provides
the public with certain
conclusions drawn by
Agrispon representatives
from research data obtained
at Penn State University.
The conclusions of Agrispon
are not supported by the
Penn State research per
sonnel who actually con
ducted the experiments.
As project leader for this
research, which was sup
ported m part by the Penn
sylvania Department of
Agriculture, I feel that the
public has the right to know
that for a total of 16 different
experiments conducted with
Agnspon under laboratory,
growth chamber,
greenhouse, and field con
ditions the results failed to
show any consistent,
statistically significant,
positive response to
Agrispon. I am concerned
that contrary reports based
upon misinterpretation of
the data might lead farmers
to depend upon the product
for the next growing season.
Our data indicate to us
that unless the carry-over
nitrogen from previous
crops is substantial, yields of
com and other non-legumes
may be reduced by 50 per
cent and perhaps more if
Agnspon is used in place of
normally recommended
levels of fertilizer nitrogen.
I have not published the
existing data for two
reasons. First, additional
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experimentation is in
progress. Second, we had
intended to wait until a
decision had been made
regarding registration of
Agrispon, in order not to
create a premature pubhc
issue. But in view of the
Agnspon advertisement, I
feel compelled to summarize
the results of the ex
periments referred to in that
advertisement.
Results for 11 laboratory
experiments indicated that
for a total of 35 treatments
with Agrispon compared
with untreated soil, four
small increases in nitrate
nitrogen were observed
compared with 25 decreases
and six with no effect.
Growth chamber studies
comparing Agnspon at 10,
20, 100, and 200 times the
recommended field ap
plication rate gave changes
in plant growth of -4, +7, -1,
and +3 percent, respec
tively, over untreated soil.
On tiie other hand, an
equivalent of 100 pounds of
nitrogen per acre as am
monium nitrate fertilizer
increased plant growth by 92
percent. Only the plants
treated with fertilizer
nitrogen had statistically
greater growth rates than
plants on untreated soil.
In a greenhouse ex
periment involving or
chardgrass on 20 soils of
Pennsylvania, carry-over
nitrogen from a previous
crop of com on the soils gave
an average increase in plant
production of 141 percent
over untreated soils;
For your nearest dealer, please contact'
Agnspon with two ap
plications at 10 tunes the
rate recommended for use in
the field gave increases of
three percent for soils with
carry-over nitrogen and six
percent for soils not
receiving fertilizer nitrogen
for the previous crop. The
nitrate-nitrogen in the
Agrispon, 0.06%, was con
sidered by us to be sufficient
to account for these small
increases in plant growth.
Field experiments with
com have been conducted by
both Dr. Richard Fox and
our soil chemistry group. Dr.
Fox had plots treated with
Agnspon in the fall of 1978
and again in June of 1979.
The com grain yields at
15.5% moisture were 88
bushels per acre for no
treatment and 90 bushels per
acre for Agnspon compared
with 121, 135, 137, and 149
bushels per acre for plots
receiving, respectively, 50,
87, 110, and 160 pounds of
fertilizer nitrogen per acre.
In our field plots, Agrispon
representatives assisted in
the applications of Agnspon.
The average com silage
-yields for check plots (no
nitrogen added) were 14.4
tons per acre compared with
14.1 tons per acre with
Agrispon, while plots treated
with nitrogen fertilizer
yielded 21.9 tons per acre.
Grain yields averaged 102
bushels per acre for checks,
113 bushels per acre for
Agrispon, and 167 bushels
per acre with nitrogen
fertilizer.
The average 11 bushel
increase from Agrispon was
not statistically significant.
Dale E. Baker
Professor of Soil Chemistry
Penn State University
Dear Editor,
I believe your idea on a ten
day pay is the right ap
proach. I am pleased to see
that you suggest it. We
should not have to wait to be
paid.
I am against a security
firestone
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fund which the farmers
would have to pay for. I
thought we all wanted less
government controls and
less bureaucracy.
Leland Stanford
R 1 Dillsburg
Crafty Creators meets
FLEMINGTON, N.J.
The 4-H Window Display
Contest was the mam topic
for discussion at the
February 5,1980 meeting of
the Crafty Creators 4-H
Club.
The meeting was held at
the home of their leader,
Nancy Bachardy, of
Flemington. The title of their
display is “We Cook and Sew
and Make Things Cr-'"’ ”
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injured the hands of many of
the participants.
TO STRIVE FOR
GOOD MILK QUALITY
Milk is very important to
all dairymen.
The production of a large
Upcoming events in which
the club members will be
participating are the mid
year and summer judgmgs.
A trip for the members
was also discussed. Duke
Gardens and Voorhees
Kitchens were two places
which were suggested. The
next meeting is to be held on
February 19th at the
Bachardy residence.
BRING THE FAMILY!
REGISTER ALL WEEK
LONG FOR DOOR PRIZES!
(Continued from Page AID)
quantity of milk helps the
bank account. The
production of high quality
milk satisfies the consumer
and creates a greater
demand for milk.
Andy Martin, one of our
local dairy service men,
states that most dairymen
know how to produce quality
milk, but often don’t take the
time to put the practices in
operation.
Milk of poor quality and
poor taste will not sell and
may be rejected by the
buyer. Good sanitation in the
barn and in the milk house is
very important. Feeding
silage after the milking
period is another very im
portant item.
All dairymen should strive
for top quality milk - nothing
less.
(Account Must be Current to
Quality tor Discount!
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