El2-Corn Talk, Lancaster Farming, Saturday, October 19, 2002
New Starter Formulation
Shows Promise
UNIVERSITY PARK
(Centre Co.) In Penn State
studies, ammonium sulfate
continues to perform as well
or better than conventional
starters, offering growers an
alternative to high-phosphate
formulations.
“There are environmental
concerns about applying phos
phate fertilizer to soils that al
ready have high levels,” said
Doug Beegle, Penn State
agronomist. “By switching to
ammonium sulfate, growers
can give corn an early-season
boost without adding more
phosphate to the soil.”
Low-phosphate blends
made with ammonium sulfate
also cost less than high-phos
phate formulations, noted
Penn State agronomist Greg
Roth. Every 100 pounds of
ammonium sulfate supplies 21
pounds of nitrogen and 24
pounds of sulfur.
In 2000, Roth included am
monium sulfate in com starter
trails in Hershey
and Rockspring.
The soil type was a
Hagerstown silt
loam, which has tra
ditionally been con
sidered non-respon
sive to sulfur.
“Ammonium sulfate
improved early-sea
son com growth in
both locations,” said
Roth. “At Rock
sping, ammonium
sulfate also in
creased yields by 12
bushels per acre.”
In a separate trial,
also in 2000, Beegle
worked with county
agents to establish
on-farm trials com
paring traditional
starters to ammoni
um sulfate. On high
P-testing soils, am
monium sulfate was
as good or better
than complete NPK
blends, Beegle re
ported.
Continuing the
study in 2001, Bee
gle and Roth com
pared ammonium
sulfate to a 10-301-
formulation in start
er applications on
high-phosphate
soils. Averaged over
21 sites, ammonium
sulfate and 10-30-10
had a similar effect
on early-season
growth. Yield was
taken from 19 sites
and, again, ammoni
um. sulfate and
10-30-10 produced
similar results.
“Both of the start
er treatments pro
duced significant
yield increases on six
out of 19 sites,” said
Roth. “At three of
the six sites, yields
were significantly
higher with ammo
nium sulfate versus
the 10-30-10 start-
Com seedlings still need
phosphorus, said Beegle. But
with ammonium -sulfate in the
starter, com seedlings can get
the ?2 O 5 they need from the
soil instead of from extra fer
tilizer.
“Sometimes when seedlings
are in cold soil, the roots grow
so slowly that they can’t reach
residual phosphate,” Beegle
said. “By putting nitrogen in
corn starter, you’re stimulat
ing root growth so that roots
can reach residual P 2 0$ easi
er and faster.”
In addition, the ammonium
form of nitrogen enhances
root uptake of phosphorus.
Ammonium sulfate is safe
for pop-up applications, as
well as for two-by-two
placement, as long as appro
priate rate guidelines are fol
lowed.
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PCGA Recognizes Top
State Membership Recruiter
STATE COLLEGE (Centre Co.) The
Pennsylvania Com Growers Association
(PCGA) recently recognized Carl Cassidy of
Spring Mills, as the top recruiter in the organi
zation for the recruiting year of 2001-2002.
Cassidy recruited a total of seven new mem
bers for PCGA during the year. Carl is em
ployed as an agronomist with Helena in Warri
ors Mark.
Last year, PCGA participated in a national
recruitment program with NCGA that made
available prizes to local recruiters who brought
a minimum of five new members into the or
ganization.
Cassidy’s prize was a $3OO Sears Gift Card.
Syngenta Crop Protection and Syngenta
Seeds sponsored the recruitment program
along with NCGA. PCGA has 292 members in
Pennsylvania. NCGA is a national organiza
tion founded in 1957 and represents more than
31,000 dues-paying com growers from 48
states.
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w. l cwrr«M», mac*
with
Carl Cassidy, right, received the
2001-2002 PCGA state recruiter prize
from PCGA executive secretary Greg
Roth.
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