The purpose of this study is to compare various sugar products, applied in-furrow, and their impact on plant health, yield and profitability.

In years past, we have tested granulated sugar at the Ohio PFR site. We have also tested sugar both with and without an in-furrow starter. Due to negligible differences in the past, we decided to test our sugar products with starter this year. In 2017, we replaced the previously tested granulated table sugar with feed grade dextrose as our sugar option. We decided to do this largely because of its ease of mixability. The Solvita test results at the V3 growth stage showed no differences in microbial activity between the four treatments. All four treatments also showed negligible differences in microbial activity and canopy coverage. When reaching the V12 growth stage, we saw differences in height with the greatest increase in plant height shown with the application of feed grade dextrose. Unfortunately, this did not translate to yield. While the addition of carbose did not result in a large increase in plant height, it did supply multiple forms of sugar to the plant, which seemed to have caused a yield increase.

AGRONOMY FUNDAMENTAL: WHAT IS A SOLVITA SOIL TEST?

A Solvita soil test is a soil health analysis that measures CO2 respiration. All soil organisms (ie: bacteria, fungi, or animals) release respired carbon as CO2. Therefore, overall soil respiration is representative of total soil biology and can be used to quantify changes in soil health from management practices. Solvita results are given in a 0-5 scale with a range of 4.0 to 5.0 meaning the highest soil microbial activity.

For more information about a Solvita soil test, visit Solvita.com.

V3 SOLVITA RESULTS BASED ON SUGAR IN-FURROW (PARTS PER MILLION CO2 & SOLVITA RATING)

SUGAR APPLIED IN-FURROW V12 PLANT HEIGHT (INCHES)

 Fall: Disk-Rip, Spring: Field Cultivation | 

 Pre: 4 oz. Corvus®, 1 lb. Atrazine, 1 qt. Roundup PowerMAX® Post: 3 oz. Capreno®, 0.5 lb. Atrazine, 1 qt. Roundup PowerMAX® | 

 10 gal. 28-0-0 2x2, 5 gal. PureGrade® Diamond 6-24-6 In-Furrow | 

Carbose, eXceed™ Nano Brown Sugar, Feed Grade Dextrose

2021 Iowa Organic Soybean Fungicide & Insecticide Study - In-Furrow

2021 Iowa Corn Thin Stand Management Study - Fungicide Response

Sugar Study

2017 Ohio Corn Sugar Study - In-furrow

Use whenever the name of a PFR Study mentions Seed Treatment, Sugar Rate, Sugar, Microbial, Micronutrient, and/or Biological.