Boost Crop Yields & Cut Costs: Early-Season Nutrition Goals

Optimize Phosphorus Efficiency with Water-Soluble Fertilizers and Biostimulants

As we set our sights on the 2025 planting season, it’s time to talk strategy—because just like a strong foundation is key to building a house, early-season nutrition is the bedrock of a high-yielding crop. In the next few weeks, many farmers across the central Corn Belt will be in full planting mode, and those early nutrition decisions will play a crucial role in maximizing returns.  

 I want to emphasize that precision doesn’t mean perfection. While striving for optimal yields with perfectly timed nutrient applications may seem ideal, it may not be financially feasible for many farming operations. That said, one of the most promising developments in early-season crop nutrition is the use of water-soluble fertilizers (WSFs) and inputs that stimulate the soil microbiome. By combining these strategies, we can deliver essential nutrients right where they’re needed and encourage beneficial soil biology to improve plant availability of nutrients already in the soil. Products like ICL’s Nova PeKacid, BIOZ Diamond, Agrolution pHLow, and Challenge are gaining traction, particularly for enhancing phosphorus availability. These innovations are not only meeting the demand for more efficient nutrient delivery but are also showing potential for significantly boosting your return on investment (ROI). Let’s dive into why these products are gaining momentum and how they can optimize both your productivity and profitability. 

Getting the Most out of Your Phosphorus

Crops need the right fuel at the right time to grow strong and perform well, but how do we do that in a way that doesn’t take up more time and money? Phosphorus, in particular, is a powerhouse nutrient for early root and shoot development, but it’s often locked up in the soil and unavailable to plants, leading to over-application. Factors like pH, salt index and chloride also impact seed and root safety, making phosphorus fertilizer source selection critical in early-season applications. The first step is understanding your soil and your crops’ nutrient needs. After testing and establishing a starting point, setting yield goals based on crop and soil requirements can help inform input and application decisions. 

Beyond just placing nutrients safely near the seed, modifying soil pH can significantly impact phosphorus efficiency. Products like Nova PeKacid not only deliver phosphorus, but also lower the pH in the root zone, enhancing phosphorus availability and optimizing plant uptake. This approach allows you to apply less while getting more in return—boosting both yield and nutrient efficiency. 

Maximizing Phosphorus Efficiency with Acidification

  In high-pH soils, phosphorus can bind to calcium, making it unavailable to plants. In no-till systems, phosphorus stratification adds to the inefficiencies of traditional broadcast fertilization, trapping immobile nutrients at the surface where roots can’t reach them. Understanding that profitability and production go hand in hand, we often stress that maintaining balanced phosphorus levels in the soil—with a goal of applying what the crop removes is an effective long-term strategy.  

Improve Phosphorus Uptake Cost Effectively:

1. Soil Testing: Understanding existing soil test phosphorus levels by soil depth, along with other important factors like soil pH, can help design application strategies to optimize phosphorus availability and uptake. 

1. Acidification Inputs: Incorporating acidifying products like Nova PeKacid and Agrolution pHLow in-furrow or via fertigation improves phosphorus mobility and uptake. These products prevent phosphorus from being tied up by calcium in high-pH soils as well as promote the uptake of other soil pH-dependent nutrients like zinc, manganese, and copper. 

1. Lower Phosphorus Application Rates: Research shows that by using Nova PeKacid or Agrolution pHLow at application rates that are less than that of traditional phosphorus fertilizers, growers can maintain yields while cutting overall phosphorus use—aligning with both economic, operational, and environmental goals. 

ICL offers several phosphorus-containing fertilizers tailored to different conditions:

• Nova PeKacid (0-60-20) – pH ~1-2: Enhances nutrient uptake in calcareous soils with acidifying technology and a low-chloride, low-sodium formulation. Also available in a liquid form (Nova PeKacid LQ 0-27-9). 

• Agrolution pHLow (varying formulations): Incorporates Nova PeKacid technology for optimized phosphorus solubility. Common formulations include 11-45-11 +2% Zn as a starter, 6-31-31 for mid-season, and 15-6-27 +3.3% Ca for nitrogen and calcium needs. 

• Nova HiPeaK (0-44-44) pH neutral: A balanced application, free from chloride and sodium, also available in liquid form (Nova HiPeaK LQ 0-19-19). 

• Nova PeaK (MKP, 0-52-34) pH ~4.5: Delivers superior quality potassium alongside phosphorus in a safe, impurity-free, pH-stable form. 

Trials Show Higher Yields, Improved Profits, Reduced Rates

These formulations have consistently increased yields and nutrient-use efficiency in crops such as potatoes, corn, and soybeans. For example: 

• Potatoes: Using Agrolution pHLow increased yield while using three times less phosphorus than 10-34-0, resulting in an extra $436 per acre in grower returns. 

• Corn: Wisconsin (Agri-Tech Consulting) trials found that 2.7 lbs of P₂O₅ from Agrolution pHLow outperformed 11.9 lbs of P₂O₅ from 10-34-0, demonstrating greater phosphorus-use efficiency. 

• Fruit Crops: Fertigation with Agrolution pHLow (6-31-31) improved yields in pears by enhancing nutrient solubility in the root zone. 

Across the board, precision nutrition represents a triple win: agronomically, environmentally, and economically. These fertilizers allow us to fine-tune applications based on soil type, pH, and crop needs, ensuring optimal yield and profitability. 

Biostimulants: Taking Early-Season Nutrition to the Next Level

Soil health and microbiome activity are crucial for nutrient efficiency. Plants interact with soil microbes at the root zone, influencing nutrient cycling and availability. Biostimulants enhance this interaction, improving nutrient uptake and water-use efficiency. 

Pairing WSFs with biostimulants is like adding a boost to an already powerful tool. Biostimulants don’t necessarily replace fertilizers but enhance how efficiently plants use them. 

ICL’s early-season biostimulant and microbial enhancing products include: 

• BIOZ Diamond: A molasses- and yeast-based product that improves soil enzyme activity and nutrient cycling. 

• Challenge 8-32-5: A nutrient-enhanced fertilizer combining NPK with organic acids for improved root growth and reduced stress. 

Trial Results:

• Corn: BIOZ Diamond + Agrolution pHLow 11-45-11 +Zn delivered the highest yield boost of 4% increase compared to a grower standard practice of 10-34-0 and improved P-use efficiency across both years of the trial at the Whitewater, Wisconsin location. 
• Soybeans: Improved phosphorus efficiency when BIOZ Diamond was paired with Agrolution pHLow 11-45-11 +Zn in addition to increasing yields by 9.3% when compared to 10-34-0. 
• Potatoes: BIOZ Diamond + Agrolution pHLow reduced phosphorus applications by 10% while maintaining yield. 
• CHALLENGE 8-32-5: Increased corn yield by 11.7 bushels/acre, generating over $50 per acre in additional returns (2024). 

Planning for 2025: What’s Next?

More Yield, Less Waste, Better ROI

At the end of the day, it’s all about profitability. Reducing phosphorus inputs while maintaining or increasing yield saves money, enhances sustainability, and protects soil health. Trials show that growers using advanced fertilizers and biostimulants achieved 16 times greater phosphorus efficiency compared to 10-34-0 alone. Our Crop Life webinar covers the trials and research in this article in more depth. 

As you finalize your nutrition plan for the upcoming season, consider integrating WSFs and biostimulants into your program.  

• ✅ Precision matters – Placing nutrients where and when crop need them improves efficiency.
• ✅ pH modification is powerful – Lowering pH unlocks phosphorus and enhances uptake.
• ✅ WSFs save money – More efficient nutrient use means you can apply less and still get better results.
• ✅ Biostimulants enhance efficiency – They work with fertilizers to improve root growth and soil health. 

By making smart nutrition decisions now, we set crops up for success and maximize grower ROI. The future of farming is about doing more with less—and these tools are here to help you achieve exactly that. Contact one of our local experts to learn more about how our growing solutions can fit into your program with ease. 

Happy planting, and here’s to a productive 2025 season!