Plant Health Insights

This winter 2018 trial in barley demonstrated that adding Basis XC to starter fertiliser can have a positive impact on barley growth and yield.

The trial was conducted by Nutrien Ag Solutions Goondiwindi using MAP starter fertiliser (40kg/ha) treated with Basis XC (2L/tonne). Treated and untreated fertiliser was applied, along with 80kg/ha of urea in crop. Moisture availability was limited during the season, with only 85mm of in-crop rainfall.

Above the ground, there were few visual differences in crop between the treated and control areas of the paddock, and no distinct nutritional differences were revealed on two tissue tests taken in crop. Below the ground, however, the benefits of Basis XC were more apparent. The barley grown where Basis XC-treated fertiliser had been applied developed stronger root systems, which were first observable when the crop began to tiller. 

In winter 2018, an on-farm chickpea trial was conducted by Nutrien Ag Solutions Goondiwindi to evaluate the effect of applying Basis XC to starter fertiliser. The trial showed earlier crop emergence and higher chickpea yields when the grower's standard starter fertiliser (30kg/ha NPS Kote + 1% Zn) was treated with Basis XC versus untreated.

The greatest difference noticed in the crop throughout the trial was at crop emergence. The Basis XC-treated area had greater vigour, resulting in a higher plant stand. Root growth was also much more vigorous in the treated area, with a higher production of lateral roots and earlier nodulation.

Basis XC is a biocatalyst that can be applied to granular fertiliser blends to accelerate fertiliser breakdown and improve crop growth. Below we answer some key questions about this innovative product.

Basis XC helps mineralise nitrogen and phosphorus from organic forms into plant-available, inorganic forms, but how does it work on potassium, gypsum or lime?

The biochemistry in Basis XC hastens the breakdown of treated fertiliser granules and will also help stimulate more root development, which results in a better ability to capture nutrients, including potassium. In addition, the biochemistry will help pull apart calcium from carbonate (lime) and sulfate (gypsum), better allowing the calcium in the applied fertiliser to be utilised.

What do more than one million Australian hectares have in common? Basis technology from Loveland Agri Products.

Since being introduced in 2014, fertiliser treated with Basis or Basis XC has been applied on over one million hectares in Australia, and this technology is becoming the standard in many cropping and intensive pasture districts across Australia. This is an outstanding success for a biologically derived nutrient-enhancing product, with growers coming back time and again for Basis XC on their fertiliser after seeing the benefits of improved nutrient use efficiency and enhanced crop performance.

This demonstration shows how using Basis XC can accelerate and enhance wheat germination by improving nutrient release from granular fertiliser.

Seventeen Basis XC-treated fertiliser granules were mixed into the soil in the tray on the right, while untreated fertiliser granules were used in the tray on the left. As you can see, wheat germination is significantly advanced in the tray where Basis XC-treated fertiliser was applied.

This trial from Minlaton, South Australia was conducted to evaluate lentil production utilising Basis XC on MAP fertiliser. Basis XC was applied on MAP at 2L/tonne ("treated"). Treated and untreated MAP was applied at planting with the seed at rates of 25, 50 and 75kg/ha.

At every rate, lentils grown in the blocks with Basis XC-treated MAP outyielded the control blocks, with yield increases ranging from 50-190 kg/ha. 

Phosphorus is required early in a plant’s growth cycle, when it is key to good plant establishment and early vigour. But, like other nutrients, it must have time to break down into plant-available forms. Increasing the availability of phosphorus in early growth stages helps improve crop establishment and can positively influence yield potential.  

By using Basis XC with SSP fertilisers, graziers can speed up the release and utilisation of phosphorus and other nutrients in their pastures, which can equal more pasture growth.

"We did trials with a local grazier where we compared the quality of pasture spread with Basis XC-treated SSP versus untreated SSP," says Sam Graetz, Nutrien Ag Solutions Branch Manager at Lucindale, SA.

"The quality of the pasture from the treated area was far higher than the untreated in virtually all aspects, including metabolisable energy and protein, as well as much higher nutritional levels, resulting in higher potential stocking rates," he adds.

Foundation LM and Basis XC contain concentrated biochemistry that helps growers increase nutrient availability to their crops, enhance root growth and functioning, and improve overall plant performance. But, what exactly is biochemistry?

Biochemistry is the chemistry of life. It is created by, in, and from living organisms, such as soil microbes. A number of different biochemistries are created by soil microbes—each serving an important role in soil microbial functioning, and even in plant functioning.

In 2017, several trials were conducted to evaluate Basis XC on pastures fertilised with single superphosphate (SSP) and diammonium phosphate (DAP). The results show a positive impact on dry matter yield when the fertiliser is treated with Basis XC. Two trials are highlighted below.

Basis XC with SSP in Littlehampton, SA

In a pasture trial conducted with input from Nutrien Ag Solutions Murray Bridge in the Adelaide Hills, South Australia, SSP treated with Basis XC (applied at 2L/tonne onto the fertiliser) was compared to untreated SSP across an existing, one-year old paddock containing four grass species. The treated and untreated fertiliser was applied at a rate of 130kg/ha down the allocated strips at the start of the season.