This blog is a reprint of an article found in last months Dealer E-Letter.

Proper Nutrients are Key for Proper Maturity and Disease Management

Supplying proper crop nutrition will ensure that your crop reaches maturity. If dry down, test weight, stalk quality, or disease is an issue for your customers, start with your fertility program.
 
There are of course many more nutrients to ensure proper plant growth and development, but we think getting these 10 right (in this order) will have the biggest impact on health and yield.

Boron is necessary for cell wall formation, membrane integrity, calcium uptake and may aid in the translocation of sugars. Boron affects at least 16 functions in plants. Almost every soil report I have read is low in Boron! More on Boron here
 
Silicon is found as a component of cell walls. Plants with supplies of soluble silicon produce stronger, tougher cell walls making them a mechanical barrier to piercing and sucking insects.

Calcium activates enzymes, is a structural component of cell walls, strong cells helps fight of disease. It influences water movement in cells and is necessary for cell growth and division. Soil reports typically measure all calcium, making sure calcium is plant available is key.
 
Nitrogen too much can delay flowering and fruiting. It is essential and needed for amino acid formation, which effects every other plant function.
 
Magnesium is a critical structural component of the chlorophyll molecule and is necessary for functioning of plant enzymes to produce carbohydrates, sugars and fats. High soil magnesium levels interfere with uptake of other essential nutrients.
 
Phosphorus is essential for flower and fruit formation. Low pH results in phosphate being chemically locked up, over application results in zinc deficiency. Without phosphors, chlorophyll is not converted to sugar, resulting in purpling of corn.
 
Carbon is essential to converting chlorophyll into sugar and for plant respiration. Proper soil biology ensures that the plant receive a constant supply of CO2. 96% of a plant is carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen!
 
Potassium deficiencies result in low yields, mottled, spotted or curled leaves, scorched or burned look to leaves. Is necessary to keep nutrients flowing in the sap.
 
Sulfur is essential for all nutrients be plant available. Sulfur is a natural disease fighter. Many plants require as much sulfur as phosphors. 
 
Zinc is a component of enzymes including auxins (plant growth hormones). It is essential to carbohydrate metabolism, protein synthesis and internodal elongation (stem growth). 
 
Manganese is involved in enzyme activity for photosynthesis, respiration, and nitrogen metabolism. It can be tied up with applications of glyphosate.
 
This is of course a very quick look into the functions of each nutrient, give anyone of our reps a call to discuss these nutrients and more in greater detail.