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Alpine’s starter fertilizer can help plants absorb nutrients faster

Alpine’s starter fertilizer can help plants absorb nutrients faster

Alpine can add extra nutrients to their fertilizers to meet soil and crop needs

By Farms.com

Faster nutrient absorption, low salt concentrations and custom nutrient additions are part of Alpine’s fertilizer programs to help farmers grow better crops.

Plants can absorb the nutrients in Alpine’s G24 liquid fertilizer immediately, according to Ken Brett, Eastern Canada Sales Manager with Alpine. This quick uptake is thanks to the fact that 80 per cent of the phosphate in the fertilizer is present in the orthophosphate form.

“High orthophosphate is important because that’s the form of phosphate the roots absorb out of the soil,” he explained. “There’s a lot of fertilizers on the market that have polyphosphate and, unfortunately, that takes three to four weeks to convert in soil to a usable form.”

Alpine’s liquid fertilizers are also low in salt, which is another important consideration for plant health.

“Too much salt can actually burn the roots back a little bit,” Brett said. “A real salt concentration in the root zone can (also) suck up water and not make it available to the crop.”

And if producers are looking to add nutrients to their fertilizer mix to meet soil and crop requirements, Alpine is able to accommodate those needs.

“We can add (nutrients) on the farm or right at our Alpine plant,” Brett said. “Usually we add micronutrients, (with) zinc being the most common one (for) corn.”

The addition of zinc to Alpine’s wheat fertilizer also provides “a good payback,” he said.


Trending Video

Dr. Emerson Nafziger: Nitrogen Fertilizer Rates for Corn

Video: Dr. Emerson Nafziger: Nitrogen Fertilizer Rates for Corn

The Crop Science Podcast Show, Dr. Emerson Nafziger from the University of Illinois breaks down decades of nitrogen research. From the evolution of N rate guidelines to how soil health and hybrid genetics influence nitrogen use efficiency, this conversation unpacks the science behind smarter fertilization. Improving how we set nitrogen fertilizer rates for rainfed corn is a key focus. Discover why the MRTN model matters more than ever, and how shifting mindsets and better data can boost yields and environmental outcomes. Tune in now on all major platforms!

"The nitrogen that comes from soil mineralization is the first nitrogen the plant sees, and its role is underestimated."

Meet the guest:

Dr. Emerson Nafziger is Professor Emeritus of Crop Sciences at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, with degrees in agronomy from Ohio State, Purdue, and Illinois. His research has focused on nitrogen rate strategies and crop productivity. He co-developed the Maximum Return to Nitrogen (MRTN) model, which is widely used across the Midwest. His research spans N response trials, hybrid interactions, crop rotation effects, and yield stability.