BioFlora Products and Their Effect on Organic Phosphorus

There is a gold mine in your field after harvest. It's the crop of stubble that used to be called "trash".

Here at BioFlora we know that the nutritious stalks dotting your fields in early fall are about as far from our concept of trash as anything we can think of in the biological world. This gold is ready for action when our Stubble Digester is Applied and microbes are freed up to work with those nutrients.

Left up to nature alone, this stubble can be very difficult to manage. Wheat and corn stubble have a very high carbon to nitrogen ratio, 75:1 and 50:1 respectively. Nature has a 12:1 ratio.

Stubble Digester is formulated to bring these high ratios down to a more efficient level so that we can make use of the nutrients that are tied up in the stubble. All soil-applied nutrients and crop residue must be converted by soil organisms to plant-available forms. To illustrate this "nutrient cycle" we will use phosphorus.

The plant absorbs phosphorus by taking in anions from the soil solution. Plants convert inorganic phosphorus into organic phosphorus during the growing process.

A 200-bu/A corn crop contains about 30 lbs. of organic phosphorus in the residue and roots. As the residue decomposes this organic phosphorus will find its way into the phosphorus reserve in the soil and be available for future crops.

The grower can promote decomposition of organic matter and release of phosphates (and nitrogen) by using Stubble Digester.

Key Steps to crop residue decomposition

First: As residue decomposes it produces a black material called organic matter. The residue must be managed to form organic matter. BioFlora recommends 15G/Ac Stubble Digester; this will decompose about 50% more residue over winter than nature alone. Stubble Digester contains microorganisms, nutrients, sulfur, hormones, growth regulators, and large amounts of carbon. Carbon is used as a food supply for soil organisms.

Second: Soil pH should be adjusted to maximize microbial activity. Decomposing residue gives off acid, reducing soil pH in micro areas of the soil. This release additional nutrients to the plant. Therefore, a BioFlora program of Stubble Digester, Chicken Plus, and Bio-Phos, as recommended, will help the soil digest crop residue at a more rapid rate.

Third: There must be warmth, soil moisture, and soil tilth to encourage an active microbial environment. This is why the timing of Stubble Digester application and soil contact is so important. The goal is to maximize microbial activity.

When organic matter is finally produced it contains a substantial amount of organic phosphorus. In the 0 to 6-inch layer a soil with 1% organic matter could contain about 340 lbs. of phosphorus (expressed as P2O5) per acre.

The organic phosphate is being stored for the crop. It will be mineralized and released into the soil, in available form, when the crop needs it most; in the summer months at the peak of the growing season. Through the process of decomposition, organic phosphorus (as well as nitrogen and other nutrients) is made available under conditions of warmth, moisture, and proper pH.

This is one reason why using 15 to 25 B/Ac Bio-Phos is producing high yields and quality. With Bio-Phos and BioFlora products you can take advantage of the added phosphorus, plus the organic phosphorus produced by a good residue management program.

A MUST ingredient

In modern farming yields are very high. When more and more residue is being added to the soil, organic phosphorus becomes a significant consideration in residue management. Added residue need not be a problem. Instead, it can be the solution to nutrient management for high yields. There is no question that organic phosphorus plays a big role in our quest for building a healthy, productive soil that can produce high yields.

Growers nee to build organic phosphorus and organic matter in order to continue to produce high yields and high quality. To accomplish this, BioFlora recommends 15G/Ac Stubble Digester in the fall. Then 15 G/Ac Chicken Plus in the spring, with 15-25 G/Ac Bio-Phos, depending on phosphorus soil test levels. Also, other nutrients need to be balanced, based on soil tests. In season, application of BioFlora products can also be part of the program.