Emerging Corn Can Overcome Adverse Conditions With Ascend2
Getting high-yielding corn off to a strong start has been challenging the past few years. Wet, cold weather has delayed planting, followed by drought conditions, which further stress young corn plants. Although growers can’t control Mother Nature, they can control the investments made in products used to help corn achieve optimal yield potential, such as plant growth regulators (PGRs).
“PGRs act like a steroid for corn plants, helping increase yield and optimize ROI for growers by combatting the impact of adverse growing conditions,” said Jon Zuk, crop protection product manager, WinField United. “There are a lot of PGR and biological products out on the market today that aren’t backed by testing or education, so their performance is unreliable. Ascend2 TM is backed by nearly a decade of field research in 67 Answer Plot® trials in 15 states that evaluated optimal PGR ratios for consistent performance.”
Data has shown that Ascend2 had a positive yield impact of 7.5 bushels/acre and an overall average yield response of 3 bushels/acre. This information was gathered in fields with varying environmental conditions, applied both pre- and post-planting, to provide insights on how it can fit specifically into field-level agronomic planning.
Give Corn Seeds a Boost
PGRs contain growth-supporting hormones that can have many positive impacts on crops, such as improving plant health, stimulating more efficient growth and development, and helping plants thrive in unexpected conditions. Using a PGR prior to emergence can give seeds an extra boost and a strong start at times when soil and environmental conditions may not be favorable.
Not all PGRs are created equally, and plants respond differently to various amounts of growth regulators. PGRs can even have detrimental effects when used at levels that are too high and no effect when levels are too low.
Alleviate Early-Season Crop Stress
“Ascend2 has auxin, gibberellins and cytokinins as its three primary active ingredients with three times the amount of auxins compared to previous formulas,” said Zuk. “Ascend2 is more efficient and powerful in helping your corn grow, develop and withstand unexpected conditions.”
Auxins are crucial for early-season growth and help alleviate early-season crop stress. Auxins initiate root growth and are a key regulator of plant growth and development, causing biological responses in stem growth and cell division.
Compared to previous Ascend formulations, Ascend2 has two times the amount of gibberellic acid, which regulates key processes that stimulate cell division and elongation, break dormancy and speed up seed germination. Cytokinins also stimulate cell division and plant growth.
Ascend2: Unique in the Market
“Ascend2 is an auxin-dominant, three-way PGR that creates the foundation for increased corn yields,” said Zuk. “This PGR is specifically designed for in-furrow corn, more so than other PGRs, using WinField United’s innovation capabilities.”
Ascend2 is designed to deliver the right amount of PGRs at the right time for in-furrow corn, although it can also be used in a foliar application. The PGR can be added to the tank with a balancer starter fertilizer to provide corn a strong start to the growing season, making it ideal for growers who are already using zinc and a starter fertilizer on in-furrow corn acres.
