Meristem’s Bio-Capsule Microbial Technology Coming to Cotton
October 24, 2023 Meristem Crop Performance has announced a new industry-leading formulation of microbes and micronutrients for use at planting in the cotton market.
Corn and soybean farmers have seen massive roots, more nutrients, and higher yields this season with the REVLINE HOPPER THROTTLE powered by our BIO-CAPSULE microbial delivery system,” said Mitch Eviston, Meristem’s Founder and CEO. “Now cotton farmers will be able to gain the advantage of our patented delivery system.”REVLINE HOPPER THROTTLE COTTON contains a full collection of microbes and micronutrients safely packaged for convenient deployment at planting. The Bio-Capsules are charged with a newly added, crop-specific strain of Terrasym for cotton, in conjunction with 10 bio-fertility and N-fixing microbes that focus on the nutritional needs and stresses facing cotton. In addition, Meristem’s Active Carbon Technology feeds these microbes and helps protect the cotton crop during events that bring plant stress.
All of these unique product offerings are released at planting in conjunction with a micronutrient blend featuring manganese and IONLOCK zinc. It’s carried to the seed in an 80/20 talc/graphite seed fluency agent in pails that treat 20 units of cotton at planting.
Diagram courtesy of MeristemIn-field research has demonstrated up to 10 times the number of live microbes can be delivered through the planter box when compared to seed treatment or liquid starter, resulting in fast emergence, a strong stand, and better season-long plant health.
“The cotton we treated with REVLINE HOPPER THROTTLE COTTON came up to a better stand and had better vigor than the untreated blocks from the start,” says Lee Baynes, who raises 8,000 acres of cotton at Tibbs Farms in West Tennessee and ran comparisons with the new cotton formulation. “This is a big deal for us on cotton seedlings which are weak by nature. Anything to help push that crop beyond thrips and nematode pressure is a big win.”
Baynes also liked the convenience of delivery through the hopper box, noting that it was no different than using conventional talc/graphite.
Chris Thrasher, Meristem’s Director of Innovation and Product Management, is excited to see the REVLINE HOPPER THROTTLE available to farmers who raise cotton.“I’ve spent 10 years working with biologicals,” he says. “I’ve had the pleasure of working with some very good biological technologies, but we’ve never had a dependable way to keep microbes vigorous all the way to field level and in high enough concentration to benefit crops the most.
“Now we’re able to bring the proper load of bios and micros to the crop and put them, safely, right where they need to be,” he adds. “As an industry, we’ve tried to put more on the seed through seed treatment, but available space on the seed is limited. Now we can adhere to the seed in a high enough concentration to improve the effectiveness of biologicals.”Thrasher says that the Bio-Capsule will carry innovative technology like the new IONLOCK Zinc, specially formulated to effectively deliver 10 times the zinc to each seed through the planter box.
“When you have the right material in the right place for that seed, it’s like getting perfect delivery of a shot of adrenalin,” he says.
Information from Meristem Crop Performance
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