Strong, healthy and productive crops start with the formation of a root mass that can sustain crop health and vigour throughout the growing season in many ways:
- Anchorage and stability – Strong, well-developed roots physically anchor potato plants, preventing lodging and losses during early growth.
- Water uptake – A healthy root system allows young crops to access soil moisture readily. This is not only vital during the critical establishment phase, but also essential during drought conditions, such as those experienced this year.
- Nutrient uptake – Roots explore the soil for essential nutrients like phosphate (which is immobile in soil), nitrogen and other micronutrients needed in early development to support leaf growth and branching.
- Soil interactions – Roots release exudates that feed soil microbes, which in turn play an important role in nutrient recycling (e.g., breaking down ammonium into nitrate, a form of nitrogen that crops can absorb).
- Resilience to stress – A deeper, more extensive root system helps crops tolerate drought, compaction and early pest and disease pressures.
How can you ensure your crop maximises its rooting potential in the first thirty days?
Research over the last decade has shown that synergistic microbial formulations, such as Symposium (formerly Consortium), provide a blend of specifically selected species and strains of beneficial, plant growth–promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) and other organic growth stimulants.
Symposium quickly colonises the soil and root zone, boosting nutrition through the organic acids and enzymes released by microbes. These compounds help solubilise nutrients such as phosphorus, improving early nutrition.
In addition, the beneficial fungi within Symposium help build systemic crop resilience from day one, enabling plants to withstand the challenges of early spring.
Click here to see for product information on Symposium https://bit.ly/42ooDfE