Showing how a product “that does nothing” can enhance yields and replace nitrogen fertilizer
John Heard, Crops Knowledge Centre, Manitoba Agriculture, Food and Rural Initiatives, Carman, MB R0G 0J0

At the 2009 Crop Diagnostic School, the naturally occurring extract from Acer negunda was applied to crops of wheat and canola. In the canola, the extract was foliar applied on June 2 to emerged plants in a RCBD design in 20 separate experiments within the same field to simulate a number of locations. Biomass yields were taken and analysed using statistics. In 2 cases the yield of canola was increased statistically. Likewise in an adjacent wheat field a RCBD experiment compared wheat with N at 60 lb N /ac plus Acer negunda compared to 120 lb N/ac fertilizer. Biomass yield and SPAD chlorophyll readings were statistically similar indicating that Acer negunda replaced 60 lb nitrogen fertilizer. Results will be presented and discussed.