| KDD - 2/11/2019 08:54
Goose: I actually DID side-by-sides every year for 25 years, and never could consistently prove an advantage to starter....sometimes the starter strips would win, sometimes not, sometimes about the same...never by any significant amount either way. And I ALWAYS gave the advantage to the starter side of the test, because I never adjusted the broadcast rates up on the non-starter strips. So the starter strips ALWAYS had more total N and P applied.
The starter strips ALWAYS LOOKED better, from emergence to harvest. Never a consistent yield difference.
It might not work that way for you. Not saying anyone should switch there practice. Just relating my observations over the first 25 years of my farming career, and saying that those that claim starter always works/is always more efficient, should maybe re-think their claims.
That's been our experience as well. And if add the premium you're paying for the starter fertilizer itself you're definitely going backwards. |
Any unintended starter test plot results out there?
