• Plant Health, Research and Development

Research Backs the Use of Plant Growth Regulators At Planting

Planter driving over tilled ground
Have you considered applying a plant growth regulator (PGR) to help protect your seed investment but aren’t sold on the benefits? We’ve done the research as part of our Answer Plot® program and here’s what we know.
 
PGRs help build stronger plants
Roots are a plant’s lifeline for nutrient and water uptake. If your crops don’t have a strong root system, chances are your yield will suffer. PGRs are hormones that regulate growth and development of plants, and they can offer significant benefits, including a larger root mass with more root hairs. That can help the plant mine non-mobile soil nutrients including phosphorus, potassium and zinc for better plant health. PGRs can also promote vigorous emergence, wider leaves and thicker stalks.
 
Research on our newest PGR
You may think that PGRs only are a fit when conditions are cool and wet at planting, but our data shows us that’s not necessarily true, with our new in-furrow PGR product. Even in hot, dry conditions PGRs can offer a yield advantage because they boost the overall health of the plant from day one. This sets the plant up to battle in-season stress like diseases, drought and fertility challenges.
 
Based on multi-year field trials, farmers can expect to see improved plant health with our newest PGR, Ascend® Pro. In 2018, we saw a very consistent, positive yield response 76% of the time when Ascend Pro compared to the untreated control was applied at planting. The optimized formulation of Ascend Pro has worked in every geography tested to offer an early-season plant benefit.
 
Ask for data to support claims
PGRs offer plants benefits because they contain hormones that regulate specific physiological functions within the plant, which can vary widely. Before choosing a PGR, ask for data to support its placement and expected plant response. At WinField United, we use a vigorous product testing program that includes the Innovation Center, our extensive 200-location Answer Plot program and on-farm trials to ensure the products we recommend bring value to your fields. These programs allow us to provide predictable outcomes for PGRs even when we don’t know exactly what challenges the crops will face in a given season. Work with your local WinField United retailer to learn more about which PGR products are the best fit based on your field environments.