New Seed Treatment Technology Accelerates Nutrient Uptake to Give Soybean, Corn and Wheat Crops a Head Start

CARY, N.C. (December 11, 2015)

Take Off ST^® assures growers they have maximized their yield potential from the moment the seed hits the ground.

The plant–growth biological technology in Take Off ST is a discovery made by the Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico. Verdesian then developed the technology and successfully made it into the practical and cost–effective seed treatment called Take Off ST.

“Take Off ST is a seed treatment than can be applied equally well to soybeans, corn and wheat to accelerate the crop plant’s natural ability to acquire nutrients and put them to work during seed germination and early plant growth. It improves nitrogen efficiency in corn, soybeans, wheat and other cereal crops,” said Ryan Bond, Ph.D., vice president of marketing at Verdesian. “Take Off ST allows more applied nitrogen to be taken up by the crop making for stronger and faster growth. Plus, improved nitrogen uptake and use by the crop leaves less nitrogen in the soil at risk of being lost to the environment and puts that nitrogen into harvestable bushels.”

Take Off ST provides row crop and small grain farmers a tailored approach to nutrient management that aids in crop growth rate, carbon dioxide fixation and photosynthesis – natural plant processes that encourage healthy development throughout the growing season. By getting crops off to a fast start, Take Off ST increases plant biomass. Crops that get off to a fast start have a better chance of remaining healthy and robust throughout the growing season resulting in improved yields. Faster germination and rapid early growth help plants to close the crop canopy earlier helping the crop achieve greater photosynthetic capacity and suppressing weed competition.

In tests on wheat treated with Take Off ST, nitrogen content increased 48 percent^* compared to the untreated crop. The tests also measured the difference in carbon sequestered between the Take Off ST treated wheat and the untreated control. The treated wheat, in order to grow faster and larger, used 30 percent^* more carbon than the untreated wheat. Further testing of Take Off ST use on crops produced examples of yield differences measured at 3.3 more bushels per acre^* in wheat, 2.3 bushels^* more soybeans and 7.1 bushels^* more corn.

“Farmers are always being asked to produce more with less whether to control costs or protect the environment. Verdesian is confident Take Off ST will help farmers achieve better profitability and higher efficiency,” said Greg Thompson, chief operating officer at Verdesian. “Verdesian is dedicated to bringing farmers environmentally sustainable technology that helps them achieve a higher yield potential and a better bottom line.”

For more information, visit vlsci.com or call 800.868.6446.

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