A new bacteria-based bio-fertiliser from Syngenta helps crops fix nitrogen from the atmosphere to improve nitrogen use efficiency which can benefit the environment and your nitrogen (N) fertiliser spend.

Vixeran was launched this spring. It is applied with the sprayer and can live in the soil or on the plant.

It can be used in two ways, either to complement or to compensate. A farmer may choose to apply a standard rate of fertiliser nitrogen and apply Vixeran to try to increase yield or else reduce the rate of nitrogen fertiliser and allow the nitrogen fixed from the atmosphere to fill its place.

Vixeran comes as a solid powder and is applied at a rate of 50g/ha. It should be applied from GS21-31.

Trials

Speaking to Andy Cunningham of Syngenta about the product, he explained that he is confident that 30kg/ha of nitrogen can be replaced by using Vixeran. Trials have shown that up to 45kg N/ha can be replaced.

“Getting the product in the early stages in the spring is going to allow the crop to benefit from Vixeran, but we do need the crop to be actively growing at the time,” Andy explained.

Andy advised that Vixeran would work well at the T0 fungicide on winter wheat. It is compatible with many products, but growers should check on tank mixes on the Syngenta website.

Temperatures need to be above 4°C and ideally around 10-12°C.

Andy noted that many of the trials carried out on the product have been with liquid fertiliser so the nitrogen is readily available to the crop. He commented that depending on the season granular nitrogen may sit on the surface and Vixeran can give insurance at this time. He explained that protected urea or urea does not affect Vixeran.

You can hear more from Andy on the Irish Farmers Journal’s Tillage Podcast by clicking here.