Last summer I spent a very interesting afternoon in the presence of representatives from a company called Tradecorp at their headquarters in Brussels. This is a big agricultural company which is one of a number of different divisions operated by the family-owned SAPEC Group.
The main business activity of Tradecorp is in crop protection (through generic products) and crop nutrition. It was the conversation around nutrition that caught my interest, with the generic chemicals mainly heading east and south from base. Most of the products sold by the company are made by the company in different parts of Europe.
Among the range of products that it produces and sells are:
Chelates.Humic acids.Foliar fertilisers.Biostimulants.Special correctors for water etc.N P K starter products.Tradecorp is represented in Ireland by Robbie Byrne of Precision Nutrition in Ardee, Co Louth. The partnership has been actively involved in research here in Ireland for the past three years. Tradecorp appears to be dedicated to research and in continuously validating the advice given for the products sold in its customer countries.
Different products have different properties and Vincent Claux indicated that humic acids applied to the soil help the availability of phosphorous, thus making the same amount of P more available to plant roots to support higher yields.
And the biostimulants (often a badly maligned word) carry amino acids and seaweed extracts to help plants during critical periods of growth.
But the science around some of the products the company sells is interesting, and may help to unriddle some of the many unusual observation that we see in our fields.
Delfan Plus
This is effectively a biostimulant comprising 17 different amino acids, the building blocks of plant proteins. These are generally produced via the photosynthesis process with nitrate taken up by the roots and transformed in the different physiological pathways within the factory which is the plant.
Delfan Plus is technically an organic liquid nitrogen fertiliser designed to help the nitrogen nutrition of plants, particularly in times of growth stress caused by a range of abiotic factors such as drought or low or high temperatures. So it functions as an anti-stress agent by supplying amino acids directly to enable growth processes continue in the absence of active photosynthesis.
Amino acids contain nitrogen and the product itself is 9% N but it would be wrong to call it a nitrogen product because the amino acids bypass the need for the initial nitrogen conversion and so they are likely to be more efficient.
Visible
The product is sprayed directly on to the plant leaves and its effect is generally highly visible. For this reason its benefit is likely to be greatest through stress prevention rather than acting to alleviate plant symptoms. Once stress symptoms are visible it is possible that a proportion of crop yield potential has already been lost.
Within a plant leaf the basic growth processes depend on nitrogen availability (as well as all other nutrients), photosynthesis and then protein synthesis. Proteins are used as either storage proteins, enzyme production to support plant functions or structural proteins.
It takes 20 different amino acids to make the range of proteins that a crop needs and converting them into the essential building blocks is an energy-sapping process within the plant. So when the plant comes under stress these, processes can limit growth and crop potential. Basically, stresses, whether they be cold or wet or drought, limit nitrogen uptake and assimilation, thus limiting the various growth processes within the plant. This reduces glutamate production in the plant and the resultant shortage limits growth because the rate of physiological processes is decreased.
These effects from the abiotic stresses of weather are well-known and accepted, but there can also be plant stresses induced by crop inputs such as herbicides, fungicides, growth regulators and insecticides. Some of these can be very visible, such as growth regulator and frost or Pacifica and cold, but others can cause less obvious but still definite symptoms.
Tradecorp claims that the application of amino acids helps to offset these stresses. Vincent suggested that supplying glutamate via Delfan Plus may be the most important ingredient as this is the first one produced by photosynthesis and it may be the most limiting in times of stress. He suggested that this is particularly useful to help prevent or limit drought stress in potatoes in a dry season and that it can also help to limit stress reaction on tubers such as abnormal growths.
A less spoken about stress source is phytotechnical stress. This arises following application of pesticides such as some sulfonylurea products post-winter. An example given was the application of Atlantis, which we would more relate to Pacifica. Many farmers are conscious of the stress that this product can put the plant under and the associated leaf symptoms that can ensue.
While this stress may well more than outweigh the alternative of leaving the target weeds in place, yields may still be reduced compared with a situation where the weeds are physically removed. Trials have shown the use of Delfan Plus with the herbicide helped to decrease the intensity of the stress (and presumably of the herbicide), but not the duration of the stress symptoms.
Improved control
As well as decreasing the visible stress symptoms, Vincent said the addition of Delfan, in this case with Atlantis targeted against blackgrass, also helped achieve improved control of the weed possible as a result of the enhanced growth likely following the amino acid application. He also said this effect is very rate-sensitive (2.0 l/ha only) and that the product still needed its standard oil added in the mixture.
In summary, it seemed like the use of Delfan Plus helps to reduce the associated stress when used with any product that tends to result in bleaching of the plant tissue. Examples would be the use of mesotrione on maize or indeed bromoxynil. Such a benefit might be of even greater benefit when cold conditions could further exacerbate the production of such symptoms. Its use with beet herbicides, especially with clomazone, has also been shown to be of considerable benefit.
Application of Delfan has also been used to just boost growth in the crop itself. This can be particularly useful to help produce more foliage quicker on crops that need to generate ground cover to help smother surviving weeds etc. In this case it is claimed that the rate needs to up around 4.0 l/ha. Treatment for this purpose will make the crop greener and this can help photosynthesis, which can be particularly useful for spring crops where there is a shorter and more critical growth season.
Trafos K
As stated previously, Tradecorp is in the nutrition business and Trafos K is one of the many products that it makes and sells.
This is formulated as potassium phosphite, so it is a source of potash and also of phosphorous, with added micronutrients. The company claims that this will influence crop quality and yield.
I was indeed surprised when Vincent told us that 43% of French farmers no longer apply either P or K to the soil for cereal production. The reasoning for this is that more than 60% of the tillage soils are calcareous and the high pH (calcium) is locking up the P in the soil. In such soils, one needs to either drop the soil pH, which is very difficult in a naturally high pH soil, or add organic matter to help humus production and nutrient availability.
It would appear that the use of Trafos is fertilising the plant but not to soil. But it does require multiple applications in spring to feed growth. The nitrogen is still applied to the soil, but the plant needs roots to get to this supply source. The application rate is 1-2 l/ha.
Tradecrop claims that phosphite is very much a fertiliser, as well as a growth stimulant, and that it can move up and down within the plant to fuel growth where it is needed.
Ultimately, the claim is that much less applied P still results in full yield and it is more efficient compared with soil application. Interestingly, Vincent commented that the K applied in the product helps make the straw more resistant to breakdown late in the season.
The stated optimum timing is when the ear is at 1cm from the base of the stem – GS30. The suggestion is that a small amount of P applied at the right time can help drive yield potential and the average yield benefit recorded in their trials is about 6%.
The product should not be applied when temperatures are below 5°C, as there will be no growth to make use of the nutrients.
As a general guideline, Vincent said that P K products are to be used at the start of crop growth, while potash alone can have a significant benefit at the end.
Final K
Tradecorp believes potash can be a limiting yield factor in many crops. It is the biggest-volume fertiliser and is required by the plant at almost double the quantity of nitrogen. Straight potash is applied towards the end of a crops vegetative life span to help build yield and quality.
Final K is a potassium-based liquid source of K, which contains 47% K2O (39%K). Vincent said it requires a lot of humidity to get the potash into the plant foliage. However, even if the product dries out on the surface of the leaf, it will once again become soluble for entry into the leaf with light rain or even night dew.
The product itself is highly soluble which enables it to go into and out of solution depending on the weather. The fact that it is highly soluble makes it a good fertiliser.
In the plant, and in the soil, potash is always in direct competition with magnesium (Mg) and calcium (Ca) and one of the three will tend to be dominant. In terms of ease of access into the plant, magnesium is best and potash is worst. So the challenge is to be able to block, or slow, Mg or Ca availability to increase the penetration of potash into the plant.
Potash is important for the maintenance of osmotic pressure within the plant and specifically in the cells. Having cells filled with the correct balance of nutrients and water is critical for turgidity – the internal cell pressure which helps stems and leaves remain either horizontal or vertical.
I do wonder if brackling or straw breakdown is related to a lack of potassium in plants late in the season which may cause the nodes to lose turgidity and allow the straw to bend over. Effectively, potash helps push water into plant cells to keep them erect.
Potash deficiency is seen on cereals as a dying back of the edge of the leaf from the tip downwards. K-deficient tubers are more prone to bruising. Potash is also involved in the guard cells at the stomata on leaves (the breathing pores) so it helps the plant to guard against moisture loss and associated stress.
Because of the importance of potash late in the season, application of K or magnesium may help keep the plant going for longer at the end of the season. So this is another reason why additional yield can be generated.
Research has identified that flag leaf to earing out is the optimum timing for final K application. Vincent also said crops that get additional N late to help raise protein (milling wheat) can generate potash deficiency problems and, if this happens, applied K can bring additional
benefits.
Phylgreen 200
Phylgreen 200 is a biostimulant recommended for all kinds of applications and is regarded as being very effective during critical growth stages to overcome environmental stress situations. It is actually 100% Irish, and is made from the seaweed Ascophyllum nodosum using an innovative cold extraction process. So it is a seaweed product with many associated potential benefits.
The Irish association came about when Tradecorp purchased Oilean Glas Teo (OGT) in 2014, which was a Donegal-based seaweed processing company. It uses the cold extraction process and freshly harvested seaweed to bring the additional benefits which arise from its proven ingredients.
This particular seaweed is said to be the only one that grows in the tidal zone and so it has had to develop a broad range of characteristics to help protect itself against extreme climatic conditions and the daily harassment of tidal currents. Basically, half its life is spent in salt water and the other half in direct sunlight out of water and this seems to be what is conferring some unique characteristics.
These beneficial compounds are said to be things such as polyphenols, mannitol, sugars and alginates, which are all sensitive to damage by heat and chemicals. To help protect these compounds a special extraction system was developed, called Gentle Extraction, to extract and preserve these delicate plant compounds and deliver them to target crops to help their growth.
Phylgreen 200 is a green liquid extract, completely soluble, and it contains vitamins, antioxidants, pigments, macro and micronutrients, alginates, polyphenols, amino acids etc.
It is effectively a biostimulant which can confer many different benefits to plant growth and in particular it is used to help plants to cope better with environmental stress conditions.
SAPEC AND TRADECORP
Established in 1926, Sapec is a family-owned company which was founded initially as a mining and chemical company. Since then it has expanded its activities into various industrial sectors and services. Today Sapec is an industrial holding company with a large portfolio of activities in industrial and service sectors. Its main activities include:
Agriculture: Crop nutrition and protection.Industrial chemicals and environment.Agricultural commodity trading and distribution.Logistics – shipping and harbor management.Others – Property, windmills and other renewable energies.Its agribusiness division is now the most important part of the overall business. Tradecorp was acquired by Sapec as part of its expansion process and now accounts for over €500m in turnover. It aims to be a symbol of quality and professionalism as indicated by its people and service to customers. It aims to be research-driven, with proof of performance critical to its local customer advice and support services.
Last summer I spent a very interesting afternoon in the presence of representatives from a company called Tradecorp at their headquarters in Brussels. This is a big agricultural company which is one of a number of different divisions operated by the family-owned SAPEC Group.
The main business activity of Tradecorp is in crop protection (through generic products) and crop nutrition. It was the conversation around nutrition that caught my interest, with the generic chemicals mainly heading east and south from base. Most of the products sold by the company are made by the company in different parts of Europe.
Among the range of products that it produces and sells are:
Chelates.Humic acids.Foliar fertilisers.Biostimulants.Special correctors for water etc.N P K starter products.Tradecorp is represented in Ireland by Robbie Byrne of Precision Nutrition in Ardee, Co Louth. The partnership has been actively involved in research here in Ireland for the past three years. Tradecorp appears to be dedicated to research and in continuously validating the advice given for the products sold in its customer countries.
Different products have different properties and Vincent Claux indicated that humic acids applied to the soil help the availability of phosphorous, thus making the same amount of P more available to plant roots to support higher yields.
And the biostimulants (often a badly maligned word) carry amino acids and seaweed extracts to help plants during critical periods of growth.
But the science around some of the products the company sells is interesting, and may help to unriddle some of the many unusual observation that we see in our fields.
Delfan Plus
This is effectively a biostimulant comprising 17 different amino acids, the building blocks of plant proteins. These are generally produced via the photosynthesis process with nitrate taken up by the roots and transformed in the different physiological pathways within the factory which is the plant.
Delfan Plus is technically an organic liquid nitrogen fertiliser designed to help the nitrogen nutrition of plants, particularly in times of growth stress caused by a range of abiotic factors such as drought or low or high temperatures. So it functions as an anti-stress agent by supplying amino acids directly to enable growth processes continue in the absence of active photosynthesis.
Amino acids contain nitrogen and the product itself is 9% N but it would be wrong to call it a nitrogen product because the amino acids bypass the need for the initial nitrogen conversion and so they are likely to be more efficient.
Visible
The product is sprayed directly on to the plant leaves and its effect is generally highly visible. For this reason its benefit is likely to be greatest through stress prevention rather than acting to alleviate plant symptoms. Once stress symptoms are visible it is possible that a proportion of crop yield potential has already been lost.
Within a plant leaf the basic growth processes depend on nitrogen availability (as well as all other nutrients), photosynthesis and then protein synthesis. Proteins are used as either storage proteins, enzyme production to support plant functions or structural proteins.
It takes 20 different amino acids to make the range of proteins that a crop needs and converting them into the essential building blocks is an energy-sapping process within the plant. So when the plant comes under stress these, processes can limit growth and crop potential. Basically, stresses, whether they be cold or wet or drought, limit nitrogen uptake and assimilation, thus limiting the various growth processes within the plant. This reduces glutamate production in the plant and the resultant shortage limits growth because the rate of physiological processes is decreased.
These effects from the abiotic stresses of weather are well-known and accepted, but there can also be plant stresses induced by crop inputs such as herbicides, fungicides, growth regulators and insecticides. Some of these can be very visible, such as growth regulator and frost or Pacifica and cold, but others can cause less obvious but still definite symptoms.
Tradecorp claims that the application of amino acids helps to offset these stresses. Vincent suggested that supplying glutamate via Delfan Plus may be the most important ingredient as this is the first one produced by photosynthesis and it may be the most limiting in times of stress. He suggested that this is particularly useful to help prevent or limit drought stress in potatoes in a dry season and that it can also help to limit stress reaction on tubers such as abnormal growths.
A less spoken about stress source is phytotechnical stress. This arises following application of pesticides such as some sulfonylurea products post-winter. An example given was the application of Atlantis, which we would more relate to Pacifica. Many farmers are conscious of the stress that this product can put the plant under and the associated leaf symptoms that can ensue.
While this stress may well more than outweigh the alternative of leaving the target weeds in place, yields may still be reduced compared with a situation where the weeds are physically removed. Trials have shown the use of Delfan Plus with the herbicide helped to decrease the intensity of the stress (and presumably of the herbicide), but not the duration of the stress symptoms.
Improved control
As well as decreasing the visible stress symptoms, Vincent said the addition of Delfan, in this case with Atlantis targeted against blackgrass, also helped achieve improved control of the weed possible as a result of the enhanced growth likely following the amino acid application. He also said this effect is very rate-sensitive (2.0 l/ha only) and that the product still needed its standard oil added in the mixture.
In summary, it seemed like the use of Delfan Plus helps to reduce the associated stress when used with any product that tends to result in bleaching of the plant tissue. Examples would be the use of mesotrione on maize or indeed bromoxynil. Such a benefit might be of even greater benefit when cold conditions could further exacerbate the production of such symptoms. Its use with beet herbicides, especially with clomazone, has also been shown to be of considerable benefit.
Application of Delfan has also been used to just boost growth in the crop itself. This can be particularly useful to help produce more foliage quicker on crops that need to generate ground cover to help smother surviving weeds etc. In this case it is claimed that the rate needs to up around 4.0 l/ha. Treatment for this purpose will make the crop greener and this can help photosynthesis, which can be particularly useful for spring crops where there is a shorter and more critical growth season.
Trafos K
As stated previously, Tradecorp is in the nutrition business and Trafos K is one of the many products that it makes and sells.
This is formulated as potassium phosphite, so it is a source of potash and also of phosphorous, with added micronutrients. The company claims that this will influence crop quality and yield.
I was indeed surprised when Vincent told us that 43% of French farmers no longer apply either P or K to the soil for cereal production. The reasoning for this is that more than 60% of the tillage soils are calcareous and the high pH (calcium) is locking up the P in the soil. In such soils, one needs to either drop the soil pH, which is very difficult in a naturally high pH soil, or add organic matter to help humus production and nutrient availability.
It would appear that the use of Trafos is fertilising the plant but not to soil. But it does require multiple applications in spring to feed growth. The nitrogen is still applied to the soil, but the plant needs roots to get to this supply source. The application rate is 1-2 l/ha.
Tradecrop claims that phosphite is very much a fertiliser, as well as a growth stimulant, and that it can move up and down within the plant to fuel growth where it is needed.
Ultimately, the claim is that much less applied P still results in full yield and it is more efficient compared with soil application. Interestingly, Vincent commented that the K applied in the product helps make the straw more resistant to breakdown late in the season.
The stated optimum timing is when the ear is at 1cm from the base of the stem – GS30. The suggestion is that a small amount of P applied at the right time can help drive yield potential and the average yield benefit recorded in their trials is about 6%.
The product should not be applied when temperatures are below 5°C, as there will be no growth to make use of the nutrients.
As a general guideline, Vincent said that P K products are to be used at the start of crop growth, while potash alone can have a significant benefit at the end.
Final K
Tradecorp believes potash can be a limiting yield factor in many crops. It is the biggest-volume fertiliser and is required by the plant at almost double the quantity of nitrogen. Straight potash is applied towards the end of a crops vegetative life span to help build yield and quality.
Final K is a potassium-based liquid source of K, which contains 47% K2O (39%K). Vincent said it requires a lot of humidity to get the potash into the plant foliage. However, even if the product dries out on the surface of the leaf, it will once again become soluble for entry into the leaf with light rain or even night dew.
The product itself is highly soluble which enables it to go into and out of solution depending on the weather. The fact that it is highly soluble makes it a good fertiliser.
In the plant, and in the soil, potash is always in direct competition with magnesium (Mg) and calcium (Ca) and one of the three will tend to be dominant. In terms of ease of access into the plant, magnesium is best and potash is worst. So the challenge is to be able to block, or slow, Mg or Ca availability to increase the penetration of potash into the plant.
Potash is important for the maintenance of osmotic pressure within the plant and specifically in the cells. Having cells filled with the correct balance of nutrients and water is critical for turgidity – the internal cell pressure which helps stems and leaves remain either horizontal or vertical.
I do wonder if brackling or straw breakdown is related to a lack of potassium in plants late in the season which may cause the nodes to lose turgidity and allow the straw to bend over. Effectively, potash helps push water into plant cells to keep them erect.
Potash deficiency is seen on cereals as a dying back of the edge of the leaf from the tip downwards. K-deficient tubers are more prone to bruising. Potash is also involved in the guard cells at the stomata on leaves (the breathing pores) so it helps the plant to guard against moisture loss and associated stress.
Because of the importance of potash late in the season, application of K or magnesium may help keep the plant going for longer at the end of the season. So this is another reason why additional yield can be generated.
Research has identified that flag leaf to earing out is the optimum timing for final K application. Vincent also said crops that get additional N late to help raise protein (milling wheat) can generate potash deficiency problems and, if this happens, applied K can bring additional
benefits.
Phylgreen 200
Phylgreen 200 is a biostimulant recommended for all kinds of applications and is regarded as being very effective during critical growth stages to overcome environmental stress situations. It is actually 100% Irish, and is made from the seaweed Ascophyllum nodosum using an innovative cold extraction process. So it is a seaweed product with many associated potential benefits.
The Irish association came about when Tradecorp purchased Oilean Glas Teo (OGT) in 2014, which was a Donegal-based seaweed processing company. It uses the cold extraction process and freshly harvested seaweed to bring the additional benefits which arise from its proven ingredients.
This particular seaweed is said to be the only one that grows in the tidal zone and so it has had to develop a broad range of characteristics to help protect itself against extreme climatic conditions and the daily harassment of tidal currents. Basically, half its life is spent in salt water and the other half in direct sunlight out of water and this seems to be what is conferring some unique characteristics.
These beneficial compounds are said to be things such as polyphenols, mannitol, sugars and alginates, which are all sensitive to damage by heat and chemicals. To help protect these compounds a special extraction system was developed, called Gentle Extraction, to extract and preserve these delicate plant compounds and deliver them to target crops to help their growth.
Phylgreen 200 is a green liquid extract, completely soluble, and it contains vitamins, antioxidants, pigments, macro and micronutrients, alginates, polyphenols, amino acids etc.
It is effectively a biostimulant which can confer many different benefits to plant growth and in particular it is used to help plants to cope better with environmental stress conditions.
SAPEC AND TRADECORP
Established in 1926, Sapec is a family-owned company which was founded initially as a mining and chemical company. Since then it has expanded its activities into various industrial sectors and services. Today Sapec is an industrial holding company with a large portfolio of activities in industrial and service sectors. Its main activities include:
Agriculture: Crop nutrition and protection.Industrial chemicals and environment.Agricultural commodity trading and distribution.Logistics – shipping and harbor management.Others – Property, windmills and other renewable energies.Its agribusiness division is now the most important part of the overall business. Tradecorp was acquired by Sapec as part of its expansion process and now accounts for over €500m in turnover. It aims to be a symbol of quality and professionalism as indicated by its people and service to customers. It aims to be research-driven, with proof of performance critical to its local customer advice and support services.
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