As part of a strategy for fertigated crops, our Agronomists recommend a holistic approach, combining products and good agriculture practices. Managing these issues often requires a combination of strategies and Plants for Plants® 4-Terra, our plant-based biostimulant, is a key tool in better-managing nutrition in orchards.
Nutrient deficiencies and soil health can limit orchard growth and impact fruit quality and yield. For effective nutrient management, growers have to combine the use of biostimulants with other methods, such as the use of diagnostic tools as well as plant growth monitoring. Adding efficient solutions to your fertilization programs can boost the performance and productivity of fruit trees. So how can growers support their orchards at early stages? With Plants for Plants® 4-Terra, growers will improve the establishment of the crop by ensuring better absorption of nutrients throughout the cycle, allowing for higher yields and crop quality.
How Plants for Plants® 4-Terra improves nutrient management in orchards?
Our plant-based biostimulant, Plants for Plants® 4-Terra, works in a unique way to improve the nutrient management of fruit trees. It has been shown to have a dual effect:
- Improving the mobility and use of phosphate in plants
- Having a positive impact on the soil microflora
These actions enhance the crop’s ability to efficiently utilize nutrients (known as NUE). Specifically, Plants for Plants® 4-Terra activates PHT2;1 gene, which is a phosphate transporter, resulting in improved phosphate assimilation in the plant. Additionally, it increases the microbial population, which allows for phosphate solubilization (Microbioma effect), leading to increased nutrient availability in the soil for the plant to use. So it’s a double P effect: on the soil and in the plant!
What five years of trials proved from Plants for Plants® 4-Terra
Over the last few years, numerous trials have proven the efficiency and reliability of Plants for Plants® 4-Terra in managing nutrition in orchards. Many growers in different local conditions have used the plant-based biostimulant to enhance their orchards’ Nutrient Use Efficiency (NUE) with promising results.
That’s the case of a trial conducted by the University of Croatia and LandLab in Osijek (Croatia). Plants for Plants® 4-Terra was applied in a Gala apple orchard with a reduction of 30% of Phosphate (compared to the grower practice). The trial concluded with increased efficiency of nutrition (better Phosphate availability in the soil) on all P4P® 4-Terra treatments. And a better quality, which translated into a significant increase in color and anthocyanins.
But this is not the only successful example. Another trial in pear -Conference variety- in Roosendaal (The Netherlands) showed a 24% increase in total yield despite a 30% less input of P2O5 on the treated plot.
Our distributor Arterris France conducted a trial in apricots -Ninja variety- treated with P4P® 4-Terra and a 30% reduction of P2O5. The results dropped a 41% increase in total yield per tree. “I noticed a better and earlier load on the treated part with Plants for Plants 4-Terra compared to the control, despite a reduction in phosphorus fertilization. Moreover, I noticed a better caliber distribution on the sizes 2A and 3A which are best valued and less waste overall”, explains Fabrice Haon, apricot and grapevine grower in Rivesaltes (France). As Fabrice, many other growers have seen clear results in managing the nutrition of fruit trees with Plants for Plants® 4-Terra.
Plants for Plants® 4-Terra help growers better manage the nutrition in their orchards and achieve higher and more sustainable yields. For more information about these trials, you can download our brochure here.