Limited Phosphate availability is considered a major restrictive factor in crop productivity. As Nutrient Use Efficiency (NUE) remains Van Iperen’s main concern, we try our best to come with adequate solutions to better manage Phosphates needs in plants. This is the core of our IPE® Technology.
Why Phosphates are important for plants?
Phosphorus (P) is an essential nutrient to ensure crops’ health and performance (rooting, flowering, energy needs, etc). Plants can uptake Phosphorus from the soil in the form of Phosphates. Soils are often rich with this valuable element however, it is one of the least available to plant uptake! This is due mainly to a phenomenon known as fixation.
What causes Phosphorus deficiency in plants?
Phosphates are sensitive to soil fixation, which makes them unavailable for the plant. Many different factors determine the fixation of Phosphorus.
The properties of soil or substrate are without hesitation a crucial factor: in alkaline soils, P is fixated with Calcium and Magnesium, and in acidic soils, it is fixated with Iron and Aluminium. This leaves a very narrow window of soil pH between 6 and 7 where this is less problematic!
What are the signs of Phosphorus deficiency in plants?
When Phosphorus shortage occurs, the most noticeable effects have an impact on the initial plant development: a decrease in leaf growth and leaf surface area, as well as the number of leaves. In the field, you can see pieces of evidence of P deficiency in crops with dark green or purple tone leaves or curling contours. Also, crops suffering from P deficiency will have weak and reduced flowering with an important negative impact on yield.
Other symptom includes a slower growth or a delay in the development of young roots leading to a smaller root volume, which makes the intake of water and nutrients more difficult. As consequence, this will result in a loss in yield.
How to prevent Phosphorus deficiency in plants?
At Van Iperen International, we’ve developed an innovative product range that prevents Phosphorus deficiency in plants and, consequently, improves Nutrient Use Efficiency (NUE). This is the core of our IPE® Technology, a range of enhanced efficiency fertilizers adapted to today’s agricultural needs.
Available in microgranular, water-soluble NPK, and liquid formulas, our IPE® Technology significantly increases the level of Phosphate available into the soil for the plant by:
– Releasing fixated Phosphate
– Preventing Phosphate fixation
Our IPE® Technology releases Phosphate absorbed into soil particles and prevents the fixation of fresh applied Phosphate. Besides the effect on Phosphate, different trials conducted have proved IPE® Technology’s performance in the uptake of several Micronutrients. This is how the IPE® Technology enhances the initial plant development.
Applying IPE® Technology in the early stages before the production phase has a direct impact on the yield. We have demonstrated the increased yield when using IPE® Technology in numerous trials on various crops. Take a look at the scientific trials here: How can Iperen IPE® improve NUE?