Maize growers can boost dry matter yields by 3.6t/ha by substituting a portion of their crop’s conventional N with a biofertiliser application. That is the advice from ProCam’s Simon Montgomery who adds that biofertilisers can also be used to compensate for reduced soil mineral nitrogen levels following another wet winter.

“After a year in which the combination of a wet spring delayed drilling, and low summer temperatures plus a lack of direct sunlight resulted in some maize crops performing below par, growers will be keen to ensure this year’s crop performs more reliably in order to replenish reduced forage stocks,” explains Simon Montgomery, Technical Lead for ProCam’s Field Options Performance Seeds.

“Last year’s crops were also impacted by the wet autumn which hampered harvesting and resulted in some crops coming up short in terms of dry matter, starch content and energy value. Only time will tell how this year’s season will unfold, but growers can mitigate some of the risks associated with weather volatility by using a biofertiliser to improve crop performance and consistency.”

Simon explains that although maize is very efficient at utilising nitrogen and can produce a high dry matter yield from a relatively low fertiliser input, additional N might be needed this year to make up for reduced levels of soil mineral nitrogen.

“Heavy and excessive rainfall could have washed a significant amount of nitrogen out of the rooting zone, with fields which were left bare likely to be affected more than those which were cover cropped,” he explains. “The highest yielding varieties could therefore require an amount of additional N, with crops also requiring sufficient P and K to produce a strong root and to get up and out of the ground rapidly. It is therefore advisable to test the nutrient status of soils prior to drilling, and to seek relevant advice from a FACTS qualified advisor.”

As an alternative to applying a higher rate of granular or foliar N to replace soil mineral nitrogen, Simon explains that more maize growers are using biofertilsers to boost nitrogen availability.

“Applying a biofertiliser spray treatment such as Encera has proven successful in trials as an effective way of topping up nitrogen levels and boosting crop performance,” Simon describes. “Encera complements other, more conventional sources of nitrogen including farm yard manure and slurry, by introducing endophyte bacteria into the plant. Once established in the plant, these bacteria fix atmospheric N and make it directly available within the plant’s cells. This not only aids crop development, but, because the N is converted within the plant, also reduces the risk of N uptake being adversely affected by excessively dry ground conditions later in the season.”

Trials carried out by ProCam over the last three years have shown that maize crops treated with Encera not only looked healthier, but also produced an additional 3.6 tonnes of dry matter per hectare compared to crops treated with a standard application of conventional N.

Metabolisable energy yield was also boosted by an average of almost 5,000 MJ/ha when Encera was used to replace 25kg of N.

“The trials have clearly indicated that Encera reliably increases nitrogen availability, and in doing so enables plants to produce a greater volume of fresh weight and dry matter. In fact, compared to using 25kg of conventionally applied N, Encera produces a consistent improvement in dry matter and energy yield which translates to higher milk or meat production. And, because the N produced by the Encera bacteria remains available to the plant even during a drought, crops will still yield well even in a difficult season.

“Using Encera to push a high-yielding crop such as maize also complies with the RB209 Nutrient Management Guide, making it an ideal option for growers aiming to maximise their nutrient use efficiency,” Simon concludes.

More information

To find out more about any of the products mentioned, or for more information about ProCam’s wider range of forage crops, download a copy of the 2025 Field Options Performance Seeds catalogue at https://www.field-options.co.uk