To help demonstrate the value of the biostimulant Vitalroot in improving crop health and yields, crop protection manufacturer UPL is offering 50 farmers 20 hectares of Vitalroot each, in what they call the Vitalroot Vilality Challenge.

 UPL claim that Vitalroot stimulates root growth and increases tiller numbers, which leads to improved nutrient uptake, drought tolerance and higher yields. They recommend that it be applied from two leaves until the beginning of tillering, which often combines with early post-emergence herbicide applications.

“The active ingredient is Goactiv, mixed with P and K to make Vitalroot,” says Gemma Nokes, UPL’s head of marketing in the UK and Ireland. “It is an oligosaccharide that kick-starts enzyme activity, stimulating the plant’s metabolic pathways. This gets the plant moving at a key time, producing bigger root systems and more tillers, which translates to higher yields.

 “We are delighted by Vitalroot’s performance in trials this year, and we feel the best way to demonstrate this to growers is by offering them the product to trial on their farms. To enter the Vitalroot challenge, farmers must enter their details online at bit.ly/VITALROOT or find the link through UPL’s website. After the deadline on the 30^th of September, we will send the eligible farmers the product in time to be applied this autumn.”