It’s time to make the switch from granular to liquid inoculants!
A lot of growers have gotten comfortable with granular inoculants over the years but that doesn’t mean there isn’t a better way. Liquid inoculants are an option — and they’re a better one in every way.
Al Varjassy, BrettYoung Regional Account Manager (RAM) for Southern Saskatchewan recently had a few growers make the switch, and each of them has been thrilled with the results.
“As a rule, using a liquid inoculant is easier,” said Varjassy. “You’re applying it through an applicator kit, so you’re drizzling it on or applying it through a seed treater. Granular inoculants come in bulk, so you have to auger it or lift it into the air seeder.”
Liquid inoculants also cost less per acre than granular inoculants do, making them the more economical option. And because liquid inoculants are applied directly to the seed, they’re more convenient to use with seed-applied products like seed treatments.
The on-seed life of liquid inoculants is perhaps the biggest reason to make the switch. BrettYoung’s Osmium® liquid inoculant (available in pea & lentil or chickpea formulations), depending on what fungicidal seed treatment you are applying with it, can last anywhere from five to 15 days on seed, giving you maximum flexibility.
“When you put Osmium inoculant on seed, it should be able to deliver more consistent nodulation because of Osmo Protector Technology,” said Varjassy. “It won’t be as affected by challenging conditions.”
Osmo Protector Technology strengthens the cell walls of rhizobial bacteria through a longer, stress-inducing fermentation process. This ultimately results in tougher, high-performance bacteria with industry leading on-seed survival. They are also better equipped to withstand Prairie conditions like hot, dry soils and survive exposure to chemical seed treatments, meaning excellent compatibility with many seed-applied fungicides.
BrettYoung’s soybean liquid inoculant, Signum®, also comes with Bio-Inducer Technology, which accelerates nodulation by introducing the rhizobia to plant-based signaling compounds during the manufacturing process. In turn, this stimulates earlier production of certain nodulation determinants. That speeds up the nodulation process in the soil and improves nodulation on the plant’s crown and primary roots, where nodules are the most effective. In the end, this maximizes nitrogen fixation and yield potential, delivering consistent performance under all conditions.
“The reasons I would consider using Osmium or Signum liquid inoculants are ease of use, excellent on-seed life, and significant cost savings over granular inoculants” said Varjassy. “A lot of competitors have short on-seed life, around 24 hours, so you have to get the seed in the field as you treat it. With ours, you have 15 days by itself or five to 10 days with a seed treatment. (See our seed treatment compatibility sheet here.) With that extended on-seed life, if you run into hiccups or a break down or run into rain that stops you for a few days, you don’t have to re-inoculate.”
To learn more about BrettYoung’s liquid inoculants, click here.
