Manganese reminder for autumn crops

PRESS RELEASE. A leading UK supplier of high quality speciality fertilisers to the commercial grower is highlighting the importance of manganese for autumn crops.

Sussex-based Solufeed is reminding its customers that the benefits of treating crops - such as winter cereals and oil seed rape - with chelated manganese will result in healthier spring re-growth and result in optimum yields.

Dick Holden, Managing Director of Solufeed Ltd explained : "Winter kill syndrome" where disease prevents growth can be exacerbated by a lack of manganese.  Prompt attention to manganese deficiency promotes winter survival, ensures a good start to spring re-growth, thereby improving yields, quality and profitability."

"We recommend both autumn and spring applications, particularly on oil seed rape, which is highly susceptible."

Manganese is perhaps the most common micronutient deficiency in the UK with about 20 per cent of the national cereal crop affected.  In general, deficiencies increase in severity travelling from north to south because soils become increasing calcareous. Deficiencies are most often associated with pH and organic soils and is exacerbated by high phosphate levels and poor soil consolidation.

Two of the major consequences of manganese deficiency are a reduction in root development leading to poor crop establishment and impaired nutrient uptake; and, secondly, weak growth and increased disease susceptibility, which - with frost intolerance - can lead to the 'winter kill' complex.

The benefits of Solufeed's chelated manganese include : 

• It is gentle on the crop;
• It has lower rates of use than other manganese products, thereby offering economic savings - typically, 1kg per ha is advised;
• Excellent compatibility characteristics.

All Solufeed chelates are manufactured to BSENISO 9001 quality standards as well as conforming to the definition of EC FERTILISER, another measure of quality and fitness for purpose.

The greater biological effectiveness of chelates compared to inorganics, means lower rates of use resulting in the same beneficial crop response but with less ecological heavy metal burden.

Further environmental benefits come from low carbon footprint packaging coupled with simple storage and disposal needs.  This, along with impeccable regulatory credentials, make Solufeed chelates extremely easy to use and so the micronutrient fertilisers of choice for today's farmer.

Dick concluded : "Prevention is better than cure so well timed remedial applications should be made; once deficiency symptoms are seen in a growing crop, yields and quality will have been compromised.  Our advice is that you should not wait until the deficiencies symptoms are advanced - this is too late as the damage would have been done".

For further information and technical advice please contact Bob Greensmith on 01942 727636 or bob.greensmith@solufeed.com.

Written and distributed by Clive Marlow Marketing Ltd. 14 Millers Croft, Malvern, Worcs. WR14 3QH. Tel: 01684 576427, Fax 01684 576808,