In a commercial durum wheat plot in Italy, a trial was conducted to evaluate the effect of HaifaStim™ VIM S application along with the pre-emergence application of herbicides.
HaifaStim™ VIM S is a concentrated formulation of pure micronized Leonardite, a rich source of humin, humic and fulvic acids that act together to improve soil properties and boost root activity, thus improving nutrient availability for plant uptake.
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Location: Apricena (Puglia), South Italy
Trial Observation dates: 20.11.2022 - 10.7.2023
Crop: Durum wheat var. Antalis
Fertilization:
Both control and HaifaStim™ plots received fertilization according to the grower’s standard scheme, consisting of three soil applications:
- At sowing: 30 kg/ha granular N-P(Zn) fertilizer 10-43
- At tillering: 200 kg/ha urea
- Before spiking: 150 kg/ha granular nitrogen fertilizer (31% N-NH2 + 19% SO3) with urease inhibitors
HaifaStim™ VIM S was applied along with the pre-emergence application of herbicides at a rate of 3 kg/ha.
Yield results
| Treatment | Yield (ton/ha) | Proteins | Specific weight | Total Prod. Value* | Total Fert. Cost | Total Benefit |
| Control | 4.55 | 13.2% | 80.3 kg/hl | 1800 € | 330€ | 1470 € |
| HaifaStim™ VIM S | 6.04 (+32.7%) | 13.1% | 78.9 kg/hl | 2416 € | 360€ | 2056 € (+40%) |
* Based on wheat price of 400€ per ton of grains
Nutrient Use Efficiency
As both plots received same amounts of nitrogen, the higher yield that was obtained with HaifaStim™ VIM S means higher efficiency of the fertilizer inputs. This can be attributed to the positive effect of the active ingredients in HaifaStim™ VIM S on the ability of the plant to uptake nutrients and to assimilate them.
In certain cases, base fertilization of wheat crop is skipped or applied at sub-optimal rates. Under circumstances of insufficient fertilization, HaifaStim™ VIM S helps the crop utilizing nutrients from the soil and overcoming the shortage.
