Tassel-Time Nutrition Pays

It is hard to believe how quickly spring has flown by. Just a week after Memorial Day, we are already heading into summer. In another four to five weeks, corn in our area will begin tasseling, and when I think of tasseling corn, the first thing that comes to mind is fungicide application.

Many of the highest-yielding fields I have had the opportunity to work with have received both a fungicide and a foliar fertilizer application at tassel time. We have a couple of excellent foliar feeding options for corn that have performed very well over the years. One of the best has been a slow-release nitrogen product with boron.

Applying nitrogen and boron at tassel has consistently shown excellent benefits for producing a high-yielding corn crop. The nitrogen helps feed the developing kernels on the ear, while boron improves sugar translocation and carbohydrate metabolism within the plant, helping maximize yield potential. This additional yield often comes at the cost of only a few extra bushels of corn beyond the fungicide application you are already making.

If you have adequate nitrogen levels and are only interested in applying micronutrients, we also have foliar micronutrient packages that can be applied with your fungicide. Many of these products contain sulfur, boron, manganese, and zinc. This combination of micronutrients provides an excellent opportunity to optimize plant health and maximize yield potential.

Talk to your local SFG agronomist about adding a foliar fertilizer to your fungicide application this season. It is a simple way to maximize the value of your pass across the field while giving your crop the nutrients it needs during one of its most critical growth stages.