Seven years of trials and commercial usage with the patented fertiliser additive Kicka has shown that, on medium to low fertility soils, growers could be growing high yielding, good quality crops of potatoes using 20% less Nitrogen.
Masstock’s potato specialist Peter Jones explains that the use of Kicka, applied close to the planted seed, could enable growers to cut nitrogen rates by 100kg/ha with no consequential loss of yield. "It could be significant for farmers when complying with NVZ and RB209 rulings and potentially brings environmental benefits from a reduction in nitrogen usage. More importantly it will improve potato crop gross margins, too," says Peter.
He reports that in his trials growing potatoes using just 150 kgs of Nitrogen per hectare resulted in crops with extra marketable yields of over 10.1 tonnes/ha. "With Ammonium Nitrate at £190/tonne, potatoes, Estima in this case, at £100/tonne and Kicka at £65/hectare, the Margin Over Input Costs was a creditable £990 – a definite plus."
Replicated trials compared the use of Kicka with three different Nitrogen levels – 250 kgs N/ha, 200 kgs N/ha and 150 kgs N/ha. "In Cheshire Kicka applied with the lowest Nitrogen level resulted in a yield of 46 t/ha – equivalent to 53% more marketable yield from 37% more tubers. The following year, although the response was less dramatic, the plots with 150 kg/ha N and Kicka gave over 23% more marketable yield than those without. This treatment had 11% more tuber numbers at the final lift."
Peter Jones explains that Kicka is a patented fertiliser additive which also contains a high loading of magnesium and a small amount of nitrogen. "Developed from the methanoic zinc amonionate-based product FTC-1, Kicka works by stimulating root development. If there is sufficient Nitrogen to bulk up the crop, excellent yields will result. In trials where Kicka was applied on its own with nil Nitrogen, you could see that the tuber numbers had increased, but you just didn’t have anything to bulk the tubers up."
"At the chemical level, Kicka is an auxin stimulator. Auxins are plant hormones important in the root:shoot balance. By stimulating auxin production, tuber initiation of the potatoes is enhanced. Development work also shows that Kicka increased the tuber root ball by 20%. Its use appears to improve the potatoes ability to take up water and nutrients more efficiently."
Kicka also contains added Magnesium, which has positive effects on the crop, even in situations where the soil Index is 2. Kicka can be applied either with the liquid fertiliser or pre-applied to the solid fertiliser or using a TEAM or Techneat on-line planter. It can be mixed with Amistar in-furrow at planting.
Peter says that not all situations suit. "For example if the soil is already highly fertile, benefits are smaller. For most medium to poor fertility soils, a good response is expected. Some varieties respond better – Saturna, for example is a low responding variety. With Kicka we are looking at ways of getting more fertility out of the ground and relying less on getting fertility out of a bag," concludes Peter Jones.
For further information on Kicka please contact Peter Jones of Masstock Arable on 07971 889560
