by Jake Young, Regional Agronomist, Novus Ag

Starter fertilizer is defined as the placement of a small rate of fertilizer in a concentrated band near the seed at planting. This usually contains two or more nutrients, commonly nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) and is placed either:

• In direct contact with the seed (pop-up)
• In a sub-surface band 2 inches to the side and 2 inches below the seed (2×2)
• Or, as a surface-band to the side of the row (2×0)

FIGURE 1: Starter Fertilizer Placement. (Graphic Credit: K-State Research and Extension)

The primary benefits of starter fertilizer applications include the following:

• Increased early growth and crop uniformity
• Improved early-season nutrient uptake
• Improved nutrient efficiency
• Shortened time between planting and flowering
• Reduced grain moisture at harvest

Avoiding Salt Injury from Starter Fertilizers

Determining the maximum safe rate at which a starter fertilizer can be applied will vary depending on the salt index (SI) of the fertilizer, the proximity of fertilizer to the seed, soil texture, and soil moisture. Salt injury from starter fertilizers is most common when placed in direct contact with the seed and when soil moisture is low.

TABLE 1: SI Comparisons for Commonly Used Starter Fertilizer Formulations. (Credit: Spectrum Analytic)

TABLE 2: Gallons/Acre of 10-34-0¹ that can be Safely Applied for Corn² in 30-inch Rows³ as Influenced by Distance from the Seed and Soil Texture. (Credit: Spectrum Analytic)

¹Determine safe rates of other fertilizers by dividing the value in Table 2 by the ‘Value Relative to 10-34-0’ in Table 1.
²The safe rate for soybeans is ½ of these values.
³For row spacings narrower than 30 inches, the safe rate may be increased. Multiply values by 1.5 for 20-inch rows, and 2.0 for 15-inch rows.

Starter Fertilizer Product Options

Innova Performance Products and Novus Ag offer several high-quality starter fertilizer products:

n-tro Plus 6-22-4 is a low salt solution of monopotassium phosphate, ammonium polyphosphate, phosphoric acid, urea, KaPre® Spectra-OC humic acids, Krystal Klear® Crop Mix II chelated micronutrients, and Kelpene® CSW sea kelp extracts.

View the n-tro Plus Info Sheet

n-tro 6-23-5 is a low salt solution of monopotassium phosphate, ammonium polyphosphate, phosphoric acid, urea, KaPre® Spectra-OC humic acids, and Krystal Klear® Crop Mix II chelated micronutrients.

View the n-tro Info Sheet

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Innova Performance Products’ high performance line of nutritionals, micronutrients, adjuvants, fertilizer additives, and specialty fertilizers help our customers increase their yields and maximize their return on investment.

View our website to learn more about our products.