October 22, 2014

Agenda

• Key nutrient requirements of potato crops

• Available sources

• Challenges with certain fertilizers

• New tools to help you manage your production

• Field trials and research work

COMPASS MINERALS PLANT NUTRITION

Our approach to Plant Nutrition

• Leading supplier of essential minerals and premium plant nutrition products

• Our brands include: • Protassium+™

• SOP fertilizer

• Nu-Trax™ P+ • Phosphate-based fertilizer

• Wolf Trax® DDP® Nutrients • Full lineup of micronutrient fertilizers

• PROTINUS™ Seed Nutrition

• Chlori-Mag®

Our approach to Plant Nutrition

4R Nutrient Stewardship

• Right Source

• Right Rate

• Right Time

• Right Place

KEY NUTRIENT NEEDS OF POTATO CROPS

Nutrient Needs of Potato Crops

N (42%)

P (5.8%)

K (47.9%)

S (4.4%) Zn (0.04%)

Mn (0.01%)

Cu (0.02%)

B (0.01%)

The perfectly fed potato tuber

POTASSIUM AND POTATOES

Potassium demand and timing

• Potatoes: – can accumulate over 600 lb K (over 14 lb/acre per day),

– remove 56lb K2O/ac per 100cwt

Source: Better Crops/Vol. 92 (2008, Vol. 1)

Potassium in Crop Production

Critical role in plant growth and development

Improves yield, quality, specific gravity, storability

Fosters nitrate-nitrogen uptake

Controls water uptake

Influences energy production in photosynthesis

Reduces stress from temperature, pests and disease

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

SOP K-Mag MOP KTS

%

Potassium Source Nutrient Comparison

K

Cl

S

High chloride may be injurious to some crops

• When choosing potassium sources, evaluate nutrient content and other associated nutrients

Sources of Potassium

Salt Index

Potassium

Fertilizers

Salt Index Salt Index/unit of

K2O

SOP 46.1 0.88 (K2O)

MOP 116.2 1.936 (K2O)

K-MAG 43.2 1.96 (K2O)

KTS 64 2.56 (K2O)

• Salt index provides a relative scale to compare the impact of fertilizer on soil water

• In cases where fertilizer is concentrated, or on salt sensitive crop, salt index is critical

Potassium Fertilizers and Salt Index

• Water imbalance in the Plant

• Ion imbalance

• Toxicity from specific ions

• Salt impacts plant growth

Salt Tolerance

Low Moderate High

Potatoes

Alfalfa

Apples

Berries

Cherries

Corn

Lettuce

Oats

Onions

Peaches

Radish

Tomatoes

Barley

Cabbage

Carrots

Cucumbers

Grapes

Peppers

Pumpkins

Wheat

Asparagus

Bermudagrass

Cotton

Spinach

Date Palm

For crops that are sensitive to salt,

SOP should be considered

Potassium Fertilizers and Salt Index

14

T. Jackson 1968

Nitrate Antagonism from KCl In Potatoes

SOP 0-0-50-17

• High K2O analysis 50%

• High S 17%

• Low Chloride, less than 1%

• Low salt index

• pH Neutral

Miller Research: Rupert, ID 2012-2013

The average of 2 years shows a trend of higher yields, quality, and specific gravity with Protassium+ over MOP

Miller Research: Rupert, ID 2012-2013

Protassium+ showed a 2 year trend to provide higher returns based on yield and quality improvements

Holland Agricultural Services Umatilla Russet 2013 Othello, WA

Protassium+ MOP MOP=S SOP/MOP Check

Tota

l Yie

ld t

on

/ac

Holland Agricultural Services Umatilla Russet 2013 Othello, WA

Protassium+ MOP MOP=S SOP/MOP Check

US.

#1

’s t

on

s/ac

Oregon State University Russet Burbank Hermiston, OR 2013

Oregon State University Russet Burbank Hermiston, OR 2013

Colorado State University Rio Grande Russet 2011-12

2003 Pasco, WA Trial

• A split circle 50/50 MOP and SOP at 400 units of K

– SOP: average specific gravities of 1.080

– MOP: average specific gravities of 1.077

Pasco Potash Trial

Yield (tons)

Shrink (tons per

half)

Final Yield (tons)

SOP 36.82 154.82 34.2

MOP 35.8 268.51 31.18

MOP SOP

May 2003

MOP SOP

June 2003

MOP SOP

August 2003 MOP SOP

September 2003

2003 Pasco, WA Trial

2005 Klamath Falls, OR

• Field split MOP vs SOP

• SOP Increased Yield and gravities

• SOP reduced sugars improving friability

• SOP increased grower profitability

Yield <1 oz 1-2oz 2-4oz 4-10oz >10oz Sugars & S.G.

E ½ - KCl

32 Acres

461

cwt/A

6

tubers

11 tubers

16.95 oz

48 tubers

142.55 oz

52 tubers

317.05 oz

3 tubers

31.5 oz

Sucrose 301

S.G. 1.091

W ½ - SOP

31 Acres

535

cwt/A

6

tubers

10 tubers

14.2 oz

43 tubers

127.8 oz

70 tubers

411.55 oz

3 tubers

36 oz

Sucrose 260

S.G. 1.095

Resulting in: • Higher specific gravity • More US #1’s, payables

• Better quality • Improved russeting • Less shrink in storage

26

Protassium+: the right source

PHOSPHORUS IN POTATO PRODUCTION

Phosphorus Nutrition

• Phosphorus is essential for cell division, starch synthesis and storage

• An adequate supply of phosphorus at planting increases amount of tubers formed, strengthens growth and improves dry matter

• Phosphorus makes up approximately 6% of a potato crop’s nutrient needs

Timing of Phosphorus Nutrition

• Plants have a big appetite for phosphorus early in the season

Challenges with Phosphorus

Traditional delivery of phosphorus is a challenge:

• Phosphorus is easily tied up in the soil and may be unavailable

• Phosphorus is not mobile in the soil

• Only 20% of the phosphorus applied is available in the year of application

Introducing

• A new phosphorus-based fertilizer built on the Wolf Trax DDP platform, Nu-Trax P+ has three important features:

• CropStart™ Nutrient Package

• PlantActiv™ Formulation

• EvenCoat® Technology

2 lbs/acre coated onto your dry fertilizer gets your

potato crop off to a strong start

Nu-Trax P+

• Featuring the CropStart™ Nutrient package, Nu-Trax P+ contains nutrients essential in potato production

– Phosphorus

– Zinc

– Manganese

– Nitrogen

Nu-Trax P+

EvenCoat® technology:

• Granules in a fertilizer blend are coated with Nu-Trax P+

• Does not segregate or fall off

• Even, blanket-like distribution of phosphorus

• More points of interception

EvenCoat™ technology

Nu-Trax P+

PlantActiv Formulation:

• Chemically and physically designed for better availability.

• Particle size is ideal for plant uptake

Field performance

Field performance

Field performance

• Air Temp: 81 F • Soil Temp:79

MICRONUTRIENTS IN POTATO PRODUCTION

Potato Micronutrient Requirements

• A farmer’s crop removes these micronutrients from each acre in the field (lbs/acre)

Nutrient Wheat Peas Potatoes

Boron 0.08 0.04 0.19

Copper 0.07 0.06 0.11

Manganese 0.38 0.4 0.23

Zinc 0.29 0.02 0.28

Amount removed from one acre (lbs)

Common Micronutrient Deficiencies

Boron • glues cell walls together • Internal necrosis of

potato is a sign of boron deficiency

Zinc • Affects level of protein and yield • Starch is also affected by zinc • Deficiency shows chlorosis in

leaves

Challenges

• Traditional sources of micronutrients:

– Few points of interception for roots due to sparse distribution

– Limited plant-availability

– Low quality products may be damaging to crops

Wolf Trax Innovative Nutrients

• Better distribution of micronutrients with EvenCoat Technology

• PlantActiv Formulation for better availability

Urea coated with Wolf Trax Iron DDP

Wolf Trax Innovative Nutrients

• DDP Nutrients:

– Boron DDP

– Calcium DDP

– Copper DDP

– Iron DDP

– Magnesium DDP

– Manganese DDP

– Zinc DDP

Operation in UK

• 500 ha (1200 acres) of potatoes

• Fields are generally pH 7 – 8 with high levels of Ca & Mg

• Used Wolf Trax DDP’s as part of a high yield target input package

Boron DDP

Manganese DDP

Zinc DDP

Package resulted in about 10% more tubers than the control

Field performance

Field performance

Zn DDP as part of an integrated nutrient package for potatoes in Mexico

Field performance

Zn DDP as part of an integrated nutrient package for potatoes in Mexico

Summary • Potatoes especially need adequate soil fertility

• Deficiencies will affect tuber quality, yield, storability

• Potatoes are chloride-sensitive; choose a K source that isn’t damaging to crops such as Protassium+

• Nu-Trax P+ does a better job of delivering early season phosphorus nutrition to potato crops

• Get better distribution and uptake of micronutrients with Wolf Trax Innovative Nutrients

Choosing the right source of nutrients improves potato quality, yield and boosts your bottom line

Call (855) 237-9653 or wolftrax.com

For more information (855) 237-9653 wolftrax.com