By Misti McBride

Soil health is a major concern for many farmers nationwide. From avoiding water contamination to increasing soil fertility, the reasons to invest in soil health are both necessary and key to improving maximum yields.

During the last 10 years, biologicals have entered the crop input market. These are naturally- existing products, as opposed to man-made chemicals, that are added to soil to perform a variety of functions.

Some biologicals help plants fight insects and disease. Others focus on nutrient utilization, improving soil quality and returning the soil to a more balanced ecosystem.

The largest growth in the biological market has been the use of microbials. By introducing specific microorganisms into the soil, farmers can improve the natural processes that break down residue and increase organic matter for mineralization and carbon sources.

Well-balanced soil does a better job of retaining water and nutrients. It decreases the leaching of nitrogen, which results in improved water quality and input efficiency.

Each season producers face environmental challenges in the field, including storms and heavy precipitation affecting nitrogen applications. The leaching of nitrogen and the movement of nitrogen applications off-site are major concerns for today’s farmer.

As a response to these conditions, AgXplore has developed a new nitrogen management product, ContaiN MAX. It’s an update to the company’s best-selling ContaiN product, used to manage surface-applied nitrogen and improve nitrogen uptake in the soil.

What’s new is the addition of microbials to an already highly effective product. Original ingredients include NBPT to control volatility and NZONE, which has been proven to reduce nitrogen leaching by 47 percent. The new microbial additions consist of four biological strains that all play a vital role in productivity.

Two of these biologicals increase soil health by stimulating natural processes that break down soil residue. They aid in mineralizing nutrients and increasing soil nutrient uptake by the plant.

The other biologicals in the ContaiN MAX formula attach plant-available nitrogen to soil colloids for increased nitrogen efficiency. Soil colloids are tiny particles that make up the soil and hold nutrients, such as nitrogen. ContaiN MAX captures nitrogen by helping it adhere to soil colloids, creating nitrogen-rich soil for plant uptake.

This unique technology aids nitrogen in the upper inches of the soil where the majority of nitrogen is taken up by the plant. Nitrogen is readily available and less likely to be displaced by leaching or denitrification events. Research has proven that the ContaiN MAX formulation maintains more nitrogen in the plant throughout the growing season. The end result of using ContaiN MAX is increased soil health, reduced environmental impact and improved crop performance.

Growers can expect to see a tremendous increase in new biologicals available in the market during the next several years.

To learn more about ContaiN MAX, visit http://www.agxplore.com.