Collaborating Producer: Paul & Lori Kinnee, Brownvale
Research Coordinator: Dr. Akim Omokanye
From: Peace Country Beef & Forage Association 2012 Annual Report
Many producers want to increase their management to better utilize their pastures for livestock production. Under the right condition, fertilizer application can be one of the most cost-effective methods to improve forage yield and quality. In addition to solid fertilizer application, foliar fertilizer can also be used to rejuvenate pastures. Foliar fertilization can correct deficiencies, strengthen weak or damaged crops, speed growth and grow better plants. Foliar nutrients are mobilized directly into plant leaves, which is the goal of fertilization to begin with, increasing the rate of photosynthesis in the leaves, and by doing so stimulating nutrient absorption by plant roots. PCBFA was approached by the collaborating producer to carry out studies on the use of foliar fertilizer to rejuvenate pasture and particularly to examine the effects the foliar fertilizer will have on grasshoppers and pasture production. With the product (Best Foliar Fertilizer), the producer understands that grasshopper populations should be reduced because of its ability to increase forage brix (sugar) level. Grasshoppers do not have a pancreas so they cannot process/digest sugar and therefore would tend to go after unhealthy plants more than they would healthy ones, with a higher brix content. Brix is the measure of the sugar content of a plant and is measured by a device called a refractometer. The objectives of this study are to examine the effects of foliar fertilizer on soil nutrients, forage brix level, forage yield and feed value.
Methods
Site: The project is located in Brownvale (MD of Peace) on RGE road 263 and on 225 acres of land.