SFS Biologicals Trial
Assessing the establishment and yield response of Wheat to biological seed treatment products Vita-Zyme and MicroPlus.
Dumbleyung, WA, 2017
Summary
This trial was established on David Gray’s AgroAdvantage trial site near Dumbleyung, WesternAustralia. The purpose of the trial is to compare and demonstrate to the DavidGray’s extended network the efficacy of Organic Farming Solutions (OFS)biological products VitaZyme and MicroPlus.
The aim of the field trial is to determine whether thedifferent treatments result in differences in initial emergence andestablishment and subsequent yield.
Stoller’s Bio-Forge is a nutrient formulation aimed at ensuring healthy crop growth and support particularly during periods of stress conditions andforms part of Stoller’s stress program. OFS’s VitaZyme is an organic bio-stimulant containing natural plant extractions and fermentations as well as other bio-active ingredients and plant growth regulators. MicroPlus is a biological inoculant containing mycorrhiza and trichoderma fungal species designed to improve nutrient availability and root health.
Initial observations of establishment were positive, showing increased root mass and biomass in the VitaZyme and VitaZyme and MicroPlus treated plots. The final yield results also show a slight, albeit statistically insignificant, increase in yield VitaZyme treated plot.
Methodology
Materials
- OFS’s VitaZyme
- OFS’s MicroPlus
Treatment List
Tmt No. Product 1 Control 2 VitaZyme 3 MicroPlus 4 VitaZyme + MicroPlus
Trial Layout
Experimental Design
Design: Commercial Demonstration Replications: 2 Plot length: 40m Plot Width: 4m
Site, Crop and Application Details
Assessment Methods
Assessment Date: Assessment 26/07/2017 Root and top assessment 03/08/2017 NDVI 15/09/2017 Tiller counts 19/09/2017 Tissue Test 20/11/2017 Yield
Data Analysis
All data analysis in this report was conducted using Microsoft Excel. Simple means, analysis of variance and the student t-test were used to determine statistical significance using the least significant difference method with a 95% confidence interval.
Results
Visual Assessment – Root and Foliar
Figures 5, 6 and 7 in the appendix show increased foliar vigour and root mass in the plants treated with VitaZyme and VitaZyme/Microplus over untreated control plots. There does not appear to be an observable difference between the untreated and the MicroPlus-alone treated plants.
NDVI
NDVI readings at the 4-5 leaf stage proved ineffective due to an uneven germination. However at around the 1st node crop stage we found some interesting results that seemed to mimic the visuals we see in figures 4, 5 & 6. VitaZyme and VitaZyme/Microplus appear to be significantly improved over the untreated control and the MicroPlus-alone treated plots.
Tiller Count
With the staggered germination, as with the early NDVI, it proved difficult to fairly and consistently count the number of tillers in a metre row as there were large patches of nothing. Hence as an alternative we counted the number of tillers on 20 plants per plot. The average seen below is of 40 plants per treatment. Although the MicroPlus treatment didn’t show a visual or quantitative (NDVI) gain in biomass, it seems to have produced on average an extra tiller per plant.
Tissue Assessment
10 plants from each treatment were sent to CSBP for a tissue sample test. The average plant weights are consistent with what we have seen visually and through NDVI. Interestingly the MicroPlus treatment is showing elevated levels of N,P,K,S,Cu,Zn,Ca and Mg compared with any of the other treatments. See table below:
Harvested Yield
Figure 3 below shows that all treatments showed on average an improvement in yield compared to the untreated control. VitaZyme yielded the greatest, followed by MicroPlus and VitaZyme/MicroPlus, with the untreated control with the smallest yield.
Performing an ANOVA and T Test statistical test on the datashows that there is no significant statistical difference between any of thetreatments and the control. This is likely due to the small number ofrepetitions and the large variations across the results that are likely due todifferent soils and topography across the sample area.
Protein Grain Assessment
A sample of grain from each plot was sent for analysis at the Dumbleyung grain CBH site. Figure 4 below shows there were slight differences recorded, with VitaZyme again performing the best. The slight increases (less than one percent) in protein percentages at this scale are unlikely to result in any financial advantage to the farmer.
Conclusion
The visual and photographical assessments and observationsshow a clear increase in root and foliar mass in the plots treated with VitaZyme and VitaZyme/Microplus. VitaZyme is a plant fermentation andextraction-based product containing growth regulators and bio-active compoundsthat are reported to hasten growth and root development. This may explain whyit has improved early performance. MicroPluscontains mycorrhizaeandtrichoderma fungus species which improve soil health and nutrient availabilitybut may this may take time for the communities to develop in the soil andaffect growth. This may explain why there has been no improvement in the earlyperformance of the treated plants, but the tissue samples show an improvednutrient analysis. It is unfortunate and unexpected that this did not translateto higher improvement is yield, although it did still yield more than theuntreated control. The highest yield was achieved by the plots treated with VitaZyme. Vitazyme boosted the plantearly in the growth stage through improved roots and early growth in thedifficult start to the season, establishing a stronger and larger root andfoliar base, and then allowed the plant to maintain this advantage by betterutilising the moisture later in the season to achieve the highest yield.
The soft finish of the growing season is also likely to have diminished some of the expected gains in yield of the treated plots.
Appendices
Rainfall
Photos
