Snake oil, monkey juice, frou-frou dust: the names that crop scientists call the untested, miracle crop supplements that promise big returns for a few dollars are less than complimentary.
Agronomists fear that low grain prices and high fertilizer costs may drive desperate grain producers to seek low-cost production alternatives that don’t deliver.
“It seems worst in years when producers are under the most pressure,” said Doon Pauly of Alberta Agriculture.
“The last time we fielded so many calls from producers wondering if such and such product would make their fertilizer twice as efficient or their crops improve their yield by some factor or another was 2002.”
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Pauly said producers need to approach these silver bullets with care.
“They can end up shooting themselves in the foot.”
Rigas Karamanos of Westco in Calgary said when money gets as tight as it is this year, grain growers need to invest in only the inputs that deliver the biggest yield bang for the buck.
“Promises that some snake oil will let you reduce your N, P, K (nitrogen, phosphorous, potassium) because it makes them more efficient are more about some form of faith-based belief than science,” he said.
“There are some true believers in the crowd that say spreading a bit of frou-frou dust on the field will change agricultural facts.”
Karamanos advised producers to stick to agronomic basics.
“Gains in yield can only be achieved via better quality seed and fertilization: hence maximum economic benefit can only be derived from these two operating inputs in order to cover all of the other operational costs.”
Agronomists say producers should look to peer-reviewed research and known products that can enhance production, such as rhizobium inoculants in pulse crops, rather than improving trace elements of minerals and metals in their soil.
Pauly said producers looking to save money this year shouldn’t do it at the expense of their yields by cutting the basic nutrient package.
“Western agriculture and its research are highly advanced and efficient. Any claim that offers more than a few percent, say up to 10, in increased yield should set off the skepticism alarm bells,” he said. “Avoid plant growth-promoting products that don’t have supporting yield data from known sources such as university or government research to back them up.”
Karamanos agreed.
“Price your inputs and expected yields carefully to make sure it will pay. And if you want to try something new or unique, add it to a test strip and look for miracles there. If you don’t find any in the fall, congratulate yourself on the money you saved.”
