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Using plant sap analysis can improve crop health, reduce diseases

An agronomist says farmers are able to reduce crop pests and diseases while improving crop health and yields by analyzing plant sap.

Rachelle Moss from Advancing Eco Agriculture tells Brownfield they look for a balance of twenty-three essential nutrients in the plant. “To prevent different pests, we can look at specific things like high levels of ammonium and then correct that using nutrition to block and prevent different pests from coming in. We also can prevent fungal diseases and prevent the usage of fungicides.”

Moss says the frequency of sap monitoring depends on the crop. “Corn, wheat, soybeans, a row crop system, typically, it’s just three times a season and if we’re doing something that’s more involved, maybe it’s berries or vineyards where it’s a higher-value crop, we’re looking at things a lot more often. It can be a bi-weekly basis.”

She says there are strawberry growers that take sap samples every week.

Moss says the focus is on good plant nutrition such as keeping manganese and phosphorus levels where they belong.  She also says different forms of nitrogen impact the plant’s health and disease resistance differently, as nitrates and ammonium can become a problem for the plants. “And if we have excess levels of that, it means our plant isn’t processing it properly so we’re ether missing something or that nitrogen process is not functioning well in our plants.”

Moss says one form of nitrogen is easier for plants to utilize. “With liquid urea, the plant uses 25% less energy so they can actually process that more quickly and it doesn’t go into forms like ammonium and nitrates.”

Moss says having the right micronutrients can help plants process nitrogen more effectively, and using plant sap analysis is a good tool for managing those levels.  She says after balancing micronutrients for two or three growing seasons, many fields become stable and predictable, and farmers can reduce input costs, have less disease, and fewer crop pests.

Moss spoke to Brownfield during the recent Growing Wisconsin conference in Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin.

AUDIO: Rachelle Moss from Advancing Eco Agriculture discusses how sap analysis can help manage crop health through better nutrition with Brownfield’s Larry Lee during the Growing Wisconsin conference.