G’s Fresh Radish Trial Proves Timac Biostimulants Increase Yield and Reduce Disease Impact
Radish Blackspot and Rhizoctonia Management
In conjunction with G’s Fresh, a trial was sited in peat soils in Norfolk (near to Feltwell) to evaluate the ability of TIMAC AGRO biostimulants to enhance radish growth (var. Celeste), improve overall plant health and reduce the likelihood of bulbs developing blackspot (pythium) and rhizoctonia.
The products were evaluated with treated plots replicated four times in a fully randomised design.
The TIMAC biostimulants used included Fertiactyl Starter and Fertileader Magical.
Fertiactyl Starter was applied at 3L/ha immediately post drilling (T1), and at the same rate 14 days later when cotyledons had emerged (T2).
Seactiv Magical was applied at T2 and 10 days later (T3, 22/09/2023) at 4L/ha.
RESULTS…
Blackspot incidence and severity: The TIMAC program substantially reduced the incidence of blackspot by 46.7% compared with the untreated control. No statistically significant reduction in severity (the number of lesions or spots which developed once a bulb was infected).
Rhizoctonia incidence and severity: The TIMAC program gave a reduction in rhizoctonia incidence of 15.9% compared with the untreated control. This corresponded with a reduction in severity of 10.9%.
No crop safety issues developed in the treated plots.
Bulb weight: 100 bulbs from the centre of each plot were taken, the foliage removed and weighed. The TIMAC program had an average increased bulb weight of 8.9% compared with the untreated control (11.75g vs. 10.79g).
ROI…
19t/ha (average yield) x 8.9% increase in yield = 1.7t/ha uplift.
At current prices this would give a net return of £1047/ha after investing in the TIMAC biostimulant program.