CHANDLER
BIOCAT 1000

A liquid product applied directly on crop residue after harvest. Biocat 1000 accelerates decomposition of residue and releases nutrients for the next crop.

What is Biocat 1000?

Biocat 1000 is a liquid enzyme product that contains micronutrients and naturally occurring enzymes, proteins, and amino acids.

What does it do?

Biocat 1000 accelerates the decomposition of crop residue by stimulating the growth of the naturally-occurring organisms that break-down organic compounds. Biocat 1000 initially works to decay the inside of corn stalks and other plant residue. The outer shell of the plant residue is left as a soil cover to reduce wind and water erosion. Later, Biocat 1000 enhances decomposition of the outer shell, and the remaining crop residue is easily handled by planting or tillage equipment.

Does Biocat 1000 decay heavy corn stalks?

Modern corn farming generates lots of residue that can hamper field operations and reduce nutrient uptake and plant growth during the following cropping season. Most high-yield corn fields can have at least 8-10 tons of residue per acre, especially under continuous corn farming or with Bt corn hybrids. To understand how Biocat 1000 helps to decay heavy corn residue before the next crop, please refer to our new technical paper on managing continuous corn residue.

When do you apply Biocat 1000?

You should apply Biocat 1000 as soon after harvest as possible. Although the decay process is not killed by freezing temperatures and will continue after the weather warms in the spring, most of the bacteria that decay crop residue go dormant at temperatures below 38 degrees Fahrenheit. Also, as the figure below illustrates, the amount of biological activity doubles for every 10 degree increase above 38 degrees. So, you should apply Biocat 1000 to your crop residue as soon after harvest as possible in order to start the decay process early and generate the maximum benefit of the product. For more information on the timing of the decay process, please refer to our new technical paper on the benefits of early crop residue decay.

Higher temperatures increase biological decay activity

How do you apply Biocat 1000?

Biocat 1000 is compatible with Chandler Soil and most herbicides, pesticides, and fertilizers and can be applied in a tank-mix with these products. Biocat 1000 is also non-toxic and does not require special equipment or handling.

What is the recommended application rate?

You should apply 8 ounces of Biocat 1000 with 20 gallons of water per acre for most field crops. The recommended application rate is 10-16 ounces per acre for high-yield corn (more than 150 bushels per acre) and in fields with heavy residue accumulation.

What benefits can I expected from enhanced residue decomposition?

• Nutrient availability --- the decay organisms ties up nutrients in the decaying residue and in applied nutrients such as fertilizer and manure. As illustrated in the figure, the availability of all soil nutrients increases as the decay process concludes. Biocat 1000 enhances the yield of the next crop by working to accelerate the decay of residue from the prior crop.

  Decay process

  

  Nutrient availibility

• Chemical carryover --- pesticides remaining in the crop residue can affect growth of following crops. A good decay program based on Biocat 1000 can reduce the potential for harmful chemical carryover.
• Insects --- by decomposing the remaining crop residue, Biocat 1000 reduces potential nesting sites for corn borer and other insects.
• Volunteer corn --- Biocat 1000 promotes decay of dropped ears in the same way it enhances stalk decomposition. If applied soon after harvest, Biocat 1000 will have ample time to promote decay of the corn cobs and kernels, which are then unable to germinate.
• Increased biological activity in the soil --- Biocat 1000 helps to support the growth of beneficial bacteria, fungi, and other soil organisms that build soil structure. For example, soil fungi play an important role in the conversion of decayed plant material to humus. Clear evidence of this biological activity is shown in these pictures of mushrooms in a corn field provided by one of our users in Eastern Iowa.

See our field results for Chandler Biocat 1000 applied to corn residue before no-till soybeans

For more information about the decay process, refer to our new technical paper

For more details about Chandler Biocat 1000, please refer to our new product brochure (revised Fall, 2007)

Managing the high costs of corn production with Chandler Crop Product

Benefits of using the three main Chandler Crop Products

Ordering information

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