Admire Pro applied as a liquid into the seed furrow is proving to be an excellent option for controlling thrips in cotton and peanuts. To increase efficiency, growers are beginning to look at the options for tank mixing other planting time products with the Admire Pro including different starter/pop-up liquid fertilizers. We have information that suggests that there are some combinations that are not working well.
For example, we did a field trial last summer and found that Admire Pro did NOT mix well with 10-34-0 (N-P-K). Where Ca(NO3)2 tank mixed with the Admire Pro with no problem and provided good seedling vigor and good thrips control, the 10-34-0 (N-P-K) Admire Pro tank mix did not. The Admire Pro 10-34-0 mix clotted up and caused clogginh of sprayer lines and nozzle screens. Not unpredictably, seedling vigor and thrips control were also compromised.
We recently had the same experience with a local grower. Before (thankfully) adding Admire Pro to a full load of 3-15-19, (N-P-K) starter/pop-up fertilizer we did a ‘jar’ test. We saw the same result as we did the previous summer in our field trial—that the Admire Pro clotted up in the jar and quickly precipitated out in whitish flakes to the bottom of the jar—not good.
We are beginning a project to evaluate other fertilizer products in lab ‘jar’ test mixes and will take some of these to the field this summer to look at how these mixes perform, both in terms of seedling growth enhancement and thrips control. In the meantime we STRONGLY recommend that if you are planning to tank mix Admire Pro with a starter/pop-up fertilizer that you do a ‘jar’ test to check for compatibility. And, based on our experiences, when filling the spray tank you should add the water first, then the fertilizer, then the Admire Pro last. Continual tank agitation may also be helpful to minimize the risk of any settling of the suspension.
Ames Herbert and Hunter Frame, VT, Tidewater AREC