The Importance of a Starter Fertilizer Program

Posted Bethany Widman, Research Agronomist on February 10, 2025

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Starter fertilizers are an essential way for growers to provide their crops with nutrition early in the growing season, setting the crop up for higher yields at harvest. Delivering nutrients in-furrow to seeds will help to establish a good root system for the crop, mitigate early season stress, and establish a framework for a successful year.

Early Season Stress: While every planting season is different, common early-season stress factors include cool soil temperatures, wet soils, soil nutrient deficiencies, or late planting. Any of these stress factors can cause crops to have slower, non-uniformed emergence and poor root development, which can lead to a yield loss at harvest.

Starter Fertilizer: Starter fertilizers contain macro and micronutrients like nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, zinc, and other nutrients that help to mitigate these early season stressors. Using a starter fertilizer like Season Pass® with MicroCarb® and Power Pass® provides crops with nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and carbon, all of which are essential for crop growth. Providing a source of carbon in the starter fertilizer helps enhance the efficiency of the other nutrients in the fertilizer, improving overall plant health and crop vigor.  

Starter Fertilizer Research Results

Below are trial results from our 2024 field trials from a plot in Illinois. At this plot, Season Pass GoldStart® with MicroCarb yielded +17.78 bu/a better than the untreated. By adding Power Pass to the tank mix, the crop yielded +18.64 bu/a better than untreated.

Key Strategies for Cost-Effective Fertilizer Use

1. Conduct Regular Soil Testing

Soil testing is fundamental in identifying nutrient deficiencies and surpluses. By understanding the soil's nutrient profile, growers can avoid unnecessary fertilizer applications. This not only cuts costs for growers but also protects the environment from nutrient runoff.

2. Embrace In-Furrow Applications

Broadcast phosphorus rates can be reduced by one-third to one-half if the phosphorus is banded in furrow. Potassium rates can also be reduced. Broadcasting phosphorus is the least efficient method of application for this non-mobile nutrient.

In-furrow applications, on the other hand, target the root zone and reduce nutrient fixation. Individual growers can save thousands of dollars simply by changing application methods from broadcasting to in-furrow.

3. Understand “Sufficiency” Guidelines

Familiarize yourself with the "sufficiency" guidelines used by universities for phosphorus recommendations. These guidelines consider the nutrients your soil can naturally supply, allowing you to fine-tune your fertilizer applications and avoid over-fertilization.

The Andersons Solutions

Effective fertilizer management is about more than just cutting costs—it's about making informed decisions based on soil data, adopting efficient application methods, such as in-furrow applications, and rethinking traditional approaches. By integrating these strategies, you can achieve higher yields, reduce waste, and ultimately increase your bottom line.

Starter fertilizers from The Andersons are designed to help growers improve plant health, increase yields, and improve overall ROI. To learn more about starter fertilizer products featuring Season Pass, check out our Season Pass web page.

For pricing and product availability, complete this form and we’ll get you in touch with your territory manager from The Andersons.