Rhizolizer® In-furrow

Rhizolizer® was applied in-furrow during planting at 6 oz/ac.  UAV data was collected using Fix-wing AgEagle UAV having GoPro sensor with 4 different band information. To determine the canopy coverage and plant density, UAV data was collected during the early germination period i.e., June 22, 2021. NIR band and green band reflectance was used to calculate GNDVI of the field. GNDVI value ranges from -1 to 1. Higher the GNDVI values during early growth phase represent higher plant density and higher canopy coverage. During the analysis, whole field was separated into different yield zones i.e., Low (<35 bu/ac), mid yield (35 to 55 bu/ac) and high yield (>55 bu/ac).

Overall, Rhizolizer application at mid yield zone increased yield by 0.63 bu/ac and was statistically significant (Figure 1 & Table 1). We saw similar significant increase in yield due to Rhizolizer at Mid yield zone at multiple locations. All four replications, 1,2,3 and 4, had increase in yield by 0.91, 0.23, 0.95 and 0.43 bu/ac respectively. GNDVI map created using UAV data was numerically greater in the Rhizolizer treatment however was not statistically significant (Table 2). More research at multiple sites with more replications are required to better explain the contrast between two different treatments in different environmental condition.