Field Study

Vitazyme on Corn – 2003, North America

This experiment showed that corn responded almost equally well with Vitazyme applied to the leaves only, with or without a surfactant, in terms of dry weight gain during the growth period. Vitazyme in the leaf whorl only caused a highly significantly 48% weight gain versus the control, while the surfactant plus Vitazyme increased dry weight by 36%. Both treatments received the product in the leaf whorl, but Treatment 3 — with the surfactant — also had product clinging to other leaf surfaces. Both Treatments 2 and 3 had no Vitazyme applied to the soil surface.

Plant height was significantly increased by Vitazyme applied to the leaves without a surfactant, but the failure of Treatment 3 (with the surfactant) to increase significantly in height did not prevent the plants of Treatment 3 from increasing dry matter accumulation nearly as much as Treatment 2. 

It is concluded from this study that, as long as sufficient active agents are present on the plant — such as in the leaf whorl for corn — the plant will react properly to the biostimulants.  Additional amounts of product clinging to leaf surfaces as produced by a surfactant may be important in encouraging plant growth if enough droplets cling to leaf surfaces during application. However, droplets falling to the soil surface will normally contribute to product activity through root stimulation by active agents, so there may be only certain instances in which the use of a surfactant with Vitazyme may be advantageous.