Field Study

Vitazyme on Soybeans – 2011, Cedar Falls, Iowa

The fourth year of a long-term study into the effects of Vitazyme on crop yield (corn-soybean rotation), crop quality, and soil characteristics has shown that this product continues to favorably affect the yields and quality of the crop, and also improves soil parameters. Soybeans were grown in 2011, following corn in 2010, and the following results were obtained.
Leaf chlorophyll. Vitazyme significantly improved leaf chlorophyll in a midsummer evaluation, by 1.4 SPAD units.
Bean moisture at harvest. The treated soybeans were slightly dryer at harvest then were the untreated beans.
Bean yield. Vitazyme increased the yield above the control by 1.84 bu/acre (2%), which was not sig- nificant but was highly profitable.
Bean composition. Nearly all minerals and protein were increased in the beans with Vitazyme treatment – especially manganese and zinc, which responded significantly at P=0.10 – and only phosphorus did not respond at all.
Soil microorganisms. Both active and total bacteria and fungi increased above the control with Vitazyme (22 to 80%), but especially the fungi, leading to a lower fungi;bacteria ratio, a favorable result. Protozoa, beneficial nematodes, and actinomycetes also increased with Vitazyme, and projected nitrogen release rose by 37 lb/acre.
Soil parameters. After four years of treatment, the Vitazyme treated soils showed consistent improve- ments in availability of most elements – except sulfur, iron, copper, and zinc, and sodium, which declined – although soil organic matter and available nitrogen showed no change from the control; magnesium increased significantly at P=0.01. Soil pH increased significantly to 5.78 with Vitazyme. Of special interest is the fact that the cations all significantly moved towards a more favorable balance in terms per- cent base saturation, sodium declining at the same time.
These results show the considerable benefit of Vitazyme for soybeans and for soil characteristics over a long- term use program on highly fertile Iowa soils.