Case study · Barley & Oats
The numbers behind it
AgriTec on-farm · 2023. Full chart available on request.
YIELD LIFT
+0%
vs control plot
BEST PLOT
0 bu/ac
Full program
TREATMENTS
0
all outperformed control
CONTROL
0 bu/ac
Control
Small-grain program adapts the proven wheat trial protocol.
01
Small grains pay on two numbers: stand and test weight. Both are set early. Tiller count entering winter carries through to spring spikelets, and test weight is decided by how healthy the flag leaf finishes. Broadcast dry P sits on the surface and reaches the seedling root too slowly for either.
Barley and oats respond to the same fertility logic as wheat. They just need the rates dialed for a lighter, faster crop.
02
The parent protocol is proven: at Agricenter International, the full AgriTec wheat program yielded 99 bu/ac versus 79 on the conventional N-only control, a +25% lift across six replicated plots on identical starting soil (pH 5.4), PI Bruce Kirksey and Jonathan Barrett.
Adapted to small grains and run on-farm, that same protocol moved barley from a 60 bu/ac control to 82 bu/ac, a +37% lift. The full chart is available on request.
03
3-18-18+ places 100% orthophosphate P with K right at the seed zone, where it drives root and tiller development the surface-broadcast dry program can't match. Pro-Cal fixes the pH and calcium foundation the wheat trial started from.
Nitro-Maxx+ carries slow-release N through tillering and jointing, and YieldMaker at flag leaf lays down kelp and micronutrients that protect test weight and protein, the finish that separates a fair sample from a premium one.
The program · three tiers
Seed-zone P-K for tillering
Pre-plant · broadcast
Pro-Cal
3 gal/ac
If pH / Ca base sat is low
At seeding · drilled
3-18-18+
5 gal/ac
Ortho P + K for root + tiller set
Outcome
Puts available P where small grains build tillers, the establishment the whole season rides on.
Add slow-release N · RECOMMENDED
Pre-plant · broadcast
Pro-Cal
3 gal/ac
At seeding · drilled
3-18-18+
5 gal/ac
Top-dress · tillering
Nitro-Maxx+
3 gal/ac
Sustained N through jointing
Outcome
Foundation, placement, and sustained nitrogen: the adapted protocol that reached 82 bu/ac on-farm.
Full season · finish for test weight
Pre-plant · broadcast
Pro-Cal
3 gal/ac
At seeding · drilled
3-18-18+
5 gal/ac
Top-dress · tillering
Nitro-Maxx+
3 gal/ac
Flag leaf · foliar
YieldMaker
1 qt/ac
Kelp + micros for test weight + protein
Outcome
Strongest stand and strongest finish. Best fit for malt barley or milling oats chasing a quality premium.
Logistics · Free shipping on tote orders. Malt, feed, or forage small grains. We'll tune the rates to your class and build the ROI around your sample premium.
The process
No back-and-forth, no upsell calls, no rate cards. Send the lab report, get a custom program. Free.
Snap a photo of the lab PDF, upload a CSV, or email the file. We accept anything: Midwest Labs, A&L, Waters, Servi-Tech, you name it.
Not a sales rep. A real agronomist trained on the soil science. They look at every column: pH, base saturation, micros, organic matter.
Field-by-field plays with product, rate, timing, and the rationale behind each call. Multi-tier (good/better/best) so you choose the spend.
Same kind of multi-page program you just flipped through: branded, redaction-free, priced to today's market. No charge. No catch.
We built that one for free.
Send us your soil test. An AgriTec agronomist will write the same kind of program for your acres. No charge, no call tree, priced to today's market.
See your numbers. Build a recommendation on your acres in under a minute.
