Stress Adaptation with H-Start

Most agricultural lands lack the soil fungi and bacteria needed for effective crop residue and organic matter decomposition, efficient and timely nutrient release, and healthy crop development. H-Start is a targeted blend of a full spectrum of fungi and bacteria to improve your soil diversity and help you get more from the land.
  • Healthier soil
  • More resilient and robust plants
  • Stronger root development
  • Optimized fertilizer availability
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Soil microorganisms are a crop’s ally when faced with environmental challenges like salinity or drought.  The soil microbes support plant health and survival through interactions with plant roots and the production of growth-regulating compounds that help crops thrive even under adverse conditions.

img sg2 stress adaptation from a healthy diverse soil microbiome

Barley grown in saline conditions with H-Start on the left and without H-Start on the right.

Stress adaptation from a healthy diverse soil microbiome can include:

  • Root growth promotion
  • Salinity protection
  • Biofertilizer and specific nutrient availability (e.g. iron)
  • Pathogen protection
  • Drought protection
  • Growth regulation
  • Plant resistance
  • Increased yield

DNA Testing: Birch Hills Commercial Demo Field

DNA testing at the Birch Hills Commercial Demo Field reveals the level of microbes that help plants thrive under difficult growing conditions increase with the application of H-Start. This shows up in the first year of application and builds with annual repeated treatment. 

NW Block (Control)

  • 2021 not treated (canola)
  • 2022 not treated (barley)
  • 2023 not treated (canola)
2022 2023
Stress adaptation Very low Low

NE Block

  • 2021 treated with H-Start (canola)
  • 2022 not treated (barley)
  • 2023 not treated (canola)
2022 2023
Stress adaptation Very low Low

SW Block

  • 2021 not treated (canola)
  • 2022 treated with H-Start (barley)
  • 2023 treated with H-Start (canola)
2022 2023
Stress adaptation Low Medium

SE Block

  • 2021 treated with H-Start (canola)
  • 2022 treated with H-Start (barley)
  • 2023 treated with H-Start (canola)
2022 2023
Stress adaptation Low Medium

Key findings:

  • H-Start improves the volume and diversity of soil microbes responsible for supporting successful crops under stressed growing conditions.
  • Moisture was not a limiting factor in 2022. Assessment of the root development at the end of the growing season showed a significant increase in root biomass across all blocks that were treated with H-Start.
  • Rainfall was below long-term average in 2021. The east half of the field that was treated with H-Start had an 11% higher yield gain over the untreated canola. The canola crop was supported through below average moisture by the microbiome to provide increased yield.

Independent Research Results

The following third-party research results were reported from fields with high stress growing conditions. 

Drought Conditions: Fort Vermillion, AB (Wheat)

Partner: Mackenzie Applied Research Association (MARA)

Trial Year: 2023

img sg4 drought conditions r1

Key observations:

Observations by Naveen Arora, Ph.D., PAg – Research Scientist/Human Resource Manager at MARA.

2023 rainfall vs 10-year average: May-mid July – Drier than average early season conditions. Late July – Average moisture.

  • Overall germination in research plots were very patchy with seedlings emerging from day 5 to 15 or 20 days after seeding in some trials.  Germination was relatively fast and better with H-Start product.
  • Lack of moisture resulted in stunted seedlings and poor root growth. Plants in H-Start plots were vigorous and growing well as compared to the plots and trials with no H-Start product.
  • Lodging might have some impact on the actual yield.  There was some lodging in wheat as well but mostly the lodging affected barley and canola.
  • Most of the plots in trials at MARA showed deficiency symptoms like yellowing of leaves - deficiency symptoms were minor in H-Start applied plots.
  • A good amount of rainfall in August which led to lodging in the H-Start trial.  Lodging was not observed in any other trial at MARA this year due to drought.
  • Albeit abrupt weather conditions, H-Start showed great potential due to the overall performance in H-Start plots. We might be able to see the effect in longer term regarding yield, quality, and soil health.

Low Soil pH

img sg4 low soil ph r1

Partners:

  • Western Applied Research Corporation (WARC), Wheat, Soil pH 5.2
  • Battle River Research Group (BRRG), Canola, Soil pH 5.6
  • Battle River Research Group (BRRG), Wheat, Soil pH 5.6

Key observations:

  • Low pH soils reduce nutrient availability. As pH levels get lower, the availability of phosphate can be developmental and yield-limiting. Additionally, acidic soils tend to have lower levels of beneficial bacteria. H-Start will benefit crops by supporting nutrient availability and increasing microbial diversity in low pH soils.
  • H-Start response has been consistent over multiple years at multiple sites with low pH soils.
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