Converted Organics Inc. announced that field trials testing a potential new application of its organic liquid fertilizers will be on display at The McGregor Company's Seed Treatment Product Development Field Day on June 15, 2011, at the Miller Research facility in Rupert, Idaho.
The field trials will highlight the latest seed treatment products from BASF, Bayer, Chemtura, Syngenta, Valent and other companies on wheat, barley, beans and other crops important to Idaho agriculture. In the test, Converted Organics liquid fertilizers are being applied directly to grain seed concurrently with fungicides to determine if this application will increase seed germination and seedling establishment. The McGregor Company's seed is widely used on approximately one million acres of grain in Eastern Washington and Idaho.
In 2010, potato crop trials in Idaho showed that Converted Organics LC 1-1-1 liquid fertilizer applied in combination with Biorem Inc.'s Pharmgrade Compost increased yields by 22 to 33 percent over acreage treated with just the grower's standard synthetic fertilizer. These extensive trials demonstrated to growers the significant improvement in the economic yield per acre for their potato crop. Potatoes generated $824 million in production value in 2010. Crop trials suggest that the value of Idaho's potato crop could be increased to $1.0 to $1.2 billion by applying Converted Organics liquid fertilizer and Pharmgrade Compost in combination with synthetic fertilizers.
This year, Converted Organics Inc. has initiated several other field trial programs in Idaho and Washington in an effort to open up other promising market opportunities for the sale of its organic liquid fertilizers. Converted Organics' trials will solidify and build on those conducted last year and all have targeted objectives for some of the highest value crops in Idaho, including: 1) increased yield and quality improvement for potatoes; 2) increased yield and sugar percentages in sugar beets; and 3) increased protein content and root establishment in grain.