March 15, 2000

 New Inoculant Also Helps Control Plant Diseases

Memphis, TN--HiStick NT, a new high-powered inoculant that includes Bacillus subtilis for extended root protection against soil diseases, has been introduced by Helena Chemical Company.  This means that dry bean growers can get the benefits of inoculation and biological disease protection in one planter-box application.

The innovative product recently received EPA approval and will be available to help increase yield potential in dry bean crops.   The company guarantees that HiStick NT will contain two billion viable Rhizobium cells, and 200 million viable cells of Bacillus subtilis per gram of product from the original manufacturing date.

Bacillus subtilis, a naturally occurring beneficial organism, helps control “damping off” diseases through direct and indirect activity.  Those diseases included Rhizoctonia, Fusarium, Aspergillus, Alternaria and others. 

After planting, the Bacillus subtilis attaches itself quickly to plant roots and begins to colonizes the root system.  This provides disease protection into the season.  It works by physically blocking entry sites into the root. In addition, Bacillus subtilis also has an anti-biotic, repellent effect on many diseases. 

Yield increases in dry beans treated with HiStick NT were recorded at several research sites in 1999. 

At the University of Minnesota, HiStick NT was applied at planting to dark red kidney beans.  It was compared with plots that received HiStick inoculant only and an untreated plot.  

The HiStick NT plot had a yield of 856 kg/ha (856 lbs./ac).  This compares with 737 kg/ha (649 lbs./ac) for HiStick only, and 511 kg/ha (450 lbs./ac) for the plot with no inoculant or Bacillus subtilis.  That’s a yield increase of 83% for HiStick NT, compared with the untreated dark red kidney beans.  The plot with just HiStick inoculant was 54% greater than the untreated plot.  Significantly, the Histick NT plot also had a much lower disease severity rating than the untreated plot.

At Yuma, CO, the Irrigation Research Foundation conducted yield comparison tests on pinto beans with HiStick NT, HiStick only, and an untreated plot. The HiStick NT plot had a yield of 2,210 lbs/a, while HiStick only had a yield of 2,129 lbs/a, and the untreated plot had a yield of 1,934 lbs/a.  That’s a net increase of 276 lbs/a. for HiStick NT over the untreated pinto beans.

The Bacillus subtilis in HiStick NT is designed to complement standard seed treatment fungicides, which begin to lose activity two to three weeks after planting.  Since the Bacillus subtilis continues to colonize plant roots, its disease protection activity is extended much later into the growing season than standard seed treatments.

With extended disease protection of plant roots, the high-potency Rhizobium in HiStick NT has a greater opportunity to attach to more physical sites on roots.  This can increase nodulation and yield potential.

HiStick NT comes in 14-oz. packs that will treat 200 lbs. of dry bean seed.  It includes a patented sticker system for uniform adhesion on seed in the planter box.  Plus, a safener helps protect the viability of the Rhizobium and Bacillus subtilis from most chemical seed treatments.  HiStick NT can be used in all planter types, including air seederss.

HiStick NT is the first product of its kind on the market.  It is non-toxic, made with naturally occurring organisms and contains no genetically modified technology.

Helena Chemical Company is a nationwide formulator and distributor of crop production and crop protection products.  Headquartered in Memphis, TN, Helena markets crop protection chemicals, fertilizer and related services, seed and other information services.  Its Proprietary Products Department markets products in five categories—Adjuvants, BioScience, Nutritionals, Seed Treatments and Value-Added Generics. 

HiStick is a registered trademark of MicroBio Ltd.  Always read and follow label directions.

Contact:            
Aileen Lonergan   (303) 417-0146  Boulder, CO
Marty Robinson   (319) 395-7370  Cedar Rapids, IA
Jim Davis             (843) 423-2036  Marion, SC

<< Go Back