March 16, 2000

New HiStick^® 2 Soybean Inoculant Double-Strength Rhizobial Inoculant

HiStick 2, a new, high-powered soybean inoculant with twice the amount of viable rhizobial cells compared to many other inoculants, is being introduced in selected areas in 2000, according to MicroBio Ltd., the manufacturer.

“New HiStick 2 contains four billion live rhizobial cells per gram of product,” explains Aileen Lonergan, Marketing Manager for MicroBio.  “Most conventional soybean inoculants, including MicroBio’s popular HiStick, have two billion live bacteria per gram. 

“With HiStick 2, we’ve doubled the rhizobial count so that growers can take advantage of the higher performance potential with this unique new product,” she states.  “The higher performance can result in increased yield potential from greater root nodulation potential.  Recent tests (separate attachment) conducted at Ohio State University and the University of Guelph have shown that a planter-box application of HiStick 2 resulted in significantly higher yields than the standard inoculant treatment and the untreated check plot.”

HiStick 2 is manufactured with an “enhanced vigor” strain of Bradyrhizobium japonicum, a USDA soybean strain.  It is packed in a sterile, peat-based protective carrier.  The carrier is sterilized to prevent contaminants that could reduce numbers of rhizobia.  HiStick 2 also has a patented sticker system for uniform distribution on seed in the planter box.  In addition, the unique new inoculant has a seed treatment safener that protects it from most soybean seed treatments. 

Another advantage of HiStick 2 is its convenience of use.  "We have greatly reduced the on-seed application rate of the inoculant to the absolute minimum,” says Piran Cargeeg, MicroBio’s Technical Development Manager.  “At the recommended application rate, all soybean seeds are efficiently covered  with the inoculant, and at the same time eliminating any seed-flow problems (e.g. bridging) too often seen with other high volume peat based inoculants. Reducing the application rate any further leads to physical coverage problems, reducing the yield benefits and consistency of the inoculant.   HiStick 2 has the lowest application rate (1.68 oz/bu ) of any dry inoculant on the market. Basically, you get double the numbers for about half the rate."

For growers, this adds up to convenience, potency and performance in one easy step.  Just pour the recommended amount on seed in the planter box, stir and you are ready to plant.  HiStick 2 works well in all planters, including air seeders.” You can use an EnviroPac inoculator to speed things up if you are using a bulk system. 

The new inoculant comes in two package sizes.  The 14-oz. pack will treat ten 50-pound bags of seed, and the 56-oz. package will treat forty 50-lb. units of seed, making it ideal for mini-bulk systems.  HiStick 2 is a ready-to-use product that requires no thawing or mixing.  It will not cause planter box “bridging.” 

“Inoculation of legumes has been proven by extensive research to be a yield-increasing practice,” states Lonergan.  “The inoculant products offered by MicroBio have a solid reputation among inoculant experts for their product quality, purity and potency.  And that has been proven by years of research.  By doubling the rhizobial count in HiStick 2, we are demonstrating our commitment to growers to provide them with cost-effective tools that can give them a solid return on investment.  HiStick 2 has been thoroughly researched and is produced with stringent quality-control standards.  Our goal at MicroBio is to help growers benefit from inoculation by producing high-quality, easy-to-use and innovative inoculant products.”

HiStick 2 and other quality products produced by MicroBio are distributed exclusively by Helena Chemical Company.  Click here for info about HiStick 2. 

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

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