Enhanced Application Accuracy, Focus on Plant Health Among Key Growth Drivers for Micronutrients Market

In Hollywood, the popular actress of the day is called the “It Girl.” Translate that to crops and the focus on micronutrients could be considered the “It Product.” As the understanding surrounding these plant health products grows, the ag community shines its spotlight on micronutrients.

Looking Back

“Going into the 2024 season, I was skeptical we would sustain sales of micronutrients,” says Galynn Beer, National Strategy Lead for AgroLiquid. “The industry has shown the benefits of micronutrients, but as commodity prices trend down, growers have historically evaluated the value of nutrients in a pecking order. Higher priced nutrients, such as the micros, often get cut because it’s small volume and significant dollars. But growers are more sold on the benefits than I thought so they put primary nutrients under the microscope as well. Recognition of value for micronutrients is encouraging for durability of demand.”

While interest is strong, Covid-induced supply chain disruptions, borrowing costs, and increased shipping costs have changed the approach to purchasing.

“Over the past several years, due to challenges in procuring certain inputs and a return to normal lead times for products, there has been shift in buying patterns with many purchasing on a more just-in-time basis, which is being heavily influenced by the increased cost of capital,” says Jake Socherman, General Manager, Micronutrients, Verdesian Life Sciences. “Like many other ag inputs, after the supply chain correction, many ag retailers were looking for the best times to purchase. We are again starting to see an increase in overseas ocean freight, which in turn makes domestically manufactured micronutrients more attractive.”

Not only has where micronutrients come from changed, growers have changed the way they are being used.

“Over the past few years, the trend has been to use micronutrient combos instead of straight nutrients due to the synergistic effects that are realized,” says Tommy Roach, Vice President-Product Development & Technical Services, Nachurs Alpine Solutions. “The trend changed in 2024 in large part due to lower commodity prices and reverted back to straight applications of zinc, boron, etc.”

Giving end-users new options helped deliver positive results for manufacturers, as well.

“We anticipated continued growth in demand for micronutrients due to increasing awareness of their importance in optimizing crop yields and soil health,” says Eric Winans, Technical Agronomist, BRANDT. “We also expected advancements in micronutrient delivery technologies.

“These expectations were largely met,” Winans continues. “There was significant market growth, and we saw strong adoption of our advanced nutrient delivery technologies. Farmers are increasingly prioritizing micronutrient applications to address soil deficiencies and enhance crop quality.”

Fred Nichols, who holds the dual titles of Chief Marketing and Chief Sales Officer for Huma, explains how the growth of micronutrients parallels that of a common crop.

“When you think about it, the evolutionary path of micronutrients is similar to what we’ve seen with soybeans,” he says. “Historically speaking, neither garnered top attention from growers. Now, on many farms, soybeans are planted ahead of corn and receive the same intensive management focus. While micros still may not share the spotlight with macros, they are no longer after thoughts.”

The market for micronutrients, like many crop inputs, is influenced by commodity prices.

“Overall, we were not limited by supply in 2024. The supply chain disruptions of the last few seasons did not carry in to 2024” says Ron Calhoun, Ph.D., Senior Plant Nutrition Portfolio Manager, Loveland Products, Inc. “As commodity prices fluctuate, so does the grower’s interest in micronutrients. Raw materials for micronutrients started to strengthen around the time the crop was going in the ground.”

Segment Drivers

“Growers are striving for balanced nutrition,” AgroLiquid’s Beer says. “There seems to be almost an unspoken contest among growers to reduce application amounts of nitrogen. There is a recognition that performance of primary nutrients is leveraged by the addition of micronutrients. Investment in micronutrients reduces the need to over-apply primary nutrients.

“More focus on plant health and better response of primary nutrients by adding micronutrients are the trends that are supporting growth of micronutrients,” Beer continues. “High yield grower groups and industry influencers have been effective at trialing and demonstrating the value of micronutrients on behalf of growers.”

Growers’ experiences and their willingness to share results over coffee at the town hangout has always been an important part of ag culture. There are also practical drivers.

“Fluctuating commodity prices and input costs have certainly influenced farmers’ purchasing decisions in 2024,” says BRANDT’s Winans. “It has become increasingly more important to educate growers on the role of micronutrients in crop production. Maximizing return on investment requires an understanding of what environments are most responsive to certain micronutrients and when the crop is in peak demand for those nutrients.”

Changing Roles

“We need to stop thinking of micronutrients in the general sense and see them as specific tools to help you build your crops,” says Huma’s Nichols. “This is where the 4Rs come into play. Whether it’s emergence, stalk strength, hormone balance, or fruit sizing, micronutrients can play a key role in optimizing plant functions and structure.”

Of course, to be effective, micronutrients must be properly applied.

“It’s important to realize that traditional granular micronutrients are broadcast across a field with little precision resulting in limited availability to growing plants,” says TJ Bingham, Technical Agronomist, Koch Agronomic Services (KAS). “The good news is that we now have micronutrient technologies that ensure even distribution across a field to put the nutrients in close proximity to growing roots. This provides more points of contact to increase nutrient uptake potential. Applying micronutrients in this manner and at a rate in accordance with plant uptake, deliver nutrition when and where the plant needs them.”

Micronutrients can play multiple roles in support of crops.

“There has been a shift to talking about plant health in addition to yield,” says AgroLiquid’s Beer. “Yield is still the driver that provides revenue but there is a developing recognition that plant health can help save some costs. A balanced, well-fed plant can better defend itself against various pests. However, thresholds of additions still need refined. This means finding the balance between crop nutrition applications and pest control treatments that still provide an economic return. There is more to be learned.”

Differentiation

As micronutrient products and the understanding about how they work increases the manner in which they’re used changes.

“Carriers, protection from loss, and micronutrient combinations seem to be the emerging differentiators,” AgroLiquid’s Beer says. “These can provide benefits to growers in the way of improved effectiveness. My concern is that all suppliers tout unique attributes and growers could get so overwhelmed with scientific jargon that they’ll become frustrated buyers. At that point they may focus their decision-making on the analysis of the nutrient and pass over other beneficial attributes. Well-intended product education could become a negative. We are still learning how to balance providing enough information without being overwhelming. Growers need resources they trust.”

Trust is developed over time and with decades of proven results.

“The science behind micronutrients has not changed much in the past 50 years,” explains NACHURS’ Roach. “What has changed is the understanding of how micros work in the plant and when they should be applied in order to maximize genetic potential. For example, we know that boron, copper, manganese, and molybdenum all effect nitrogen utilization in various ways, and our understanding of how micros control physiological processes within the plant continues to grow and evolve.”

It’s not just the products that have evolved. Manufacturers are developing new ways to apply them.

“There have been significant advancements in the formulation and delivery of micronutrients,” says BRANDT’s Winans. “We are constantly improving on the carrier formulation of our foliar fertilizers to improve upon plant absorption and the mobility of those nutrients within the plant. Advancement in precision technologies have also enhanced the application accuracy of these products.”

Jason Schley, President of Agronomy for BW Fusion, explains: “Science and technology related to micronutrients have advanced significantly over the past several years in multiple ways.”

1. Synergistic Nutrient Blends: There has been a shift from simply mixing ingredients and hoping for the best to understanding the relationships among various nutrients. This has led to the creation of synergistic blends that enhance yield and provide greater confidence to growers and agronomists.
2. Chelation Strategies: The approach to chelation has evolved. While strong chelation was once the norm for nearly every foliar feed, today’s methods involve multiple delivery systems that achieve the necessary nutrient complexing without heavy chelation. This results in better and faster nutrient uptake by plants.
3. Water Quality and Application Environment: There is now a deeper understanding of the importance of water quality in tank mixes and the optimal environmental conditions for application. This has led to greater consistency and reliability in micronutrient application, improving overall effectiveness.

Challenges

Despite all the positives propelling the micronutrients market upward, there are some limiting issues that slow potential expansion.

According to AgroLiquid’s Beer one of the challenges is “deepening the market. While adoption has been good, there are still a bunch of NPK growers who aren’t convinced of the value of micronutrients. Also, proving economic value on low-value crops like wheat will help grow demand.”

And with many new products, providers must overcome skepticism and lack of understanding.

“The small amount of micronutrient required to grow a crop can be conflated with it being unimportant,” Loveland’s Calhoun says. “Big responses are easily associated with macronutrients. Some nuanced understanding of when and where to use micronutrients in a crop plan takes time. It can also be difficult to carve out space in the tank of every more complicated tank mixes.”

Once trust is lost it’s difficult to regain. Many early product claims proved dubious, and manufacturers must work to prove products deliver on their promises.

“Growers’ and agronomists’ past perceptions of inconsistent results and ability of data to statistically detect the yield increases that often occur,” says Tryston Beyrer, Crop Nutrition Lead at The Mosaic Co. “Many times, one replicated trial or poorly implemented field side-by-side trials does not show the yield responses that are likely occurring across broader acres, different environments (even within field), or are not set up in a way to accurately detect the differences occurring.”

There are a few challenges we have as an industry, says Ben Hilgers, Marketing Manager, WinField United. Hilgers lists the following three concerns (along with the company’s solution):

Challenge 1: A need for more retail seller education and tools to be able to position agronomically sound products with their growers.
Solution: We deeply understand the challenges of being a retail seller today, so our goal is to enable sellers to be the hero at the farmgate by providing them the tools, products, and education to best meet their growers’ needs.

Challenge 2: Cutting through the noise to provide the best agronomic recommendation.
Solution: It’s a crowded market, especially in the adjacent biostimulant marketplace.  We’ve created the WinField United BioVerified designation to help retailers sort through their options. We believe in a systems approach where macronutrients and micronutrients are addressed before chasing the yield promoting stimulants.

Challenge 3: Economics play a tremendous role in the micronutrient category.
Solution: The University of Missouri published a survey in May 2024 that behind equipment and tech, specialty products were impacted by cost cutting (including biologicals, micronutrients). Removing a micronutrient may be a bigger detriment than a grower thinks if that is a deficiency they’ve been building on. We work hard to ensure retailers are armed with the right information to help their growers make the best decision for their fields.

AgroLiquid’s Beer offers the following caution: “Suppliers cannot be overconfident of grower adoption,” he says. “The industry needs to be careful not to assume so much value is being provided by micronutrients that it is an obvious addition to a grower’s program and no education is needed. Growers still need assurances of the value of micronutrients. It feels like the demand for micronutrients is on autopilot, but we can’t assume growers will see the subtle improvements. Growers may focus on the cost if education and refinement doesn’t continue. As suppliers, we can’t become complacent.”

Opportunities

In addition to new products, growers are also able to take advantage of equipment designed to deliver them to crops.

“High clearance application equipment has been a game changer for growers to be able to use plant health fungicides in-season and provide supplemental nutrition during periods of peak demand,” says Loveland’s Calhoun. “This equipment, in addition to aerial, is a major contributor to plant health in and around the reproductive stages of crops.”

Just as the understanding of how microorganisms interact within their human hosts, science continues to learn how microorganisms support crop health.

“Much like us, if we eat healthy foods, exercise, sleep right, and have a strong mental fortitude … we aren’t as dependent on pharmaceuticals as those that survive on a poor quality of life eating fast food three times a day,” says Huma’s Nichols. “A big opportunity we see is when retailers and farmers can reduce synthetic pesticides by improving soil health and boosting crop functions and defenses. This is where micronutrients can shine.”

The 2025 Season

“We expect continued growth in the adoption of micronutrients, driven by ongoing advancements in technology and increasing awareness of their benefits,” says BRANDT’s Winans. “Demand for micronutrient products and easy integration is anticipated to rise as farmers look to improve crop quality and yield.”

That demand, like other crop inputs, is influenced by other factors.

“The agricultural sector has experienced a downturn in commodity prices, significantly impacting growers’ budgets,” says BW Fusion’s Schley. “I anticipate that the micronutrient market will continue to grow in 2025 due to the prevailing tight margins. In the current economic climate, growers can no longer simply increase nitrogen application by 75 pounds or raise seeding rates and expect substantial returns. Instead, growers must adopt a more precise approach to their fertility plans, particularly compared to the period of $7 corn and $14 soybeans. Identifying and addressing limiting factors will be crucial. Growers are likely to focus on a targeted strategy rather than a broad, indiscriminate one.

NACHURS’ Roach agrees commodity prices are a major factor and expressed concern because of that.

“As with any crop input (i.e. chemical, seed, fertilizer, etc.), the degree of utilization will be dictated by commodity prices,” Roach says. “Because of this, it looks like micronutrient utilization going into 2025 could be challenging.”

In addition to commodity prices, regulations and consumer demand influence grower purchasing decisions.

“The regenerative ag movement and the dramatic focus towards improving soil biology and soil health will impact the future micronutrient marketplace, Huma’s Nichols says. “No longer are farmers in the reactive phase of their crop nutrition. Progressive farmers are feeding their soil biology which in turn feeds their crops. The big focus on preventing hidden hunger and yield drag has come full circle to help drive the micronutrient market.”

KAS’ Bingham also expects to see an increase in usage.

“KAS anticipates continued strong demand for micronutrients as we go into the next growing season, especially as growers focus on their macro and micronutrient inputs,” says Bingham. “Certain areas of the country have faced alternating flooding and dry periods throughout this growing season, so it will be important to assess the need for micronutrients based on the conditions in specific regions. We also expect growers to continue to adopt the 4R nutrient stewardship principles and seek out products that offer a better return on investment and environmental benefits.”

It’s about balance, suggests Mosaic’s Beyrer. Growers will measure return on investment.

“With lower projected commodity prices, growers will reevaluate all aspects of their crop production budgets and make sure spending is where it provides the most value,” says Beyrer. “Micronutrients are just as essential as macronutrients, they are just needed in lower quantities. 2025 will be a year where growers cannot give up extra bushels. Looking for (micronutrient) products that deliver cost-effective plant essential nutrients will be imperative while also looking at the total value that that product brings.”

Verdesian’s Socherman suggests growers take a season-long approach to evaluating micronutrients.

“The 2025 fertilizer season begins for some farmers right after they remove their 2024 crop,” he says. “With many across the cornbelt spreading their pre-plant fertilizers in the fall, this offers an opportunity to incorporate a micronutrient product that has a longevity profile that offers season-long performance. Most growers are aware that in times of lower commodity prices, you can’t save your way to a profitable crop. The best approach is to try to increase yields to drive a higher return per acre. Application of key micronutrients, like zinc and manganese, on a pre-plant basis have been shown to make a significant difference in a crops ability to take on and assimilate more nitrogen and phosphorus.”

Final Thoughts

“Be realistic,” says AgroLiquid’s Beer. “There isn’t a miracle micronutrient. They provide incremental improvements so growers should adjust expectations accordingly. Also, the response to micronutrients isn’t linear. You can’t just say 100 bushels per acre corn needs one pint of boron so 300 bushels per acre corn needs three pints. It’s more likely that 100 bushels per acre corn needs zero and the benefits will kick in when boron becomes limiting . . . which is at higher yields.

BRANDT’s Winans sees a quickly changing market.

“The micronutrient market is evolving rapidly with a strong focus on innovation,” he says. “As we look at what is offered in the market space today, it is evident not all products are created equal in terms of their efficacy in plant absorption and utilization.”

WinField United’s Hilgers: “The micronutrient market is dynamic, and each year brings new challenges. Make sure you have the agronomic support to provide the best recommendations to your growers. Between tissue sampling, understanding how weather will impact each nutrient, field trends, and more, ensure you provide the right value-added product at the right time for maximum impact.”