Executive Summary
To validate the efficacy of Evofactor™ from Verano365®, the company engaged a third-party research firm, Full Quiver Hort, to test the product on kale over a five-week trial. The trial evaluated the use of Evofactor at varying rates when used to augment a standard 15-5-15 fertilization treatment. Evofactor is a proprietary adjuvant, designed to improve fertilizer performance by utilizing OpusMAX™, a carrier technology that enhances horticultural inputs.
Trial Protocol & Results
In the trial protocol, a standard fertilization rate of 100ppm was utilized on the control group of kale plants, while the trial group received only 50ppm of fertilizer that was blended with Evofactor. At conclusion of the 12-replicate-trial, the team measured wet weight and dry weight to determine if the plants treated with a half-rate of fertilization and Evofactor had produced plants of equitable size and health. The comparison of wet-weight showed a 10.6% increase in the Evofactor-treated plants; similarly, dry-weight measurements showed that the kale treated with a reduced fertilization rate augmented by Evofactor were 6.6% more robust.
While exceeding the biomass of the kale in the standard control group was significant, the more telling measurements came from nutritional analysis that signifies overall plant health. Nutrient assimilation data analysis was done at a third-party lab.
Nutrient Assimilation
A&L Great Lakes Laboratories showed that the Evofactor treatment with the half-rate of fertilizer increased the uptake of primary macronutrients:
o Nitrogen: 6.8% increase
o Phosphorus: 7.4% increase
o Potassium: 7.2% increase
o Calcium: 7.2% increase
o Magnesium: 7.3% increase
o Sulfur: 14% increase
The Evofactor-blend with a half-rate of fertilizer also allowed plants to statistically maintain their level of secondary, micronutrients.
Fertilization Rates
The trial established that Evofactor has the ability toenhance fertilizer in such a way that growers can utilize 50% less than a standard fertilization program and yield improved crop results.
“Not only did we produce a plant of equal quality with half the fertilizer, but we actually exceeded wet weights, dry weights, and macronutrient assimilation,” said David Coorts, Technical Director of Verano365. “We went into the trial anticipating that Evofactor would enhance the plant’s ability to assimilate nutrients. When I went out to inspect the trial, the kale looked great visually, and you couldn’t tell the difference between the control and the treated—which was really the goal,” he went on to say.
“The treated versus the control group demonstrated increased biomass and a stabilization in plant uniformity.”
Full Quiver Hort Researcher
EVOFACTOR™ & KALE
NOTES FROM THE FIELD
Trial Method
A Full Quiver Hortresearcher explained the protocol employed. “We took the Verano365 product, Evofactor, and blended it with 50ppm of 15-5-15 fertilizer. Our trial results showed that it exceeded the performance of a 100ppm on a 15-5-15 fertilization treatment on kale.” The spokesperson went on to clarify, “The treated versus the control group demonstrated increased biomass and a stabilization in plant uniformity.”
Supramolecular Structures
Evofactor’smode of action relies on OpusMAX, which takes the nutrients found in fertilizer and creates supramolecular structures. In a standard nutrient solution, salt crystals of varying sizes are randomly dispersed in solution. When OpusMAX is introduced, the nutrient crystals form supramolecular structures around the carrier’s core. These structures are uniformly dispersed in solution and go to work to enhance the delivery of these nutrients to the plant.
SIDE-BY-SIDE INSPECTION
In plant-to-plant comparisons during visual inspection of the Evofactor trials, the control plants and the Evofactor-treated plants looked very similar in terms of size, health, and root system development.
The lab analysis went on to verify that the kale grown with half the amount of fertilizer with the Evofactor additive had indeed met, and exceeded, the plant profile of the control.
Field trial photos | Full Quiver Hort| Fall 2020
Kale plants on the left in each image, treated with 100ppm of 15-5-15 fertilizer.
Kale plants right in each image, treated with 50ppm of 15-5-15 fertilizer plus Evofactor.
OPUSMAX EXPLAINED
OpusMAX is a first-of-its-kind delivery system that is anchored by a charged particle. This particle has an attraction force that acts as a host or carrier, which facilitates the self-assembly of supramolecular structures. When OpusMAX localizes active chemical or biological molecules into these structures, the impacts are gains in efficiency and increased probability of uptake and/or usage.
A&L Great Lakes Laboratories evaluated wet-weights between the control and Evofactor kale plants and found a 10.6% increase in biomass in the Evofactor kale plants.
Independent macronutrient analysis showed that, compared to the control, the Evofactor-plants absorbed 6.8% to 14% more macronutrients, exceeding 100% of expected assimilation with a standard fertilization program.
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