What One Grower Learned After Putting PROTIVATE™ to the Test

For Iowa corn and soybean producer Ben Van Roekel, also known on YouTube as the IowANFarmer, the start of planting season often comes down to a difficult decision of either waiting for ideal weather or pushing into cool, damp soils to stay on schedule. Farming in Wayne and Appanoose counties, where fertility levels can be a limiting factor, means every decision is critical to establishing a uniform stand with early-season vigor. See how Van Roekel navigates these challenges as he begins his planting season in the video below. 

“The first few weeks of the growing season are everything,” Van Roekel says. “Getting that crop out of the ground uniformly gives you a strong foundation for the entire season.”

For years, that meant waiting on the weather for the perfect planting window, then using a standard 80/20 talc and graphite mix in the planter box for flowability. But Van Roekel was looking for a way to give his crop an extra edge, especially during the vulnerable early growth stages, without investing in complex new equipment. The goal was to find a product that could do more than one job. 

Finding a dual-purpose solution 

He found that solution in PROTIVATE™ nutritional seed enhancer. As a replacement for his standard seed lubricant, it offered the same seed flow and plantability benefits he relied on, but with an added package of nutrition like phosphorus, zinc and manganese right on the seed.

“That is something that interests me because we don’t have liquid on any of our planters to use as a starter,” Van Roekel explains. “With this, we can improve our planting by just buying a product. You’re not adding any extra steps to your operation.”

Ben decided to put PROTIVATE to the test on his farm, running multiple side-by-side trials in both his corn and soybeans. The first thing he noticed was the ease of use. He simply swapped out his talc/graphite for PROTIVATE, which has formulations for both corn and soybeans. In this video, Van Roekel discusses the simplicity of the switch with his KAS representative. 

“Everybody wants to improve their planting, but it usually comes with needing to upgrade the planter technology and hang a whole bunch of more parts,” Van Roekel says. “With this, we can improve our planting by just buying a seed enhancer product.”

Seeing the PROTIVATE™ difference in-season

The real difference became apparent as the crops emerged. In his initial stand counts, the PROTIVATE-treated acres consistently showed about 1,000 more plants per acre. Later in the season, he and his KAS representative conducted root digs and ear comparisons. Watch as they compare the root structures and corn ears from the different trials. 

“We saw a benefit to the corn roots with the PROTIVATE trial,” Van Roekel recalls. “When we pulled back the ears of corn, they were more uniform in the PROTIVATE trial and there were definitely more kernels.”

A harvest advantage you can see and measure

When the combine rolled, the yield monitor confirmed what multi-year, multi-location trials have consistently shown. Across 19 trials during a five-year period, PROTIVATE delivered an average 4 bushel-per-acre (bu/ac) yield advantage in corn.¹ Van Roekel’s on-farm results mirrored this success, with one 60-acre corn trial showing a yield advantage of just over five bushels per acre on the PROTIVATE side.

In soybeans, the results were even more impressive, with one five-acre trial showing an 8.2-bushel-per-acre yield response.²

For Van Roekel, these numbers backed up what he had seen all season. The combination of early-season nutrition and excellent plantability gave his crop a stronger, more consistent start that translated to a clear advantage at harvest.

“My biggest takeaway from this growing season and going through these trials is the consistency,” Van Roekel concludes. “When you think back to when we pulled back ears, the consistency in ear length, ear width and amount of kernels was notable on the PROTIVATE side.”

Put PROTIVATE to the test on your operation

Van Roekel’s on-farm trials demonstrate the complete advantage of PROTIVATE. It’s a simple change in the planter box that leads to better planter performance, stronger early-season growth and a measurable yield advantage potential at harvest. By providing both nutrition and lubricity, PROTIVATE helps set the foundation for a more consistent and profitable season.

¹The underlying data was provided by AgRevival, Agrithority, Michigan Ag Commodities, Alpha Ag Research, SGS North America, Stoneville R&D, and Tidewater Agronomics under a Research Trial Financial Support Agreements with Koch Agronomic Services, LLC. Neither the universities, institutions, nor the individual researchers referenced, endorse or recommend any product or service. Improvements in yield and nutrient use efficiency may not be observed in all cases.

²The underlying data was provided by AgRevival, Agrithority, Michigan Ag Commodities, Alpha Ag Research, SGS North America, Stoneville R&D, and Tidewater Agronomics under a Research Trial Financial Support Agreements with Koch Agronomic Services, LLC. Neither the universities, institutions, nor the individual researchers referenced, endorse or recommend any product or service. Improvements in yield and nutrient use efficiency may not be observed in all cases.