Tanuki

Tanuki Tanuki | Micronutrient Specialists. Supporting Aussie growers with quality crop nutrition & protection inputs. For whatever the season throws at them.

Enzymes: The Next Layer in Crop NutritionThis month we’re stepping outside of micronutrients to talk enzymes. Soil-enzym...
03/06/2026

Enzymes: The Next Layer in Crop Nutrition

This month we’re stepping outside of micronutrients to talk enzymes.

Soil-enzymes are produced by soil fungi and bacteria to accelerate the breakdown of organic matter and release compounds like sugars and mineral nutrients (NPK etc.). They are an essential part of soil functioning and have a significant effect on soil-plant interactions as well as plant health and productivity. However, as soil conditions are often far from optimal in agricultural practice, plant-growth may benefit significantly from the addition of enzymes.

In simple terms, soil-enzymes:
🔹 are protein catalysts which speed up biochemical reactions in the soil
🔹 help convert mineral nutrients bound in organic matter into forms that plants can absorb and use
🔹 accelerate the breakdown of organic matter into smaller organic molecules (e.g. sugars) which are required by microbes to proliferate and promote plant growth

And that matters because:
👉 a lot of nutrients are already in the soil — just not available when the crop needs them.

The crop only gets one start — and early access to nutrients matters most.

Field takeaway: Enzymes don’t replace the use of fertiliser in agriculture — they help plants access additional nutrients which are bound in organic matter.

📌 Next up: Why nutrient availability (not supply) is still the biggest limitation.

Pulling Mn Into the Bigger Picture 🖼️ Manganese doesn’t work in isolation.Its performance is influenced by: 👉 Soil pH👉 I...
27/05/2026

Pulling Mn Into the Bigger Picture 🖼️

Manganese doesn’t work in isolation.

Its performance is influenced by:
👉 Soil pH
👉 Interactions with other nutrients
👉 Placement and timing

High soil pH, whether induced by a soil’s natural pH or due to over‑liming, is usually the most significant factor limiting Mn availability.

Field takeaway: With Mn, strategy and context beat assumptions.

📌 Next month: We’re shifting focus to enzymes. Follow us for more agricultural and crop nutrition insights.

Timing & Placement of MnManganese is often critical in early growth stages but crops can still become deficient at later...
21/05/2026

Timing & Placement of Mn

Manganese is often critical in early growth stages but crops can still become deficient at later growth stages or when mature.

Mn supports early photosynthesis and enzyme activity — so shortages in early growth stages can hold crops back.

Key timing considerations in annual crops (e.g. cereals):
🔹 Early tillering or early vegetative growth
🔹 Before visual stress becomes severe
🔹 When roots are still exploring topsoil layers

Late applications may improve colour, but early nutrition protects yield potential.

Field takeaway: With Mn, early correction usually outperforms late rescue.

📌 Next up: How manganese fits into the wider micronutrient balance.

When Mn is limiting, how you apply it matters.Common supply pathways include: 👉 Foliar Mn — fast response, useful when s...
19/05/2026

When Mn is limiting, how you apply it matters.

Common supply pathways include:
👉 Foliar Mn — fast response, useful when soil supply is constrained.
👉 Soil‑applied Mn — can work in acidic conditions, but should be applied as Mn EDTA in alkaline conditions.
👉 In‑furrow or solution programs — where placement and chemistry are managed.

Field takeaway: Match the Mn strategy to the soil, application method and the growth stage.

📌 Next up: Timing Mn applications for the best return.

Paddock History MattersManganese problems are often paddock‑specific.Mn deficiency is more likely where: 👉 Soils have be...
14/05/2026

Paddock History Matters

Manganese problems are often paddock‑specific.

Mn deficiency is more likely where:
👉 Soils have been heavily limed over time.
👉 Topsoils are light or low in organic matter.
👉 Crops rely heavily on early root uptake.

The tricky part? Two paddocks side‑by‑side can behave very differently.

💡 Field takeaway: A single soil test won’t always tell the whole Mn story — context counts.

📌 Next up: How manganese can be supplied to crops.

Why Mn Becomes UnavailableMost Mn issues aren’t because the soil is “out of Mn”.They’re usually caused by soil chemistry...
12/05/2026

Why Mn Becomes Unavailable

Most Mn issues aren’t because the soil is “out of Mn”.

They’re usually caused by soil chemistry limiting Mn availability.

Common risk factors in Australian systems:
🔺 High soil pH (alkaline or heavily limed soils)
🔺 Sandy or low organic matter soils
🔺 Dry topsoils followed by rapid growth

As pH rises, Mn shifts into forms plants struggle to take up.

💡 Field takeaway: Mn deficiency is often a chemistry problem, not a supply problem.

📌 Next up: How paddock history and management decisions influence the risk of Mn deficiency.

Manganese deficiency has a pattern — but it’s easy to confuse with other issues.Common symptoms include: 👉 Yellowing or ...
07/05/2026

Manganese deficiency has a pattern — but it’s easy to confuse with other issues.

Common symptoms include:
👉 Yellowing or striping between veins, often starting on younger to mid‑canopy leaves
👉 Pale or greyish patches in cereals
👉 Reduced early vigour

Unlike iron (Fe), Mn symptoms don’t always show up on the very youngest leaves — which can throw people off.

The risk: Mn deficiency can look like nitrogen, magnesium or general stress.

Field takeaway: If crops look pale but nitrogen checks out, Mn deserves a closer look.

📌 Next up: Why Mn availability changes so much with soil conditions.

Mighty Micros is back — and this month we’re talking Manganese (Mn).Manganese is one of those micronutrients that doesn’...
06/05/2026

Mighty Micros is back — and this month we’re talking Manganese (Mn).

Manganese is one of those micronutrients that doesn’t always get much airtime, until a crop isn’t performing as expected.

Mn matters because it plays a key role in:
❇️ Photosynthesis and energy transfer
❇️ Enzyme activation
❇️ Early growth and crop vigour

Like iron, zinc and copper, it’s not always about how much Mn is in the soil — it’s about whether the plant can access it.

💡 Field takeaway: With Mn, availability and timing often matter more than total soil levels.

📌 Next up: How to recognise manganese deficiency in crops — and why it’s often missed.

One of the biggest lessons from Zn and Cu also applies to Fe:Micronutrients don’t work in isolation — they work in balan...
03/05/2026

One of the biggest lessons from Zn and Cu also applies to Fe:

Micronutrients don’t work in isolation — they work in balance.

What can complicate Fe uptake?
👉 High levels of other nutrients (Zn, Mn) can compete with Fe for absorption by plant roots.
👉 Paddocks that are “pushed hard” (high inputs, tight windows) may amplify Fe shortages.

So the practical Fe checklist looks like this:
1) Check soil pH and paddock history (lime, irrigation, high P).
2) Choose the Fe chelate which matches the pH.
3) Apply Fe early on in the growth cycle to prevent Fe deficiency from occurring.

Field takeaway: With Fe, strategy beats superstition.

A timely Australian example from GRDC (link to ref paper below)In highly calcareous soils, growers have seen severe yell...
28/04/2026

A timely Australian example from GRDC (link to ref paper below)

In highly calcareous soils, growers have seen severe yellowing in:
🟡 Faba beans (calcareous clays)
🟡 Lentils (very calcareous sands)

What’s interesting:
❇️ Common strategies using foliar Mn and/or Fe were reported as largely ineffective.
❇️ Fe-EDDHA helped prevent/correct yellowing and improve performance but required high rates of application.
❇️ Follow-up trials are focused on reduced rates and number of applications of Fe.

Field takeaway: In high pH/calcareous systems, the form and strategy can make or break Fe responses.

👉 If you’re seeing bright yellow pulses on calcareous ground, it’s worth rethinking your approach to Fe.

📌 Next up: Iron doesn’t operate alone — micronutrient “balance” applies (linking back to Zn and Cu).

🔗 GRDC Update Paper: https://grdc.com.au/resources-and-publications/grdc-update-papers/tab-content/grdc-update-papers/2026/02/correcting-iron-deficiency-in-faba-beans-and-lentils

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