Introduction
This field trial was conducted to evaluate the effect of biological stimulants on carrot yield. The trial included three treatments: Control (no biostimulant), EM Balance, and Plant-Stim. All treatments were applied twice during the early crop growth stages.
Trial Details
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Location: Canterbury, New Zealand
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Replicates: 6
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Sowing History: Carrots sown in a paddock previously used for potatoes
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1st Application: 16th December 2024
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Conditions: Cloudy, light rain towards end of application
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2nd Application: 21st January 2025
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Conditions: Sunny with scattered clouds, ~23°C, applied at 2pm
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Harvest Date: 30th May 2025
Treatments Evaluated
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Control (no treatment)
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EM Balance (Effective Microorganisms with supporting bioactives): 2 x 10L/ha
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Plant-Stim (Fermented plant extract + fulvic acid): 2 x 5L/ha
Results
Observations & Commentary
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Plant-Stim delivered the highest yield, with a 32.4% increase over the Control and an estimated field yield of 152 t/ha.
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EM Balance also performed strongly, increasing yield by 26.6% over Control.
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Visual observations during crop development indicated vigorous growth in both treated groups compared to Control.
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While an ANOVA test showed no statistically significant differences at the 95% confidence level (p = 0.124), the consistent numerical advantage across replicates supports the agronomic benefit of the treatments.
Conclusion
Two early-stage applications of Plant-Stim and EM Balance improved carrot yield significantly compared to untreated controls. These results, combined with visual observations and strong percentage gains, support further trials and adoption in commercial carrot production.
