This independent trial run by PastureFirst in Waikato, NZ was a plot replicated eld trial conducted between October 2023 and February 2024 to evaluate the effect of EM Fert Enhance on maize yield. The results showed a statistically significant increase in yield was achieved by using EM Fert Enhance - 34.1t, over the control - 30.0t. EM Fert Enhance was applied at a rate of 2 x 10Kg per ha applications and provided a significant economic response over the control.

Treatment effects were statistically significant (P < 0.001), with a low coefficient of variation (CV = 5.4%), indicating a consistent treatment response across replicates.

This ssecond independent trial run by PastureFirst in Hawkes Bay showed Maize dry matter yield varied across treatments, with several EM-based programmes producing higher yields than both the untreated control and fertiliser-only treatments (Table 3; Figure 5).

The highest yields were observed in the EM Soil & Crop + 40 kg N/ha (29.30 t DM/ha) and Plant-Stim + 40 kg N/ha (29.45 t DM/ha) treatments. These were significantly higher than the urea-only treatments (40 and 80 kg N/ha), which produced yields of 23.02 and 23.07 t DM/ha, respectively.

The untreated control yielded 23.94 t DM/ha and did not differ significantly from all treatments; however, most EM-based treatments produced higher yields than the control. Treatments combining EM products with reduced nitrogen inputs (40 kg N/ha) consistently produced among the highest yields within the trial.

Overall treatment effects were statistically significant (P = 0.0385), although variability between treatments was observed (CV = 12.88%).

Key Findings

  • Nitrogen Reduction

    Plant-Stim combined with 40kg N/ha produced a 23% increase in dry matter yield compared with the untreated control, demonstrating the potential to reduce nitrogen inputs while maintaining crop performance.

  • Yield Performance - +14%

    Fert Enhance increased maize dry matter production by approximately 14%, delivering more harvested feed per hectare under commercial growing conditions.

  • Commercial Return

    $500/ha Additional Value - maize production generated significantly more feed value than the cost of treatment, producing a strong return on investment for growers.

Download the full trial report

Maize Trial Report

Trial Images

Trial Images

Trial Images

View our other Trials

  •  

    Independent Trials

    Independently managed, harvested or analysed New Zealand field trials demonstrating the commercial performance of EMNZ biological technologies under real farming conditions.

    View Trials
  •  

    EMNZ Replicated Field Trials

    Replicated commercial field trials conducted by EMNZ to evaluate biological performance across a range of New Zealand arable, forage, horticultural and pastoral systems.

    View Trial
  •  

    Historical Innovation Trials

    Foundational research and development trials that helped shape the modern EMNZ product range and our understanding of biological farming systems.

    View Trials
  •  

    International Research Support

    Peer-reviewed international research supporting the role of Effective Microorganisms (EM) in soil biology, nutrient cycling, plant performance and crop resilience.

    View Trials