03/07/07 Hydropolymer recommended to spud growers

Farm and Ranch March 7, 2007 Every grower should use it. That's what independent researcher Alan Schreiber of Agriculture Development Group told growers at a session of this year's Washington State Potato Conference last month. What Schreiber was talking about was Zeba. Olson: "Zeba is a starch based super absorbent polymer that absorbs 400 times it weight in water and can release 90-95% of it back to the plant. And we manufacture it out of corn starch." That is Gary Olson, Vice President of Sales for Absorbent Technologies of Beaverton, Oregon, the maker of Zeba. He says in potatoes for example, Zeba would be applied in furrow with the seed piece at planting. Olson: "And as you irrigate Zeba will absorb moisture, hold it when the plant needs it, so that between irrigations cycles you reduce plant stress especially during hot weather." Olson sums up what commercial trials have shown the past two years. Olson: "One grower, Hale Farms in Hermiston has averaged a 3.7% return on investment across seven circles. Other growers have had similar results. Slightly less and slightly more." Alan Schreiber told that potato conference his work showed increased yields and quality of potatoes. Zeba is also for turf establishment, vegetables, tree fruit and vines. It's distributed in the Northwest by Wilbur Ellis and Western Farm Service. I'm Bob Hoff and that's the Northwest Farm and Ranch Report on the Northwest Ag Information Network.