The crops are planted, but do they have what they need to thrive this growing season? In-season nitrogen is essential for crops to have the nutrition they need to produce maximum yields.
In a recent episode of Helena’s FieldLink® Podcast, Coron and Nutritional Brand Manager Jason Gregory discusses how Coron® Metra has changed the game, revolutionizing crop nutrition with both ENC® Formulation Technology and controlled-release nitrogen (CRN). He explains how these technologies combine to improve the way nutrients are delivered to the crop and add versatility to nutritional programs.
In-season nitrogen brings value not only to corn growers but to all growers — corn, cotton, soybeans, wheat — you name it. It’s a concept Helena Products Group (HPG) has been perfecting since 1998 when Helena decided to purchase the Coron Corporation after more than a decade of experience as a distributor.
The controlled-release foliar fertilizer was designed to supplement commodity fertilizers with targeted applications of nitrogen during periods of high demand. Its success in the field led HPG chemists to look for ways to take CRN to the next level. With Coron Metra®, they would offer even more nutritional value by incorporating components of another successful HPG brand, Ele-Max® Nutrient Concentrate (ENC®). ENC was first introduced as a product called Bayfolan® by Bayer in 1974, and was the first foliar fertilizer product to be used commercially in the United States. The product became the building blocks of ENC Formulation Technology, which is now used to enhance multiple nutritional products.
As part of Coron Metra, ENC Formulation Technology helps correct plant nutrient deficiencies by boosting nutrient uptake and plant growth. In addition to its nutritional value, it can improve tank mix compatibility and aids in plants being more productive and stronger, which produces higher yield potential across row crops, specialty crops and permanent crops, as well as enhanced growth across turf and ornamentals. This complements the activity of CRN, allowing growers to spoon-feed nutrients to their crops as needed, giving greater control over what the crop needs.
“What we go back to is just delivering that controlled release technology just a little bit of at a time. We've learned a lot over the last few years, especially the whole concept of spoon-feeding, just driving in a little bit at a time and driving that nitrogen or potassium in over a period of a couple of weeks is a phenomenal way to deliver those nutrients into the crop.”
Jason Gregory, Coron and Nutritional Brand Manager
The Coron Metra line of fertilizers includes more than just nitrogen. Different formulations meet the needs of every unique crop with added potassium or boron. When building a foliar nutritional plan, it’s critical to rely on data from Extractor®, an advanced plant tissue analysis offering through Helena’s AGRIntelligence® services. Extractor can tell you what is going on in the crop in real time.
“It looks at all the factors. What is your crop yield goal? What is the growth state of the crop? In addition to other factors. Extractor takes these factors into account to give our growers the ability to understand their crop’s needs and address it before that hidden hunger elevates to a bigger problem.”
Jason Gregory, Coron and Nutritional Brand Manager
By using Extractor to analyze a tissue sample, growers can make better judgments about what nutrition their crops need and which Coron Metra formulation is best for their application.
In a year like 2025, where weather patterns, particularly long periods of rainfall, have drastically altered the planting and growing season in the Southeastern United States, Coron Metra is a foliar fertilizer that can help growers supercharge their crop by providing necessary nutrition used in supplementation with your regular fertilizer program. By being able to spoon-feed crops whenever additional nutrients are needed, growers can use this product to maximize their yield, providing many options for application while feeding the crop the highest quality of nutrition.
To ensure your crops have the nutrition they need this planting season, please contact your local Helena representative to learn how Coron Metra can help your crops reach their full potential. Hear more insights on Coron Metra from Jason Gregory by tuning in to Episode 89 of the FieldLink Podcast, available on YouTube or wherever you listen.