What is foliar fertilization?
Foliar fertilization is feeding the plant nutrients through its leaves. Foliar fertilization has gained increasing importance as a means of supplying essential nutrients, especially trace elements. Foliar application if iron, zinc, copper and manganese are often used on crops in preference to soil application, because soil uptake is poor due to the fact that these elements generally are not available from the soil. Their availability from the soil is affected by such factors as soil pH, moisture content, organic matter, microorganisms and other elements present in the soil. Obviously, foliar application avoids these soil factors resulting in greater availability of these minerals to the plants. If applied properly, foliar application is frequently the most practical way to supply trace elements.
Foliar fertilization is feeding the plant nutrients through its leaves. Foliar fertilization has gained increasing importance as a means of supplying essential nutrients, especially trace elements. Foliar application if iron, zinc, copper and manganese are often used on crops in preference to soil application, because soil uptake is poor due to the fact that these elements generally are not available from the soil. Their availability from the soil is affected by such factors as soil pH, moisture content, organic matter, microorganisms and other elements present in the soil. Obviously, foliar application avoids these soil factors resulting in greater availability of these minerals to the plants. If applied properly, foliar application is frequently the most practical way to supply trace elements.
Why is foliar fertilization better than soil application?
Foliar fertilization will result in faster response and correction of nutrient deficiencies. When a deficiency of a particular nutrient is discovered in the field, a foliar application of that deficient nutrient is preferable to the soil application to correct the deficiency because if bypasses the soil environment and results in faster plant response.
What are the major purposed of foliar fertilization?
How does it work?
The absorption of nutrients through the leaves may not be much different than the absorption of the same nutrients by the roots. The major difference between the two pathways is the concentration of nutrients applied. The nutrient solution surrounding the roots is generally very dilute. However, in foliar absorption the nutrient concentrations in contact with the leaves are usually much higher than could be tolerated by roots because of evaporation of the water carrier from the leaves. Nutrient absorption by leaves must take place from this concentrated solution.
How quickly will it work?
Regardless of the path of entry, the material used in foliar fertilization must be absorbed rapidly in order to gain the benefit of foliar fertilization. Lignosulphonates are well known for their ability to penetrate cells with a velocity higher than by simple diffusion. Lignosulphonates, which are natural lignin chelates, have been recognized to have this same high velocity absorption factor when compared to other materials containing the same minerals, such as Fe-EDTA.
A full discussion of Lignosulphonates can be found in our article about Lignosulphonate chelates.
Foliar fertilization will result in faster response and correction of nutrient deficiencies. When a deficiency of a particular nutrient is discovered in the field, a foliar application of that deficient nutrient is preferable to the soil application to correct the deficiency because if bypasses the soil environment and results in faster plant response.
What are the major purposed of foliar fertilization?
- To overcome the inability of the roots to supply sufficient nutrients to maintain normal growth at early growing stage: Plant roots are often not large enough to obtain enough nutrients to support the rapid growth of plants at the early growing stage.
- To supply enough nutrients to boost seed or fruit production: During the seed development or the fruit forming period the demand for nutrients often exceeds the ability of roots to supply these nutrients. The insufficiency of nutrients at this stage will result in fruit drops, unfilled pods or undeveloped seeds. Foliar applications at this period will help the crop to obtain sufficient nutrients and result in higher seed or fruit production.
- To avoid the loss of nutrients in the soil environment: The application of nutrients to some types of soil may reduce their availability to the plant roots due to fixation or leaching. Application of iron to calcareous soil is one such example. In these soils foliar applications are preferred in order to avoid the reductions in availability to the plants from the soil environment.
How does it work?
The absorption of nutrients through the leaves may not be much different than the absorption of the same nutrients by the roots. The major difference between the two pathways is the concentration of nutrients applied. The nutrient solution surrounding the roots is generally very dilute. However, in foliar absorption the nutrient concentrations in contact with the leaves are usually much higher than could be tolerated by roots because of evaporation of the water carrier from the leaves. Nutrient absorption by leaves must take place from this concentrated solution.
How quickly will it work?
Regardless of the path of entry, the material used in foliar fertilization must be absorbed rapidly in order to gain the benefit of foliar fertilization. Lignosulphonates are well known for their ability to penetrate cells with a velocity higher than by simple diffusion. Lignosulphonates, which are natural lignin chelates, have been recognized to have this same high velocity absorption factor when compared to other materials containing the same minerals, such as Fe-EDTA.
A full discussion of Lignosulphonates can be found in our article about Lignosulphonate chelates.