FOLIAR FERTILISER
Scientifically Proven Advantages of Foliar Fertiliser
How do plants absorb nutrients through their leaves?
I thought that was what roots are for…
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A plant can absorb nutrients through its leaves at a quicker rate than it can through its roots!
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Scientists, Bukovac and Morris showed in 1968 that the mechanism of nutrient penetration through the plant cell wall is by diffusion.
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Diffusion is a natural occurring process where nutrient molecules will pass through the plant cell wall from a high concentration (outside the plant) to a low concentration (inside the plant). Thereby, becoming absorbed by the plant cell.
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Nutrients can easily pass into the cell by:
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Simple diffusion across the cell wall if the nutrient molecule is small.
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Facilitated diffusion through protein channels and protein carriers for larger nutrient molecules.
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Diffusion through the stomata of the plant’s leaves. (Stomata are small pores or openings on leaves that allow plants to “breathe.”)
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Nutrients provided this way with foliar spray will travel through the entire plant, all the way to the roots.
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Diffusion of nutrients across cell wall from high nutrient concentration outside of cell to inside cell where there is a lower nutrient concentration.
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Protein channels, protein carriers and stomata allow for diffusion of nutrients into the plant leaf cells.
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Scientific Facts
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Up to 90% of a foliar-fed solution can be found in the roots of a plant within 1-hour of application.
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Agricultural scientist S.H. Wittwer pioneered scientific studies into non-root plant feeding in the early 1950s at Michigan State University, US. He found that the uptake of various plant foods was from 100% to 900% more effective when the nutrients were applied to the leaves instead of to the soil.
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Scientist Yamada and others in 1964 found that nutrient penetration occurs equally well through cuticles from plant surfaces with or without stomata.
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Tests have shown that foliar feeding can be 8 to 10 times more effective than soil feeding.
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​Benefits of Foliar Fertiliser
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Lower cost and less waste
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A lot of soil applied fertilizer may never get used by plants.
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Water-soluble nutrients like nitrogen often get washed out of soil by rain.
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As much as 50% of the chemical nitrogen fertilizer leaches into rivers and waterways.
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In some soils, certain nutrients in granular fertilizers may become bound to soil particles through chemical reactions that makes these nutrients unavailable to plants. For instance, 80% of the phosphorus applied through conventional fertilizers may get locked up in the soil.
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On the other hand, up to 80% of foliar-applied phosphorus can be directly absorbed by the plants.
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Liquid foliar fertilizers provide readily available nutrients to plants.
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Faster nutrient absorption
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Foliar fertilizers are already in a dissolved form, so the nutrients are readily available for plant uptake.
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This results in faster absorption by the plant roots compared to granular or powder fertilizers that need time to dissolve and release their nutrients into the soil.
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Corrective nutrition
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Foliar fertilizers are fast acting and effective for treating nutrient deficiencies.
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Foliar uptake of nutrients is much faster than root uptake.
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Therefore, foliar feeding is the method of choice when deficiency symptoms are noted, and quick correction of deficiencies is required.
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Nutrients are rapidly diffused through the foliage, providing the plant with the missing nutrients, and strengthening it.
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Growth boosting
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Foliar fertilizer application at precise timing leads to better growth and yield improvement.
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Certain phases of plant development are highly important in determining the final yield.
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Foliar nutrition precisely given during these specific stages ensures optimal growth and best possible yield.
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In relatively low concentrations at these critical stages, foliar nutrition boosts physiological processes of the plant, ensures optimal development, and contributes significantly to higher yields and better quality.
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Complementary nutrition
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Application of foliar fertilizers is essential when soil fertilization is sub-optimal or ineffective.
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In many farming practices most of the fertilizers for the growth season are applied as base dressing.
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Such practice often results in a significant decrease of essential nutrients in the soil during the season.
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Foliar sprays of fertilizers will balance and complete plant nutrition and help to retain healthy and fruitful growth.
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A relatively small amounts of fertilizers will lead to a dramatic improvement and will get the crops to optimal growth curves.
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Compatibility with other inputs
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Liquid fertilizers can be easily mixed with other liquid inputs, such as pesticides or micronutrients, making it convenient for farmers to apply multiple products simultaneously, saving time and effort.
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Easy application and uniform nutrient distribution
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Foliar fertilizers can be applied easily using drones that spray nutrients directly on leaves.
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It is easier to achieve uniform distribution of nutrients across the field, ensuring consistent plant growth and avoiding patchy or uneven nutrient application that can happen with granular fertilizers.
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For optimum results, always work with a foliar spray specialist when using foliar fertiliser.
Contact us for more details.