FOLIAR FERTILIZER
Foliar feeding is one of the most efficient methods of supplying nutrients during critical growing stages. ALPINE foliar fertilizers provide available N-P-K and chelated micronutrients to make a good crop even better or it can supply a deficient, stressed crop the proper nutrients for a quick recovery. ALPINE programs offer the following foliar products: micronutrients, N-P-K fertilizers, and slow controlled nitrogen products. These products can also be customized and combined to ensure crop success.
The application of foliar nutrition has been in use for many years in high value specialized crops. As Western Canadian growers are looking to maximize net returns and nutrient efficiencies, the application of foliar nutrition is making its way into many of the progressive growers crop nutrition programs. Growers are seeing the positive effect this strategy has on increasing crop yields, nutrient efficiencies and reducing the risk of weather fluctuations on their nutrition program.
The effectiveness of foliar applied nutrition was first reported by the Michigan State University in the early 1950’s. The U.S. Atomic Energy Department provided the University with a grant and radioisotopes of all nutrients for them to study the rates of absorption and movement within the plant. These early studies concluded that foliar applied nutrients were 8-10 times more effective in supplying the required nutrients, than soil applied nutrients.
More recent work has established the equivalency of foliar applied nutrients to soil applied nutrition. This type of work confirms what growers are seeing in their fields when a staged foliar nutrition is used with a base fertilizer program.
The advantages of using foliar applied nutrition with a base fertility program are:
• Correct nutrient deficiencies as determined from soil or tissue tests
• Strengthen damaged crops
• Speed growth
• Stimulate root uptake
• Provide nutrient efficiency
Foliar nutrition results are highest when the plant is showing high growth activity, going from the vegetative to reproductive stage and when deficiencies are present or when the crop has been damaged. To achieve the best results, the foliar product should contain nitrogen, to act as an electrolyte to carry the other nutrients and phosphorous, to move the nutrients within the plant.
The foliar nutrients enter the plant through the leaf stomata and hydrophilic pores in the leaf cuticle. The nutrients are only absorbed while in solution on the leaf surface. For this reason, applications are best made in mornings and evenings, when heavy dew is on leaf surface, high humidity and temperatures below 20°C.
The beneficial effect of a foliar application is an increase in chlorophyll synthesis which can often result in leaves turning a darker green. The increase in photosynthetic activity will stimulate extra root growth; in turn the root hairs excrete excess sugar which stimulates microbial colonies. These bacterial colonies provide auxins and other root stimulating compounds. With the increase in cellular activity gas exchange increases the uptake of water. As the roots take up more water they also bring in more of the nutrients from the soil solution. The foliar application stimulates the entire “pumping system” in the plant to increase the uptake of the base applied nutrition.
The plant benefits in two manners by the foliar application of nutrients:
1) by the rapid influx into the plant of the foliar applied nutrients
2) by the increased uptake of the base applied nutrients
This planned approach utilizing staged foliar applications delivers the highest efficiency of nutrients and in turn creates the highest return on the investment on the grower’s crop nutrition program.
ALPINE foliars are manufactured with the highest quality raw materials on the market today and includes only available, chelated micronutrients to maximize foliar absorption.
ALPINE foliar micronutrients have proven to translocate quickly from the young leaves to the root system. This translocation promotes a healthier plant and healthier root system. A healthier root system takes up more nutrients from the soil. In general, a healthier plant is a more profitable plant!
