A soil’s capacity to support plant root growth depends not only on its nutrient concentration but also, the soil’s texture, depth, organic matter content, microbial development, acidity, and water-retention capacity.
The clay particles, organic matter, and humates found in soil all have a negative charge that attracts and adsorbs nutrient cations onto their surface, holding them in the soil and making them readily available for uptake by plant roots.
A sandy soil with low organic matter will have a low cation exchange capacity (CEC) in the range of 1-10 milliequivalents (mEq); soils with higher clay content and more organic matter range from 10-50 mEq. In comparison, humic acid has a CEC of 450 mEq while fulvic acid has a huge CEC of 1400 mEq. Using these substances as soil amendments in conjunction with fertilizer applications makes a big impact on the overall CEC of soil, greatly enhancing nutrient availability to plants.
Robust microbes aid in more efficient nutrient uptake by plants and facilitate a healthier, more extensive, root system. AGT-50™ enhances soil fertility particularly by fostering the development of complementary soil microorganisms.
In the recent article titled Humic and Fulvic Acids and Their Potential in Crop Production, by Iowa State University, mention “Humic and fulvic acids are commonly used in organic crop production, greenhouse cropping of vegetables, and in horticultural programs. They also may have uses in Iowa’s large-scale production systems to improve seedling health and plant response to stress.”
In a brief video by HTG’s Dr. Myers, he reviews the origins of Humic and Fulvic Acids and discusses the benefits and methods of using them in your garden. Because of its small molecular size, fulvic acid is able to penetrate the leaf and even the mitochondria of a cell which makes it great for foliar sprays and root drenches. They supply nutrients, act as a chelator, improve soil and incorporate microbial activity.
“Fulvic acids are much smaller molecules (than humic acids) that work well in both soil and foliar applications, where they transfer vital nutrients through the cell membrane of plants,” state Earthgreen. “They work in tandem to help boost plant help and increase crop yields.”
Advanced Nutrients, in a recent article, note “There are many benefits to using humic substances in your garden. Their primary asset is how they naturally facilitate your crop’s absorption and use of nutrients. Fulvic acids are natural chelates. When you introduce the micronutrients, your crops need into their environment, the fulvic acids form bonds to protect them from reacting with other ions in the plant’s environment and potentially being overpowered by them. Bonded to the chelate, the nutrients can travel up the plant’s roots into its tissue, where the chelator can release them.
Chelation makes otherwise insoluble nutrients soluble, increasing their bioavailability to crops. In addition to making more nutrients available to your crops, humates promote root growth. More roots mean more avenues for nutrient absorption for your crops, and within those avenues, chelators carry and protect the building blocks for healthy, hardy crops.
Fulvic acid doesn’t change anything about your crops. Rather, it enhances the crop’s natural processes. Fulvic acid organic gardening is an effective way to increase plant strength and crop yields without using synthetic compounds.”
From the US National Library of Medicine and the National Institute of Health, a 2019 study notes, “Our study provides empirical evidence that addition of fulvic acid from MDLF and PDLF had more positive effects on soil properties and plant growth than fulvic acid from PDSF. This investigation suggests that application of fulvic acid in liquid form can improve nutrient availability and affect other important chemical, biological, and physical properties of soils.”
To assist with achieving optimal performance, we recommend considering the outstanding results of the above scientific findings. Science has proven again and again that a well-rounded health and growth program can no doubt help reach your desired outputs.
For more information on AgTonik information for livestock, soil, specialty produce, cannabis, and more, contact us today.