The importance of Fulvic Acids in agriculture
Fulvic Acids are important for plants to obtain their nutrition from soil. Fulvic Acids are created by soil-based micro-organisms. They improve uptake of minerals and nutrients by plants. Few Australian soils have adequate microbial life combined with enough soil organic matter to produce fulvic acid.
BioIQ uses fulvic acids in our fertilisers to stimulate the root development and metabolism of plants and increase plant resistance to abiotic stress. Fulvic acids act as natural chelators, mobilising nutrients in the soil, improving their availability and uptake by the plant.
Fulvic acid can bring into soil solution significant amounts of iron reducing chlorosis in high pH soils. Fulvic acid also stimulates root growth so a plant can increase both water and nutrient uptake. Fulvic acid is a honey colored product. In simple terms humic acids are much larger molecules than fulvic acid.
Fulvic v Humic
Humic acids have a higher molecular weight than fulvic, higher cation exchange capacity and higher water retention capacity. Humic acids have slower and lasting over soil structure and on the plant, while fulvic acids have faster action on the plant but less persistent.
Fulvic acid is a most valuable input in biological agriculture. It can provide a multitude of benefits for to both soil and plant. Advantages include:
- It is non-toxic.
- It is a powerful organic electrolyte.
- It enhances cell division and elongation. Root growth is magnified with obvious benefits.
- As a foliar spray, fulvic acid increases the plant’s oxygen uptake capacity with an associated increase in chlorophyl production and an increase in the permeability of plant membranes, improving the uptake of nutrients.
- It has a unique capacity to dissolve minerals and trace elements. This feature has tremendous import for fast-tracking the plant availability of rock minerals, i.e., rock phosphate and lime.
- Can interact with sunlight to enhance photosynthesis. This can be particularly valuable during prolonged cloudy periods.
- Can absorb a part of the harmful UV radiation. This property is also used to delay the decomposition of UV unstable active substances such as Pyrethrum.
- Fulvic acid is a potent, natural chelating agent, slowing oxidation and converting metallic elements into readily absorbable, bio-available nutrition with very small molecular size allowing fulvic-chelated minerals rapid entry through plant cells.
- Fulvic acid offers drought protection, due to improved moisture storage
- Fulvic acid can detoxify pollutants in the soil. They absorb toxins (reducing soil-life damage) and catalyze their rapid breakdown.
- Fulvic acid dissolves silica and magnifies the many benefits of this element.
- Fulvic acid is responsible for an increase in stomata opening and transpiration and assists plant respiration as well as improving the respiration of beneficial micro-organisms.
- Fulvic acid directly influences numerous enzymatic processes and stimulates the plant’s immune system.
The dramatically smaller size of the fulvic acid molecules makes them ideal for foliar spray application. These smaller fulvic molecules can easily penetrate leaves and cell mitochondria to deliver minerals and nutrients to enhance plant growth. It is also an effective root drench solution.
Fulvic acids are applied via foliar spraying providing nutrients that are quickly absorbed by the plant. They can also be used via irrigation mixed along with your regular nutrient solution.
Benefits of Fulvic Acids
The benefits of fulvic acids are too numerous to ignore - Helps increase nutrient uptake. Eliminates waste from the plant. Helps in underwatering situations. Increases resilience to temperature fluctuations.
When buying fertillisers I recommend that you find products that have added fulvic &/or humic acids such as BioIQ's Power N with fish, kelp & fulvic, Rapid N + fulvic, and Liquid Calcium with Humic.
Robert Rushford CEO BioIQ
BIOIQ MANUFACTURED IN VICTORIA
FARM SUPPORT 1300 090 261
Our Abalone Fertilisers and Coastal Seaweed are sustainably sourced from Victorian waters. Our full range of organic fertilisers are proudly Australian Made & Owned.
