Foliar Nutrition
The Role of Foliar Feeding in plant nutrition, and in overcoming plant health problems.
Oded Rottenberg – Senior Agronomist and coordinator of market development & Agronomy, Haifa Group (Israel).
Haifa group Annual Meeting, December 2013, Jerusalem, Israel
Haifa Group
An Israeli based multinational corporation, founded in 1966
A global supplier of 0.5 million MTPA potassium nitrate for agriculture and industry
Global operations span in over 100 countries across 5 continents and include:
- 14 subsidiaries
- 3 production plants (two in Israel, one in France)
- Advanced R&D centers
Annual turnover c. US$700million (2012)
Agenda
Foliar Feeding
Fundamentals and advantages
Proven Added Value
Results of five field trials results and practical conclusions
The Haifa Way
Advanced Foliar Feeding products by Haifa
Foliar Feeding – why and when
Complementary fertilization
Giving the crops a bonus with a significant added value. Not replacing soil fertilization.
Corrective nutrition
Intensive Care - when deficiencies are noticed
Growth boosting
During critical stages of plant development
For Special Jobs
- Dormancy breaking (in vineyards and deciduous trees)
- Flower induction (in mango)
Foliar Feeding
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Nutrients are absorbed |
Increases the |
Stimulate nutrient |
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directly where they are |
cellular activity and |
absorption by |
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needed |
respiration in leaves |
plant roots |
Foliar feeding induces intensive activity of all plant parts,
thus enhancing also root uptake
Fertilizers suitable for Foliar Feeding
Water soluble N-P-K in various ratios
Enriched with secondary or micro plant nutrients
Has good physical properties
For improved fertilizer adhesion to the leaf, and to release nutrients over a prolonged period of time.
Free of chloride
China: Increasing yields in rice field
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Yield increase / ha |
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Treatment |
Yield kg/ha |
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kg |
% |
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Heilongjiang |
Unsprayed |
7815 |
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Northern China |
Haifa Multi-K™ |
8859 |
1044 |
13% |
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@ 3% - 750 lit/Ha |
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Guangxi |
Unsprayed |
4529 |
-- |
-- |
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Southern China |
Haifa Multi-K™ |
5241 |
712 |
15.7% |
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@ 4% - 600 lit/Ha |
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Conclusion: Sprays with Haifa resulted c. 15% higher grain yield
Trial carried out in a commercial field
Treatments
- Haifa Bonus™ at 2 rates and two schedules
- Conventional farmer practice
- Control treatment
Total area: 5 plots X 0.3Ha = 1.6 Ha.
China: Increasing citrus yields and plant health
A Poly Citrus trail in Buzhihuo, Sichuan province
Trees situation one month after the first two treatments Poly Citrus 19-19-19+1MgO, at application rate of 1%
Application effects:
treated leaves are
- greener
- thicker
- shining
China: Increasing citrus yields and plant health
Economic breakdown
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Tree # |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
8 |
total |
Yield |
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(kg) |
kg/tree |
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Treatment |
Yield |
33 |
31 |
39 |
28 |
24 |
15 |
45.5 |
35 |
250.1 |
31.3 |
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kg/tree |
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Control |
Yield |
16 |
51 |
29 |
33 |
14 |
14 |
22.5 |
25 |
202.7 |
23.8 |
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kg/tree |
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Increase |
23.4% |
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Applications cost – 40$/Mu
Increase in yield kg/Mu - 450 kg
Increase in income 0.5$ * 450 kg 225$/Mu
Cost/benefit ratio 1/ 5.6
Source: Haifa trial, 2010-2011
Brazil: Increasing yields and plant health in Soybean
For 2 decades Haifa has conducted a range of field trials on foliar application of Haifa Bonus™ in Argentina and Brazil. These trials have shown:
Soybean positively responds to foliar fertilizer
More notable response under sub-optimal conditions
Healthier plants, more resistant to pests and diseases
Plants suffering less stress during drought periods
At least 5% more pods per plant
Average weight of the grains, up to 5% heavier Up to 15% higher yields
Brazil: Increasing yields and plant health in Soybean
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10 kg ha-1 of Haifa Bonus™ increased yield by 7.4% |
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compared to the control and by 4.5% when compared to the |
Potassium nitrate (NKS= NOP+S).
The experiment was carried out in cooperation between Research
Foundation Rio Verde - Mato Grosso State and Haifa in 2013.
Foliar fertilization reduces splitting and creasing in citrus, Israel
‘Nova’ tangearine and ‘Washington’ navel orange in Israel suffer from peal splitting, causing fruit loss of up to 50,% and from creasing, disqualifying the fruit for fresh marketing.
The trial studied the effects of naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA 300mg/L), tank-mixed with Haifa Bonus™ at 5%
Source: Greenberg J.1, Kaplan I., Tagari E., Fainzack M., Egozi Y., and Giladi B. Ministry of Agriculture, Extension Service, Israel; and Mehadrin-Prior, Israel. THE XII INTERNATIONAL CITRUS CONGRESS, 2012
Foliar fertilization reduces splitting and creasing in citrus, Israel
NAA+ Haifa Bonus™ spray on large fruitlets (30 mm) reduced creasing by 30%
Common spray with GA (20 mg/L) in August reduced creasing by 20%
In both varieties NAA sprays produced larger with no effect on fruit number or yield
Foliar application of NAA + Haifa Bonus™ reduced creasing and splitting
Treatment had no significant effects on the % juice, total soluble solids and acid content
Source: Greenberg J.1, Kaplan I., Tagari E., Fainzack M., Egozi Y., and Giladi B. Ministry of Agriculture, Extension Service, Israel; and Mehadrin-Prior, Israel. THE XII INTERNATIONAL CITRUS CONGRESS, 2012
Haifa Bonus™
High-K foliar formula
Specially designed to allow for concentrated sprays
Based on Multi-K™ potassium nitrate
Enriched with phosphorus
To enhance nutritional value
To keep pH at the optimal level for foliar absorption
For improved compatibility with pesticides
Contains special adjuvant
For better adhesion to the leaf surface
For improved absorption
For prolonged action
Haifa Bonus™ – how it works
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1.Haifa-Bonus™ is applied by foliar |
2.Portion of the fertilizer is absorbed |
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spray and forms droplets on the leaf |
immediately. |
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3.When the air gets hot and dry, the
4.At night, the dew re-dissolves fertilizer droplets dry up and the fertilizer and nutrient nutrient uptake temporarily discontinued.
uptake is renewed.
Haifa’s foliar fertilizers
Multi-K™ GG
Haifa-Bonus™ npK
K-Power™ Gold
Poly-Feed™
Poly-Feed™ Foliar
Poly-Feed™ Mar
Poly-Citrus™
Magnisal™ magnesium nitrate
Haifa MAP™ mono-ammonium phosphate
Haifa MKP™ mono-potassium phosphate
Haifa ProteK ™ systemic PK fertilizer
