RELEASE the nutrient and microbiological handbrake in your soil
Schalk du Plessis, Senior Soil Scientist
Introduction
Like any other matter, soil nutrients in their simplest form are a collection and arrangement of various elements. For healthy plant growth to take place, these nutrients need not only to be present in the soil in adequate quantities but, among other things, also need to be in plant-available forms and proportions. The non-availability of adequate nutrients impacts plant growth in the same way a handbrake strains the movement of a vehicle. It is however possible to counteract this strain and release the handbrake as it were, through the correct management of the microbiological activities in the soil.
Primary sources of nutrients
Nutrient are provided to the root zone of the plant by three main sources.
The first is fertiliser applied to increase nutrient levels in the soil, as well as maintenance fertilisation which is applied to meet the extraction requirement of the plant. In both these instances the plant availability of the nutrients firstly depends on the form in which they are applied and secondly, on the soil environment in which they are placed.
The second source involves the release of nutrients through the weathering of minerals that are naturally present in the soil. The natural weathering rate of these minerals however, is too slow to adequately support the nutrient requirements of a crop in an active production system.
The third source is the transformation of organically-bound nutrients in the soil into a plant-available form through microbial activities that occur during a process called mineralisation.
To ensure the optimal uptake of nutrients by the plant, focus has to be placed on making the nutrients provided by all three sources as plant-available as possible. Then, through the effective management of these sources, the nutrients can effectively be absorbed by the plant, thereby ensuring optimal growth and ultimately, optimal yield.
RELEASE LPH™
(Fertiliser Group 3 | Reg. Number M441 | Act 36 of 1947)
The Agri Technovation RELEASE LPH™ product range has specifically been developed to assist producers with nutrient uptake efficiency by promoting soil microbiology, stimulating root growth and improving nutrient availability. The products contain a unique blend of organic acid, kelp extracts and amino acids, each contributing in a specific way to improve nutrient uptake and mineralisation.
In order to drive mineralisation, thereby releasing plant-available nutrients from organic matter, adequate microbial activity must be present. Thus, any action that upregulates microorganism activity will improve the release of nutrients.
Organic acid
RELEASE LPH™ contains an organic acid component which is of relatively small molecular size, increasing its chemical reactivity. Organic acid promotes/increases the mineralisation rate of organic matter through its ability to make nutrients more available to the microorganisms and the plant. As an active and easy-to-digest form of carbon, organic acid also has the ability to directly stimulate microbial growth through its carbon and energy content.
Apart from the fact that organic acid improves nutrient uptake from the soil to the plant, its role as biostimulant is also well documented.
- Research has shown that organic acid improves plant growth, yield- and fruit quality, as well as potassium, magnesium and iron uptake in tomatoes.
- Organic acid applications increased root and shoot length, chlorophyll content, as well as nutrient uptake in maize.
- In cucumbers, organic acid applications improved the plant’s resistance to salinity stress.
- Trials have shown an improvement in resistance to plant diseases in lettuce.
Kelp extracts
Nutrient uptake efficiency is not only based on the availability of the nutrient, but also on the plant’s ability to absorb the available nutrients. Optimal nutrient uptake is directly related to an effective and healthy root system. Kelp extracts are well-known for their biostimulating properties, specifically the improvement of root hair development.
The RELEASE LPH™ product line formulation contains kelp species sourced from different geographic locations. Furthermore, a very specific (proprietary) extraction method is used to ensure that the full complement of biostimulant compounds is extracted and high biological activity is retained in the final product. Whilst working to improve plant root growth, kelp also impacts the soil structure and chemistry, as well as microbial populations in various ways.
The presence of several complex polysaccharides in kelp extracts has further benefits, including improving groundwater holding capacity, increasing particle aggregation and serving as carbon source for microbial growth. The kelp component in RELEASE LPH™ therefore also promotes soil microbiology growth, which increases nutrient mineralisation, thus improving the supply of nutrients to the plant.
Amino acids
The last important component in RELEASE LPH™ affecting the release of nutrients is amino acids – a nitrogen-containing component that is involved in every physiological and metabolic process in a plant as well as the soil microbiology. Amino acids act as a source of nitrogen and carbon to microorganisms in the soil, thereby increasing microbial activity and diversity. Increased microbial activity increases nutrient mineralisation and, resultantly, the release of nutrients to the plant. In addition to upregulating microbiology, amino acids also form nutrient chelates that directly promote nutrient uptake. Certain amino acids in RELEASE LPH™ such as glutamate, proline and glycine can also stimulate root growth and development. A better-developed root system increases the absorption of nutrients and water, resulting in a healthier plant.
The amino acid source in RELEASE LPH™ is kelp, a plant-based amino acid that has several biostimulating modes of action. Thus, through the use of these amino acids, RELEASE LPH™ can naturally stimulate the metabolism, growth and stress tolerance of plants. The product range has also been proven to be an effective plant growth stimulant for various agricultural crops. The combination of organic acid, kelp extracts and amino acids produces a product that ensures a powerful soil renewal and biostimulating effect for increased crop production.
The RELEASE LPH™ product range presents to producers a natural way to harness the full potential of their soil, ensuring optimal nutrient availability and plant uptake, while mitigating the effects of environmental stressors and ensuring a sustainable crop yield.
The RELEASE LPH™ product range is therefore an effective product that can help producers to release the soil nutrient handbrake.