What are the precautions for applying foliar fertilizer?
What should be noted when applying foliar fertilizer? What are the reasons? We also ask knowledgeable readers to help explain. Foliar fertilization refers to spraying a non-toxic, harmless organic or inorganic nutrient solution containing various nutrients, at a certain dosage and concentration, onto the leaves of plants to directly or indirectly supply nutrients, which is called foliar...
What should be noted when applying foliar fertilizer? What are the reasons? We also ask knowledgeable readers to help explainFoliar fertilization refers to spraying a non-toxic, harmless organic or inorganic nutrient solution containing various nutrients, at a certain dosage and concentration, onto the leaves of plants to directly or indirectly supply nutrients. This is called foliar spraying fertilizer, also known as topdressing outside the roots.
Zhongdi Network has compiled the mistakes that are prone to occur when applying foliar fertilizer and their causes, listed below for readers' reference.
Mistake 1: Spraying at will:
Some farmers mistakenly believe that foliar fertilizer can be sprayed at any growth stage of the crop. Foliar spraying fertilizer relies on leaf absorption, which requires the crop to have sufficient leaf area; otherwise, the spraying effect is poor and the goal cannot be achieved. Therefore, spraying fertilizer should generally be done in the middle and late stages of crop growth to obtain the maximum benefit from foliar spraying fertilizer.
Mistake 2: Using any fertilizer for spraying:
Some farmers believe that any fertilizer can be used as foliar fertilizer for spraying. This is not actually the case. Some fertilizers with strong volatility, such as ammonia water and ammonium bicarbonate, release ammonia gas after spraying, which can cause scorching damage to crops. Another category is fertilizers forbidden for certain crops, such as potassium chloride and calcium chloride, which should not be sprayed on crops such as tobacco.
Mistake 3: Spraying regardless of time:
Some farmers mistakenly believe that it can be done at any time. If there are water droplets or dew on the leaves after rain or in the early morning, it is not suitable to spray fertilizer; otherwise, the spraying concentration will be reduced, the concentration requirement will not be met, and the effect will be poor. Spraying is taboo at noon on sunny days when the sun is blazing, because after spraying, a moist state cannot be maintained for a long time, leaf absorption is poor, and fertilizer utilization efficiency is reduced
Mistake 4: Changing the concentration at will:
Some farmers believe that the higher the spraying concentration, the better the effect. Foliar fertilization only plays a supplementary and regulatory role and cannot replace soil fertilization. The fertilization concentration must be strictly controlled. Within the suitable range of use, the spraying concentration should generally be lower rather than higher. However, different crops have different fertilizer tolerance and different requirements; different fertilizer types also have different spraying concentrations.
If the concentration is too low, the spraying effect cannot be achieved; if the concentration is too high, it often causes leaf dehydration and fertilizer damage. This is one of the keys to the success or failure of foliar spraying fertilizer. For example, when urea is used as foliar fertilizer, the concentration is generally 0.5%; superphosphate is 1-5%; monopotassium phosphate is 0.2-0.5%; boric acid is 0.1-0.5%; ammonium molybdate is 0.02-0.05%; zinc sulfate is 0.05-0.2%. At the same time, it is necessary to grasp that the concentration for spraying at the seedling stage should be appropriately lower; the concentration for spraying in the middle and late growth stages can be appropriately higher; when crops are growing normally, the concentration should be lower, and when fertilizer deficiency and nutrient deficiency symptoms appear, the concentration should be appropriately higher; the concentration for spraying trace element fertilizers should be appropriately lower; the concentration of macroelement fertilizers can be appropriately higher; the concentration for spraying dicotyledonous plants should be appropriately lower; the concentration for spraying monocotyledonous plants should be appropriately higher.
Mistake 5: Mixing fertilizers at will:
Some farmers mistakenly believe that no matter what kind of fertilizer or pesticide, it can be mixed and sprayed at will. Because various chemical fertilizers or pesticides have different properties, random mixing and use can lead to pesticide damage.
Mistake 6: Spraying too many times:
Some farmers mistakenly believe that the more times foliar spraying fertilizer is done, the better. For crops with a short whole growth period, generally spray 1-2 times; for those with a long growth period, spray 2-3 times. According to seedling condition and soil fertility, 1-2 more sprays may be appropriate. For continuous spraying within the same growth period, each interval should be about 10 days. For spraying trace element fertilizers, one spray is enough; if a second spray is desired, the interval should be lengthened.
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