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Unlocking Plant Potential: The Benefits of Chelates in Fertilizer Programs


When it comes to efficient delivery of essential micronutrients to plants, chelates are the answer. These advanced compounds ensure nutrients remain stable and available in the growing media, making them readily available to plants, even under challenging conditions. In this post, we’ll explore how chelates work, their benefits, and how Plant-Prod’s chelated products can enhance your fertilizer program.

What Are Chelates?

Chelates are claw-like complex organic compounds that bind to metal ions, controlling their reactivity and stability. This technology is especially useful in delivering essential plant nutrients such as iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), zinc (Zn), and copper (Cu). When unchelated, these metal ions can form salts by binding to other elements in the media or water source, rendering them unavailable to plants. There are a number of chelate compounds with varying strengths of attracting metal ions which is strongly influenced by the surrounding pH. It’s important that chelated micronutrients are maintained within their stable pH range to ensure their effectiveness, both within the media and the nutrient solution. By maintaining the stability of these nutrients, chelates improve their availability for plant uptake.

Source: Van der Lugt, G. , H.T. Holwerda, K. Hora, M. Bugter, J. Hardeman and P. de Vries, 2020. Nutrient Solutions for Greenhouse Crops. Version 4. Pp 1-98. ISBN 9789464021844 Made available by: Eurofins Agro, Geerten van der Lugt, Nouryon, SQM, Yara

Common Chelating Agents:

  • EDTA (Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid): Effective under acidic to slightly alkaline conditions, pH 1.6 – 6.5
  • DTPA (Diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid): Performs well in acidic to alkaline conditions, pH 1.6 – 7.5
  • EDDHA (Ethylene diamine dihydroxyphenylacetic acid): Highly effective under high alkaline conditions, pH 3 – 10

Benefits of Chelates

Addressing Nutrient Deficiencies:

Chelates offer a range of benefits that enhance plant nutrition and overall health:

  • 1. Enhanced Micronutrient Availability

    Chelates protect micronutrients from chemical interactions that can make them unavailable. This ensures plants have continuous access to essential nutrients like iron, manganese, zinc, and copper.

    2. Improved Absorption

    Chelated nutrients are more easily absorbed by plants because the chelating agents stabilize them, allowing efficient uptake through the roots or foliage.

    3. Prevention of Deficiencies

    Chelates play a vital role in preventing common nutrient deficiencies, particularly in high-pH soils where micronutrients are prone to becoming locked up.

    4. Increased Yield and Quality

    By providing plants with essential nutrients in an available form, chelates support robust growth, higher yields, and improved crop quality.

A Sustainable Solution:

With the protection of chelating agents, micronutrient delivery is more efficient and can be applied at a lower dosing rates compared to traditional, non-chelated micronutrients. Chelation also helps to avoid accumulation of metals in the environment.

Plant-Prod’s Chelated Micronutrient Solutions

All of Plant-Prod’s water soluble fertilizers are formulated with a completely chelated and soluble micronutrient package. A variety of single element chelated products are also available and designed to meet the specific nutrient deficiencies:

These products are formulated to integrate seamlessly into your existing fertilizer program, delivering exceptional results for your crops.

Unlock the full potential of your crops with the power of chelates. Plant-Prod’s chelated micronutrient solutions provide the precision and reliability you need to address nutrient deficiencies and enhance plant health.

Ready to elevate your fertilizer program? Visit our distributors page to find a supplier and discover how Plant-Prod’s innovative solutions can support your growing success!

 

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