Humate are very often applied in viticulture. Especially in ecological viticulture, they are used with an increasing success. Humate are supporting exactly the formation of soil structure, which is desired in ecological viticulture.
Among the regulations for ecological viticulture, it is stated, that the natural soil fertility has to be maintained and even increased by appropriate measures and well directed support for the soil. The aim is to obtain a loose soil, with a good humus-structure and microbial activity and a good root-system. The soil should dispose of enough nutritional elements, which should be available for the plants, the soil should hold water and finally should be well aerated.
Giving humate to a soil means the most efficient way to improve the content of humic substance in a soil and also the better development of the soil's root-system. The root system's vigor is very important to the nutrient uptake capability of plants, as well as to the plant's ability to combat disease. In addition, plant stability is enhanced and also the plants ability to hold water. Humate can also improve the formation of a good soil structure, because it combines with clay minerals to form structural units called aggregates. This property of humic acids is of great benefit for vineyards. As vine is mostly cultivated at the hillside, under unfavorable weather conditions it very often happens, that the humic parts of a soil are leached. When humate is added to a soil, it helps to stabilize especially the soil with less humic matter, as humate is binding the nutrients to the soil, so that they are kept in the soil. Furthermore humate increases the soil's permeability to water. Finally, life forms such as bacteria, earthworms, algae, fungi and others, which are dependent on humus content. They contribute a lot to the maintenance of the soil structure, so that the vine can flourish marvelously.
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