1. What is Leonardite?
2. What are Humic Acids?
3. Are Humic Acids Chelating Agents?
4. What are Humates?
5. What do Humic Acids do?
6. How is this accomplished?
7. Are Humic Acid Products Fertilizers?
8. What crops will Humic Acids help?
9. Why should manufacturers use Humic Acids?
10. Will Humic Acids harm the soil?
11. When are the first results obtained?
12. Is it possible to replace Humus with organic manure?
Leonardite is a low rank coal derived from prehistoric plant matter. It is found as outcropping of lignite deposits, usually very close to the surface. It differs from lignite by its high oxidation degree and the higher carboxy groups. Due to the large amount of living bacteria, Leonardite was formed instead of coal in certain sedimentation layers. Being a highly decomposed compressed natural organic humus that has been further processed by microbial activity, Leonardite has a high humic acid content which is one of the most bio-chemically active elements.
The composition of Leonardite will show on average organic matter 75-90%, aluminum, nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, sulfur, iron and calcium less than 1%. Since Leonardite is a naturally mined material, the composition of Leonardite differs slightly throughout the deposit and from deposit to deposit.
Humic acids are complex organic molecules formed by the breakdown of organic matter in soil. They are the main fraction, the biological center, of natural humic matter. It is the collective term for humic acid and
fulvic acid.
Yes,
Humic Acids act as a natural chelator for trace elements and nutrients in the soil and promote their uptake by plants by converting them into forms available to plants. In the absence of chelates, iron, copper, zinc, manganese and other trace elements are converted to insoluble hydroxides. Humic Acids keep these trace elements in solution and available for plants.
The
sodium, potassium and ammonium salts of humic acids derived from Leonardite through alkaline extraction are referred to as humates. While sodium humates have usage in various industries such as printing inks, potassium humates are used extensively in agriculture. Only potassium humates are approved for organic agriculture by OMRI (Organic Materials Review Institute).
Humic Acids stimulate and promote plant development, resulting in higher yields. Humic Acids improve the structure of soil and increase water retention, seed germination, root growth and quality of yields. For soils to remain fertile, humus must either be replaced or added. Applying Humic Acids does this and increases the natural fertility process in the soil.
The most important feature of Humic Acids is their ability of binding ions which produces bio-chemical reactions known as chelation. This makes the nutrients more readily available to the plants for the proper growing process. As a result, Humic Acids produce three types of effects on soil and plant: They physically modify the structure of soil, they chemically change the fixation properties of the soil and they biologically stimulate the plant and the activities of microorganisms.
No, they are not fertilizers, but complement normal fertilizers and a well balanced fertility programme. Humic Acids do not supply nutrients in the conventionel sense, but increase their availability. They are not a solution in themselves, but part of a balanced programme.
Tests have shown that Humic Acifs benefit all types of agricultural crops and horticultural plants. As in nature, results will of course vary according to soil and weather conditions.
When Humic Acids enter plants at early stages of development, they result in increased cell division, root development and eventually dry matter, they act as respiratory catalyst, act as natural chelator for metal ions under alkaline conditions, convert nutrients into forms available to plants, protect plants from chlorosis and increase the permeability of plant membranes. They also decrease plant stress and increase the quality of yields.
Definitely not. Humic Acids are organic and free of any harmful substances. They will not contaminate groundwater or soil and are environmentally safe. On the contrary, Humic Acids reduce the availability of toxic substances in the soil, prevent that nitrate and pesticides mix in with ground water and decrease the use of fertilizers. They also reduce the over-salination problem in the application of watersoluble mineral fertilizers and are an effective means in erosion control.
In general the first results are observed in one growing season for field crops and vegetables as well as in landscaping. Naturally, wheather and soil conditions also play a role in the outcome of the results. Growers will definitely see an improvement in soil fertility and this fertility is likely to increase by regular application of Humic Acids.
In free nature without human influence, Humus is formed only in deciduous woods and untouched areas. Humus originates primarily during the decomposition of plant residues and it is mainly vegetable organic substance. Therefore, with its great content of animal excretes, animal manure cannot correspond to natural humus formation. Manure must first be humified before it can be applied in fertilization.
The microbes existing in the soil are primarily oriented to the decay of pure cellulose and less to animal excrements, which leave the digestive system in an anaerobic state. This fact has been neglected by many earlier generations.
Animal manure does not go through a decaying stage, rather it is only buried in the field. Applied to the soil, the anaerobic materials stay as "foreign body" for a long time.
It is possible to see how minimal humus formation takes place through animal manure in soil by the following example: When 40 tons manure is applied per hectare (in light soils), after half a year only half the amount, after one year one fifth of the amount and after two years practically no more manure is to be found in the soil. The organic mass in the soil is consumed up rapidly by the microorganisms and mineralized entirely without humus formation.
In fact, soils fertilized only with animal manure develop a poor humus structure with time. Manure is only the rest of what served the animal's diet. All high-value proteins, carbohydrates and fats, which had been formed by plants, have already been consumed up by the animal. The excrements are therefore poor in nutrients.
Due to these reasons, organic manure cannot be equated with humus. Furthermore, as a result of modern livestock breeding methods, organic fertilizers based on manure have become unsuitable to be used in fertilization. The humic acids content of manure varies between 5-15 %.
In terms of humic acids content, one liter of Liqhumus (liquid concentrate) is equivalent to 7-8 metric tons of organic manure. Similarly, one kilogram of Powhumus (concentrated powder) is equivalent to about 30 metric tons of manure.
