A Kitale farmer measures his hand against a maturing maize. he grew the maize using DI Grow organic fertiliser from Dynapharm. Application of humic acid can double farm yields. PHOTO: COURTESY.
Farmers applying organic fertilisers containing humic acid my boost harvests by 50 per cent as a result of enhanced uptake of essential elements that promote growth in crops.
Agronomist Michael Mwangi says the acid makes macro and micro nutrients necessary for growth available to crops roots besides easing ionic exchanges.
“Nitrogen, calcium, phosphorus, potassium, zinc, magnesium, iron, among others are available in plenty when the soil has humic acid. Nitrogen and phosphorus are some of the main components in crop proteins and chlorophyll, which is responsible for food formation,” the agronomist said.
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The acid reacts with other compounds to free the mineral elements in addition to binding soil particles to form a firm root base for crops.
Tests by the Alliance of Crop, Soil, and Environmental Science Society, the presence of 500gm of humic acid per litre of a solution increase flower plant yields by 52 per cent besides extending the harvesting period by three days due to accumulation of calcium that support the heads to remain upright.
The acid also breaks seed dormancy, therefore, boosting germination percentage in mature seeds by more than 95 per cent, the Dynapharm agronomist said.
It also stimulates growth hormones like the gibberellins and auxins and other hormones for growth.
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That is why the acid is used soilless germination cultures like the cocopit, where tomato and capsicum have shown 100 per cent emergency.
Mwangi said the inclusion of the acid in organic fertilisers has shown stabilised soil temperatures. This reduces fluctuation stresses to crops, and supports growth due to appropriate enzymatic conditions. In the same respect, it suppresses diseases causing pathogens and effects of environmental factors like effect like frost.
If one has to apply it alone it has to be dilutes by adding two litres o water to one litre of humic acid.