The goal of any fertilization regime is to ensure your crops are getting the nutrients they need, when they need them. Many growers are wary of organic fertilizers as they are perceived as less effective and more expensive. Roots, Shoots and Fruits’ products bust this myth well and truly, and we can prove it. The key to our products’ success? Biomin’s patented Glycine chelation technology.
But what is this technology? In short, a metal ion is bonded with two Glycine molecules (the smallest amino acid) in a process called chelation. This creates a “Glycine chelate” which can then be fed to crops. Sounds simple? Well, this formulation has led to some pretty astounding benefits for growers.
Bioavailability
Bioavailability measures how easily nutrients are taken up by crops. Biomin products are 100% water-soluble which enables them to be applied to the soil or through foliar application. Plants recognise Glycine as an organic compound and so readily absorb Glycine chelates. Since Glycine is incredibly small, measured in atomic mass units, they can permeate through plant parts unlike synthetic chelating agents like EDTA which form much larger molecules, with materials foreign to plants that can get stuck upon entering and have difficulty moving internally.
Nutrients in an oxide form are no contest. They’re generally water-insoluble and therefore have very low bioavailability, requiring long periods of time to be taken up by your crops’ root system. As a result, if your crops have a nutrient deficiency that requires immediate attention, look to our Biomin products instead.
Sulphates are usually quite available, but they are a salt and require multiple applications. While they give a quick initial burst of nutrients, this can cause demanding crops to rapidly become deficient again. Multiple applications are also necessary to overcome their low mobility inside the plant. Glycine chelated micronutrients have higher mobility, enabling the plant to transport them wherever they are needed and remain available for longer.
Ease-Of-Use
Sulphates tend to struggle in this area. One of their most unfortunate characteristics is how reactive they are to other chemicals. For example, if you apply calcium nitrate and magnesium sulphate to a crop, you may end up with the poorly soluble calcium sulphate. This means extra care needs to be taken when using sulphates.
Glycine chelation, on the other hand, protects micronutrients from interacting with other elements; enabling you to easily integrate Biomin products into your existing fertilization practices.
Also, sulphates often cause leaf burn due to an excessive buildup of salts on the leaf surface. As an organic solution, Glycine chelated products are good for foliage. Nutrient buildup is avoided since less product is needed in the first place, and what is applied leaves no residue.
But Aren’t Chelated Products More Expensive?
One apparent benefit of oxides and sulphates is their affordability. However, the price you see on the tag doesn’t tell the whole story. As we noted above, sulphates require multiple applications to be effective and oxides are not even soluble. Biomin products require fewer applications and smaller application rates, they have higher mobility and remain available to your crops for longer. This means greater efficiency which brings your costs down.
Crop value depends on the size of your yield, the quality of your produce and the health of your plants.
Here are just some of the trials that demonstrate the positive impact of Glycine chelated products on crops:
The trial below shows Biomin increased strawberry weight and led to significantly higher calcium levels and fruit sugar levels. The Effects of Biomin Calcium Applied Through Drip Irrigation on Strawberries in the Santa Maria Valley
This study shows the important role of amino acid chelated products, such as Biomin, in improving the growth performance of green beans. Growth and Quality of Green Bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) under Foliar Application of Organic Chelate Fertilizers
This trial demonstrates that using Biomin leads to better quality apples and significantly higher earnings per hectare. CALCIUM ON BRAEBURN APPLES HAWKES BAY NEW ZEALAND SEASON 2012- 2013
If you are a commercial grower, contact Molly here to book a free nutrition consult.
