Supporting crop growth with foliar feeding

Foliar feeding is one of the modern methods that have been adopted to provide plants with the nutrients necessary for their continued growth and to achieve quantitative and qualitative improvement in yield. All the nutrients are absorbed through which the different leaves are sprayed, and these leaves completely nourish the nutrients and minerals that are supported by them.

Foliar feeding depends on supplying the plant with the necessary nutrients through spraying the vegetative part of the plant, which can absorb these elements through the gaps spread on the surfaces of the upper and lower leaf. Spotting and weakness of the contract.

When to use foliar feeding:

 Basically, foliar feeding cannot be used as a successful alternative for ground fertilizers which are usually taken through the root system, however, it can have an enhanced effect on the nutritional status of the plant, especially in the case of the microelements that the plant needs in small quantities, or those elements whose availability is expected to be negatively affected by soil factors.  Foliar application for specific nutrients may be essential in the following cases

First: during the growth stages, plants are exposed to critical periods where they are not able to obtain fertilizer elements necessary for growth despite the availability of these elements in the soil. This may be due to some factors that negatively affect the extent to which plant benefits from the available nutrients, by absorbing, metabolizing, and transferring them to different storage parts such as fruits, tubers, almonds, roots, branches, and young buds, which ultimately negatively affects the quantity, quality, marketing quality and validity of the crop.

 The most important of these factors are:

-The quality and nature of the soil in which plants are planted, for example, “the elements in sandy and limestone lands are in the form of compounds that are difficult to absorb through the roots This requires adding large quantities of fertilizers to these soils to meet plants needs in the case of ground fertilization. For example, we find that there is difficulty in facilitating iron elements. also zinc and manganese when added to alkaline soils containing a high percentage of calcium carbonate.

-Changing climatic and environmental conditions during the plant life cycle.

Second: The presence of elements in the soil in a non-absorbable manner as a result of the influence of some edaphic factors, especially the pH of the soil, whose high causes inhibition of elements in the soil, especially phosphorous and trace elements.

Third: when plants go through critical growth stages. We find that during the fruiting stage, the plant's need for potassium is magnified, which contradicts magnesium, and given the high need for magnesium by the plant, so magnesium must be added as a sprinkle.

Fourth: When the root activity of the plant is exposed to any harmful factors such as

-Low temperature, which leads to slow movement of water from the ground to air parts.

- Poor soil aeration, which results from the high level of groundwater, leads to the difficulty of crop management.

-The high level of soil salinity to the extent that leads to determining root absorption.

- Roots infection with soil diseases, especially nematodes, lead to a lack of efficiency in absorbing nutrients.

- If the roots are unable to supply the plant with its needs of nutrients especially during the first growth stage, such as the seedling stage due to the lack of a root system, where seedlings' roots are not efficient in absorbing water and elements from the soil.

- In the case of cutting the roots as a result of insects attack or agricultural machinery.

-In cases of extreme shortage, which results in roots damage.

Fifth: If symptoms of deficiency of elements or one of the elements appear during one of the stages of growth and rapid treatment is required

Sixth: in the event of a decrease in the efficiency of soil's nutrients due to the presence of weeds.

Advantages of foliar feeding:

First: Foliar feeding is one of the easiest and most convenient ways to absorb nutrients.

It is worth noting that the absorption of nutrients through foliar feeding happens very quickly. Plant response reflects within 2-7 days, depending on the type and nature of the plant and the severity of the nutrients deficiency in the plant.

Second: Foliar feeding is one of the most viable means of maintaining plant health and productivity for the long term. Despite the occurrence of stress periods and critical stages, foliar feeding ensures the speedy correction of plant nutrition status and elimination of manifestations of deficiency of microelements such as yellowing leaves, spots,

Third: Through foliar feeding, leaves' surface can be increased, which leads to an increase in the size and quality of fruits.