What Is Trace Element Fertilizer?
Trace element fertilizers refer to fertilizers containing trace element nutrients, which can be simple compounds containing one trace element, or compound fertilizers and mixed fertilizers containing a variety of trace and macronutrient elements.
Trace element fertilizers are mainly inorganic salts or oxides. Some minerals and metallurgical by-products or wastes can often be used as raw materials for trace element fertilizers. The production method is the same as that of inorganic chemical products. In addition, there are two forms of trace element fertilizers: one is a glassy substance containing micronutrients, which is made from the eutectic of the corresponding inorganic salts or oxides and silica; the other is a chelated metal element. compounds such as chelates of copper, iron, manganese, and zinc with ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid.
Application Method of Trace Element Fertilizer
There are two types of fertilizer application methods: soil application and foliar spray application. Since the application rate per unit area is very small, it must be diluted with a large number of inert substances before application. The uneven application will poison some crops. Trace element fertilizers often need to be mixed with macro fertilizers and applied together.
The following methods are usually used:
Mixed in the production of constant granular fertilizer. This method is more convenient and economical, and will not produce uneven nutrients. The disadvantage is that the flexibility is poor and it is difficult to meet the various requirements of the market.
Coat the trace element fertilizer powder on the surface of the constant granular fertilizer. This operation can be carried out in a secondary processing plant, ready to meet the needs of the market.
Fertilizer Efficiency of Trace Element Fertilizers
The fertilizer efficiency of trace element fertilizers is related to the properties of the soil. In alkaline soils, all but molybdenum availability decreased fertilizer efficiency. For variable valence elements, the solubility of reduced salts is generally greater than that of oxidized salts, so the soil is reducible, and the fertilizer efficiency of these elements such as iron, manganese, and copper increases. The organic acid in the soil organic matter has a complex effect on some elements, and the complex formed with iron can increase the fertilizer efficiency of iron, but it will reduce the fertilizer efficiency of copper and zinc.