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Humates the Answer to Soil Exhaustion

Humates the Answer to Soil Exhaustion

25 October 2011

The amazing benefits of Humates in 'Exhausted soils'

New Zealand's market gardening history has evolved since the days that early immigrants post the Otago and West Coast Gold Rush made their way from the gold fields to settle around New Zealand leasing land to crop. Areas such as Pukekohe have been in intensive gardening and cropping for over 100 years.

With time and repeated cropping, soils can suffer from factors which can upset the natural balance vital to sustain good yields. Factors such as compaction and damage to soil structure, erosion, and depletion of the soil's microbial and other soil life lessening the uptake of nutrients and micronutrients held in the soil.

Using humates are increasingly attracting attention as a solution to restore the natural balance in soil necessary for optimal plant growth.

Humates have been shown to consistently improve the uptake of nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorus and iron as well as innumerable trace elements essential for plant health. This is due to the biochemically active nature of Humic acid, and its ability to form both soluble and insoluble complexes with various metals, minerals and organics. Nutrients are mobilized in forms that the plants can accept.

Life forms such as bacteria and earthworms, which are dependent on humus content, contribute a lot to the maintenance of the soil structure. The use of Humates can prevent soil cracking, which exposes roots to the air and can cause crops to burn in severe heat conditions. Since organic matter is not water soluble, soil with high humus content is less likely to be subject to water erosion

Humates can hold up to 20 times their weight in water. By enhancing the soil’s ability to retain water, Humate usage can reduce the need for crop irrigation. This can be especially helpful with sandy soils, and contributes a large measure of drought resistance to crops.

Humates can improve the quality of fruit, vegetables, and flowers by improving their physical appearance, and in the case of food crops, their nutritional value.  Cereal crops for example have shown more balanced amino acid content, and higher protein content.  All of this can enhance their worth in the marketplace.

For more information on humates please call 0508 humates or visit www.humates.co.nz

Fonterra keep top spot

Fonterra lifts share to keep milk top spot [23 June/ NZ Herald] Fonterra has retained its position as the biggest milk processor
in the world, according to a report by the International Farm Comparison Network. New Zealand’s dairy giant was ranked the top
milk processor for 2011 with an intake of 20.5 million tonnes, equivalent to a 3 per cent market share of world milk production;
up from 2.7 per cent in 2009. Fonterra led Dairy Farmers of America and Nestle, which had market shares of 2.5 per cent and
2.2 per cent respectively. Strong milk prices could lead to global growth of up to 20 million tonnes a year in 2011 and 2012, the
research network said. Meanwhile, agricultural market analyst Agrifax reported that New Zealand milk output in April was 31 per
cent ahead of last year on a milksolids basis, reflecting excellent conditions for pasture growth during the autumn.

Fieldays Video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pPnQwXLqzB8&feature=email

Solid Energy and New Zealand Humates unlock Southland Humate potential

 

Solid Energy and New Zealand Humates unlock Southland Humate potential

26 May 2010

Solid Energy’s high-quality humates from its New Vale Mine in Southland has achieved a major milestone - gaining organic certification with BioGro New Zealand, the country’s leading organic certification agency.

Scientific testing recently confirmed that select lignite seams at Solid Energy’s New Vale Mine in Southland are a source of high-quality humates, which could play a key role in greening New Zealand both literally and figuratively.

“Humates are rich in humic and fulvic acids and these acids help retain nutrients for plants,” says Solid Energy Environmental Business Manager, Dr Paul Weber.  Early results show that the humate product from New Vale could have more than 30% humic acid.  “Our last load, which we shipped recently, had a humic acid content of 43%, which was fantastic.”

“Exploratory laboratory trials have indicated humates can slow the leaching of nitrogen fertilisers,” he says.  “This may allow plants to use more of the nutrient before it leaches away. By helping soils retain nitrogen, humates could offer financial benefits to farmers and also reduce the negative effects of leaching on aquifers and rivers.”

Dr Weber says New Zealand farmers and gardeners apply about 2,000 tonnes of humates a year but the market is predicted to jump to 10,000 tonnes in the coming years due to its increasing reputation.  “Most of the humates used in New Zealand are currently imported from Australia, involving considerable transport costs, so we hope that our New Vale discovery can provide a comparable high-quality local source,” he says.

Solid Energy has an agreement with New Zealand Humates Limited (NZH) to supply humates for the New Zealand market.  Dave Whitteker, Managing Director of NZH and an eight-year advocate of humates, says the supply deal represents an opportunity to harness New Zealand’s own natural resources in a very green way and reduce the country’s reliance on international imports. 

“Now that we’ve gained organic certification of the New Vale Mine humates with BioGro New Zealand – the local product is even more palatable for  customers,” Mr Whitteker says.  A number of his clients now use 4% to 10% humate mixed with fertiliser and agricultural limestone applications to maximise pasture and crop response.

“Further research is required on this product, under New Zealand conditions, to maximise the benefits, and trials are currently under way with Lincoln University,” Mr Whitteker says.

Dr Weber, who also manages environmental research and development for Solid Energy, concludes that the humate market is young but has strong potential.  “We are already investigating options for liquid humates that could be used for blended fertilisers, water treatment and clean-up of contaminated sites.  Watch this space,” he says.

Humate and Lime

Many New Zealand farmers are discovering the benefits of adding HuMate to lime. The following although a little complicated go's some way to explaining the science behind the benefits being seen. HuMate from NZH is high in both Fulvic acid and Humic acid referred to in this University document.

Titre du document / Document title

The use of Ca-modified, brown-coal-derived humates and fulvates for treatment of soil acidity

Auteur(s) / Author(s)

PEIRIS Damayanthi ⁽¹⁾ ; PATTI Antonio F. ^{(1 2)} ; JACKSON W. Roy ⁽¹⁾ ; MARSHALL Marc ⁽¹⁾ ; SMITH Christopher J. ⁽³⁾ ;

Affiliation(s) du ou des auteurs / Author(s) Affiliation(s)

⁽¹⁾ Centre for Green Chemistry and School of Chemistry, PO Box 23, Monash University, Vic. 3800, AUSTRALIE
⁽²⁾ School of Applied Sciences, Monash University, Vic 3800, AUSTRALIE
⁽³⁾ CSIRO Land and Water, GPO Box 1666, Canberra, ACT 2601, AUSTRALIE

Résumé / Abstract

Previous workers have demonstrated the amelioration of soil acidity with Ca-saturated, at least slightly soluble, organic materials. This study investigated the effectiveness of a new source of such materials, the humate- or fulvate-rich products of oxidation (hydrogen peroxide) of Loy Yang brown coal. The products were characterised by physical and spectroscopic measurements and by elemental analysis. Two products, one approximately half fulvate (fulvate-rich), the other predominantly humate (humate-rich) were mixed with CaCl₂ and then used to treat columns of an acid red podzol soil from Book Book, NSW. Leachate fractions were collected and analysed for pH, ionic strength, and concentration of Ca, Mg, K, Mn, Fe, and Al. After leaching (3 pore volumes), each soil column was sectioned and exchangeable Ca and Al contents were determined. The results were compared with those obtained from lime-treated and untreated columns. The Ca-fulvate-rich product was the most effective in lowering the exchangeable Al content of the soil whilst increasing exchangeable Ca and soil pH. About 90% of the reduction in exchangeable Al was due to loss of Al in the leachate rather than immobilisation. The pH increased over the top 15 cm of the column from 3.8 ± 0.1 to 4.5-5.4. The Ca-humate-rich oxidised product was less effective in ameliorating soil acidity, as expected from its chemical properties, but it increased soil pH (to 4.0-4.7) and exchangeable Ca in the top 6 cm of the column and decreased exchangeable Al in the top 12 cm. More of the reduction in exchangeable Al than for the treatment with Ca-fulvate-rich material was due to conversion to an immobile form. This material was superior to lime, which only gave significant improvement near the soil surface. The leachates from treated columns contained the same amounts of Mg, Mn, and K as a control, but more Fe was leached from treated columns, particularly that treated with the Ca-fulvate-rich product.

Revue / Journal Title

Australian journal of soil research   ISSN 0004-9573   CODEN ASORAB

Exciting new products will give farmers easier access to HuMates

The use of New Zealand HuMates products by Fertiliser companies is gaining momentum as awareness of the benefits of HuMates become more widely apparent.

Lime Quarries throughout the country are stocking HuMate to be blended into Ag Lime to form LiMate, a NZH developed product. Webster's Lime in Havelock North are an example of the quarries involved, talk to Nick on 06 8777617

FoliaFeeds in Dunedin are blending HuMate with Guano with great success. FoliaFeeds can be contacted on 0800 365 4232. 

Fertco in Mt Maunganui have develop pHosMate which is a Dicalcic phosphate Fertiliser that incorporates HuMate, Fertco tell us that demand is increasing and the product is now available from Mt Maunganui, Te Kuiti and Dannevirke. Fertco can be contacted on 0800 337 826

Skeletons, the Horticultural arm of Farmlands have been stocking NZH products for some time now and have been reporting great success with Grapes, Apples and Kiwifruit. Talk to Skeletons on 06 872 7340