Foliar application of nutrients is a common agricultural practice that involves spraying nutrient solutions directly onto the leaves of plants. This technique is very effective in quickly supplying nutrients to crops, as the nutrients are absorbed directly through the leaves and transported to the parts of the plant that need them the most.
In general, 16 chemical elements from the Periodic Table are considered essential nutrients for plants. Of these 16 elements, plants obtain Carbon, Hydrogen, and Oxygen through the environment (from the atmosphere, water, and soil), while the rest are not easily absorbed and sometimes need to be artificially supplied to the plant.
The remaining 13 elements are known as nutritional elements or nutrients, and are classified according to the quantities required by the plant or the frequency with which they must be supplied to them: macroelements, intermediate elements, and microelements.
| Classification | Element | Symbol | Nature | Assimilable Form |
| Macronutrients | Nitrogen | N | Non-metallic | NO3- – NH4+ |
| Phosphorus | P | Non-metallic | PO4≡ – HPO4= – H2PO4- | |
| Potassium | K | Alkali Metal | K+ | |
| Calcium | Ca | Alkaline Earth Metal | Ca++ | |
| Sulfur | S | Non-metallic | SO4= | |
| Magnesium | Mg | Alkaline Earth Metal | Mg++ | |
| Intermediate | Iron | Fe | Transition Metal | Fe++, Fe+++ |
| Micronutrients | Zinc | Zn | Transition Metal | Zn++ |
| Manganese | Mn | Transition Metal | Mn++ | |
| Boron | B | Metalloid | BO3≡ – HBO3= – H2BO3- | |
| Copper | Cu | Transition Metal | Cu+, Cu++ | |
| Molybdenum | Mo | Transition Metal | MoO4= | |
| Chlorine | Cl | Non-metal Halogen | Cl- |
Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Potassium, being macronutrients, are required in high amounts. At this point, it should be noted that just because they are macronutrients, they are not more important than micronutrients. Both are equally essential, the difference lies in the amount required by the plant to carry out its productive functions.
Micronutrients, as the name suggests, are required in very small amounts that are measured in parts per million (ppm). Since they are required in such small amounts, their application to the soil is inefficient, as they can easily be lost. Foliar application of micronutrients is very useful for supplying them to plants.
The foliar application of micronutrients is particularly important in crops that grow in high pH soils, as these soils can limit the availability of certain essential nutrients for the plant. In addition, some crops may have a higher demand for certain nutrients at certain stages of their life cycle, and foliar application of micronutrients can help meet those nutritional needs.
In summary, foliar application of nutrients is an effective agricultural technique for quickly supplying nutrients to crops. Micronutrients are critical elements for the proper functioning of plants, and the lack of any of them can limit plant growth and production. Therefore, foliar application of micronutrients can be particularly important in certain crops and in high pH soils.
GreenTop is a supercomplex liquid foliar fertilizer, and the most complete fertilizer available, as it contains 13 of the 16 essential elements for plant development, as well as Thiamine (vitamin B1) and Cysteine (amino acid), which are fundamental compounds for plant metabolism.
In addition to GreenTop, Grupo Fagro offers a line of chelated nutrients called Kelatop, which includes products such as:
Kelatop Multimetal: Contains all the metallic micronutrients required by the plant.
Kelatop Fe-Zn: Provides chelated Iron and Zinc, which are highly required elements, especially in the early stages of crop development.
Kelatop Calcium Boron: A product based on Calcium and Boron, elements necessary for the plant during the flowering and fruiting stages.
Kelatop Zinc: With 25% elemental Zinc, it quickly supplies this element to the plant. It is designed for products with a high requirement for this element or that show deficiencies of it.
