spl1
Well-Known Member
Thanks for stopping by, and I agree that root grow big plants. With that said all the plant studies show that the roots only up take 10% to 12% of available nutrients.
As for leaves standing strait out is a good sign of a average health plant, I like my leaves to reach for the light and they can't get enough.
I would like to read the study that shows the changes of osmotic flow within the plants. Every thing I have read says fruit, nut, food bearing plants absorb 20% to 60% more nutrients threw the leaves over root feeding only. This has been proven with culture samples over and over and over.
Also in the same studies over which way produces bigger root mass they have found that plants with foliar feeding have a higher enzyme activity in the roots, and as well all know enzyme's help the plant uptake more ions in the root system.
Send me the link were it says that foliar feeding study that shows the changes of osmotic flow within the plants to reduce root growth.
U. S. Atomic Energy Department provided a grant and radioisotopes of all nutrients to Michigan State University. The objective was to study the foliar absorption of fertilizer nutrients and trace their movement in the plants. Isotopes are different forms of an atom of the same chemical element.
Some isotopes are referred to as 'stable' and others as 'unstable' or 'radioactive'.
It is the radioactive nature of these unstable isotopes, usually referred to as 'radioisotopes', which gives them so many applications in modern science and technology.
Fertilizers 'labelled' with a radioactive isotope, provide a means of finding out how much is taken up by the plant and how much is lost. Efficient use of fertilizers is a concern. It is important that as much of the fertiliser as possible finds its way into plants and that the minimum is lost to the environment.
Radioisotopes showed that all foliar applied nutrients, are absorbed by the leaves. They were even absorbed through the woody tissue of trees.( bark)
In fact, these isotopes showed that it was 8-10 times more effective to foliar feed a plant as far as the amount of nutrients required and the speed with which those nutrients were utilized.
The beneficial effects of a foliar is due to an increase in cellular based chlorophyll synthesis.
This means that chlorophyll production and synthesis is increased in the cells of leaves most exposed to sunlight. Chlorophyll is the green you see in leaves.
We can actually see this increase in chlorophyll, cellular activity and respiration, as one of the first signs you will see in a crop, after the application of foliar fertiliser is the leaves turning a darker green. This can be measured by a Refractometer in as little as 4 hours.
This increased cellular activity and respiration, increases uptake of water by the vascular system in response to increased needs of water by the leaf (this automatically brings more fertilising elements into the plant via the vascular system)
This does not mean that the application of foliar fertilizer replaces the soil applied fertiliser, but increases their uptake.
Rapidly growing plants require large quantities of water, far in excess of that found in the plant for normal synthesis of new materials. This increase in uptake automatically brings more fertilising elements to the plant via the vascular system.
This increased efficiency can reduce the need for soil applied fertilizer, which reduces leaching and run off of fertilizing nutrients. Some of the latest research shows increased quality and yield by increasing the uptake of N and P, and providing cellular phosphate at a time of high usage by the plant.
A small amount of potash or phosphate can increase the yield so significantly, actually providing a better return per dollar outlayed than soil applied fertilizer..
The need for more water and greater gaseous exchange stimulates additional root mass to provide it.
Excess carbohydrate produced by the plant, due to greater synthesis of sugars by the increased chlorophyll, are excreted by the root hairs which stimulate microbial colonies on the root by providing additional energy sources.
The bacterial colonies in turn provide auxin's and other root stimulation compounds.
More root tissue and root hairs increases the plants ability to uptake water and fertilizer ions.
A chain reaction is set up if the right material is applied at the right time to set up this feedback loop.
Greater efficiencies are to be obtained with foliars because we are stimulating the entire 'pumping' system that comprises the leaf cells.
The important thing to remember is that a small amount of fertilizer used, actually increases the uptake in terms of total uptake by several fold over the amount of fertiliser applied. Some researchers suggest a 6:1 return.
By applying a foliar fertilizer directly to the leaf, it increases the activity in the leaf, at the same time increasing chlorophyll and thus photosynthesis. Because of this increased activity, it increases the need for water by the leaf. In turn this increases water uptake by the plants vascular system, which in turn increases the uptake of nutrients from the soil.
By increasing photosynthesis, we increase production and efficiency.
Here is another study done with seaweed used for foilar feeding and it effects on root mass.
Seaweed is constantly worn down by tides and eaten by fish, so it must grow rapidly to survive. Studies at the University of California showed that a frond of seaweed can grow a foot a day, given optimal conditions. The same growth hormones that prompt such rapid growth in seaweed, when applied to plants as a foliar spray, can increase the speed of cell division and elongation in those plants. The hormones also increase root growth when applied to the soil as meal, or when a seaweed extract is used as a root dip.In recent turf test at Virginia Polytechnic Institute in Blacksburg, plots sprayed with seaweed extract had 67% to 175% more roots that untreated plots. Plots treated in fall showed a 38% increase in spring growth over untreated plots and showed 52% more roots.In test at South Carolina's Clemson University, seeds soaked in liquid sea weed extract showed rapid germination and the resulting seedlings and increased root mass and stronger plant growth that seedlings from untreated seeds. They also had a higher survival rate. Soaking plant roots in seaweed extract reduces transplant shock and speeds root growth. Seaweed foliar sprays promote faster, stronger stem and leaf growth and earlier blossoming and fruit set when sprayed on leaves and flowerbeds.
for application to another (terrestrial landscapes). The ecological impacts of increased seaweed harvesting are currently under investigation and the possibility of significant ecosystem damage is real.
