Foliar Fertilizers: A Study of Uptake in Dry Land Cropping Systems

This assignment delves into the realm of foliar fertilizers, exploring their application and uptake mechanisms in dry land cropping systems. It begins by defining foliar fertilizers and highlighting their role in providing essential nutrients to plants, emphasizing their composition and use in sustainable agriculture. The assignment then examines the uptake process, including how nutrients are absorbed through leaf tissues and the role of the stomata and epidermis. The importance of nutrient mobility within the plant and the types of nutrients best suited for foliar application are also discussed. Finally, the assignment emphasizes the benefits of foliar feeding, such as enhanced crop yields and the promotion of larger, robust harvests. This document provides a comprehensive overview of foliar fertilizers, offering valuable insights into their application and effectiveness.

UPTAKE OF FOLIAR FERTELIZERS IN DRY LAND CROPPING
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FOLIAR FERTILIZERS
Introduction
Foliar fertilizers are fertilizer products that are made to be used or applied straight on the crop
leaves. They are generally manufactured from organic products that are harmless to use on food
crops ( Wafula 2017) They are used massively all over the world to provide nutrients to the
plants. This application is also known as foliar feeding and the nutrients are taken in directly
through the plant leaves.
The uptake
Plants have the ability to up take nutrients through the leaf tissues or through the roots by
osmosis, interference by plants roots or by diffusion, though the uptake depends on the relative
mobility of specific nutrient. The mobility of the nutrients occurs via the plants’ phloem tissue,
from which the nutrients are transported to the spots where they are required for optimal plant or
cellular activity (Malhotra, Pandey, Sharma, & Bindraban 2020) nutrients that are portable inside
the plant, such as nitrogen and potassium, a foliar application would be the most appropriate to
use. Nutrients such as iron, calcium and Sulphur that are less immobile this method will not be
appropriate. The actual nutrients absorption of nutrients occurs through the stomata and also
through their epidermis. The mobility is usually quicker through the stomata, though full may be
as better through the epidermis (Durand, Galano, Pinciroli, Dom, & Abella 2019).
Conclusion
Foliar feeding is very important in agriculture because is boosts to produce larger, better and
robust harvests and this has contributed greatly to sustainable agriculture (Alshaal, & El-Ramady
2017)The foliar should be applied early in the morning while the air is cool by spraying both
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FOLIAR FERTILIZERS
sides of the leaves until the mixture drips off the leaves. In order for it to stick well on the leaves,
insecticidal soap or horticultural oil should be added.
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FOLIAR FERTILIZERS
References
Wafula 2017, Understanding foliar fertilizer and how to use it effectively. Retrieved from URL
https://www.nation.co.ke/business/seedsofgold/Understanding-foliar-
fertiliser-and-how-to-use-it-effectively/2301238-4191274-rlmb51z/
index.html
H., Pandey, R., Sharma, S., & Bindraban, P. S. (2020). Foliar fertilization: possible routes of iron transport from
leaf surface to cell organelles. Archives of Agronomy and Soil Science, 66(3), 279-300.
., Galano, J. M., Pinciroli, M., Dom, R., & Abella, A. (2019). Statement of Foliar Fertilization Impact on Yield,
Composition, and Oxidative Biomarkers in Rice ́ .
., & El-Ramady, H. (2017). Foliar application: from plant nutrition to biofortification. Environment,
Biodiversity and Soil Security, 1(2017), 71-83.
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