What is root fertilization? What are the advantages?

Besides roots, leaves and green branches can also absorb nutrients. Spraying the solution containing nutrients onto the aboveground parts (mainly leaves) of crops is called root fertilization.

The advantages of external fertilization are: ① Direct supply of effective nutrients to crops, preventing them from being fixed or transformed in soil, and reducing fertilizer efficiency. ② When the root absorption is weak, crops can easily absorb nutrients by applying fertilizer outside the root system. For example, spraying urea and potassium dihydrogen phosphate on the leaves at the late stage of rice growth will have a good effect. ③ The absorption and transformation of nutrients by leaves is faster than that by roots, which can supplement the demand of crops for nutrients in time. For example, it usually takes 4 ~ 5 days for urea to take effect when it is applied to soil, but it often takes 1 ~ 2 days to take effect when it is sprayed outside the roots. Therefore, in the prevention and treatment of element deficiency diseases, the effect of external fertilization is better. ④ Extraroot fertilization is suitable for mechanized operation, which is economical and effective. The amount of external fertilization is usually only about 10% of the soil. Many fertilizers, especially urea, can be mixed with many pesticides and sprayed at the same time. Save time and effort, such as using efficient and effective mechanical spraying. The effect of external fertilization on fruit trees, tea trees and vegetables is remarkable. At present, mechanical root fertilization is widely used in pineapple fertilization abroad.