NutriGrow Humic Acid & Carbon Based Organic Compound Liquid Fertilizer

Field Test Report on Tobacco Cultivation

1．Experiment Background and Purpose

The purpose of the field test was to verify, under the same conditions of tobacco cultivation, the effect on application of NutriGrow humic acid based organic compound liquid fertilizer is better than that of utilizing special regular fertilizer for tobacco. It aimed to improve tobacco quality, increase its yield and reduce amount of fertilizer used.

This experiment was carried out at Zeng Suo Village, Long Quan Town, Yi Men County, Yu Xi District, Yunnan Province, China.

2．Materials and Methods Adopted For the Test

A. Materials

• NutriGrow Humic acid based organic compound liquid fertilizer:N: P: K = 10 - 5 – 15.  The efficiency is 90% during the very season.
  
• Special regular fertilizer for tobacco(granular solids), XXX Brand.N: P: K = 12 - 6 – 24. The efficiency is 30% during the very season.

B. Methods 

• Treatment  1

Seedlings transplanted on May 06, 2008, harvest starting from end July to early August.

Test area: 294 m2 ; row spacing: 120 cm; plant spacing: 50 cm. 

Before seedling transplant, 150 Kg/Ha of basal fertilizer of calcium magnesium phosphate fertilizer mixed with 60 Kg/Ha of high- nitrogen formulation NutriGrow liquid fertilizer diluted to 200 times were applied on the soil.

Top-dressing started one week after seedling transplant. On the first top-dressing, 52 Kg/Ha of NutriGrow liquid fertilizer with Hi-nitrogen formulation diluted to 200 times were applied on the soil. There were 3 top-dressings, with 7 days intervals. Specially formulated NutriGrow of 10-5-15 formulation with dosage of 52 Kg/Ha and 68 Kg/Ha respectively, both diluted to 200 times were applied on the soil for the last two top-dressings.

Prior to harvest around mid-June to early July, about one week after the last top-dressing, applied 3 times foliage sprays each with 4.5 Kg/Ha of  specially formulated NutriGrow fertilizer of 10-5-15 formulation diluted to 500 times to conclude the fertilization test.

• Treatment  2    

Seedlings transplanted on May 06, 2008, harvest starting from end July to early August.

Test area for comparison: 294 m2; row spacing: 120 cm; plant spacing: 50 cm. 

300 Kg/Ha of calcium magnesium phosphate fertilizer together with 225 Kg/Ha of special regular fertilizer for tobacco mixed evenly with pond soil were used as basal fertilizer.

There were 3 top-dressings applied on soil, with 7 days intervals. The dosages of each application were 75Kg/Ha, 75Kg/Ha and 150Kg/Ha respectively and the fertilizer used was the special regular fertilizer for tobacco.

On the second top-dressing, additional 15 Kg/Ha of zinc sulphate blended with 75 Kg/Ha of the  special regular fertilizer for tobacco as mentioned above were applied on to soil.

The third top-dressing was done in early June, during the secondtime of ridging, other than 150 Kg/Ha of the special regular fertilizer for tobacco, additional 105 Kg/Ha of potassium sulphate were added.

3．Cultivation Conditions

　a ) Status of Water Resources at Test Location

• Water abundant, previous crop was rice.
• Tobacco Breed: Flue-cured Tobacco type K 326
• Cultivation mode: wide open field, no plastic film coverage.

　b ) Local Fertilizing Method

• Scattering fertilizer directly around plant roots. (Re Treatment 2 for application method and fertilizer quantity used.)
• Application method of NutriGrow Humic Acid Based Organic Compound Liquid Fertilizer:

NutriGrow liquid fertilizer was diluted and poured around plant roots + leaf spraying. (Re Treatment 1 for detailed fertilizing method and fertilizer quantity required.)

4．Result Analysis

Table of Tobacco Growth Status (Table 1)

From the table above, it was obvious that under the same growth conditions of tobacco seedlings, the results on applying of NutriGrow liquid fertilizer (Treatment 1) were better than that of using regular special chemical fertilizers (Treatment 2).
During the  top-dressing period, the average difference of plant height between the two treatments was 3.0 – 4.0 cm and the average difference of stem diameter was 1.0 – 1.5 mm. That meant the result was significant by using NutriGrow liquid fertilizer, the growth was much faster than that of using regular special fertilizer. The NutriGrow is superior than the regular fertilizers, its efficiency was very high during the very season, the amount of fertilizer used was only 40% of the regular chemical fertilizers.

Table of Economic Benefits (Table 2)

(Fertilizer used in Treatment 1: NutriGrow humic acid based organic compound liquid fertilizer.          

Fertilizer used in Treatment 2: Calcium Magnesium Phosphate fertilizer, zinc  sulphate, potassium sulphate and special regular fertilizer for tobacco. The local price of tobacco for the year was US$2.5/Kg – Exchang rate 6.8.

The total cost of fertilizers for treatment 1 was slightly lower than that of treatment 2).

As this was the first experience to use the highly concentrated NutriGrow liquid fertilizer on the tobacco cultivation, though the amount of dosage of each application and the total dosage was controlled in somewhat at a low level, by applying 3 top-dressings on to soil and 3 times of  foliage sprays, the result was still very encouraging.

The test showed NutriGrow had increased yield by 172.5 Kg/Ha, or 11.7% yield increase as compared to the regular chemical fertilizers. Furthermore, the fertilizer cost in this test, was less than that of the regular chemical fertilizers, hence with good quality tobacco the final income was increased considerably.

5．Conclusion

1) Theoretically, high phosphorus formulation should be used in basal fertilizer. However, experience revealed high nitrogen formulation producing the best performance in this area for tobacco cultivation. There were 3 top-dressings, high nitrogen formulation of NutriGrow was used for the first top-dressing and special formulation of 10-5-15 for tobacco was used for the next two. It was realized that to produce best results to improve tobacco yield and quality the amount of fertilizer used need to be increased for the last top-dressing.

2) Some NutriGrow Liquid Fertilizer Characters being observed in this test.

a) It had been proved NutriGrow has very high efficiency, even with 40% of the quantity of the regular chemical fertilizers used, significant results were observed within a short period.

b) The tobacco quality was assured by the additional 3 applications of foliage sprays.

c) With NutriGrow the quantity of the regular chemical Fertilizers used could be distinctively reduced.

3) Comments

a) Duration of fertilizer efficiency and fertilization effects needed further validation.

b) The optimum quantity of NutriGrow most suited in different plant vegetation stages needs further investigation by conducting more tests.

Field Test By: Cheng Guang Long (Agronomist)
Sept 16, 2008.