Fertilisers are indeed necessary for the normal growth of plants. But, fertilisers alone cannot be the ultimate nutrition agent for plants as they have got their own drawbacks. Recent research shows that Humic Acid, a naturally occurring organic compound, possesses remarkable plant growth-stimulating properties. Humic Acid stimulates plant enzymes, root growth, nutrient uptake and growth, resulting in overall plant growth and yield.

Humic Acid is being used extensively as a fertiliser for its ability to release nutrients slowly to the plants, holding water to safeguard the plants against changes in pH values and improve the soil condition.

Though the acid is generally found in nature in liquid form, at the same time, it can also be obtained from the decay of plant and animal, utilising organic acids and low-temperature drying methods.

Humic Acid is intended for general agricultural and horticultural purposes and can be used directly with water or along with fertilisers. Being an organic chemical, the acid has no harmful effects when used at the recommended concentration levels. Though the acid is largely used in agriculture, it has now found applications in the fields of medicine, healthcare, feed additives, storage batteries and pollution control.

Recent research shows that Humic Acid can promote plant growth substantially beyond what is possible by mineral nutrition alone. Significant improvements in nutrient uptake and plant growth have been noticed when Humic Acid is incorporated into the fertilisers. Humic Acid may not be an all-in-one fertiliser, but the yield improves by 5 to 35 per cent consistently.

Dr Christopher, Manager (Technical), Margo Biocontrols Pvt Ltd, Bangalore, who has done extensive research on the extraction process of Humic Acid from plants, says that the acid is essential for optimum plant growth. "The progress toward understanding the action of Humic Acids is happening very soon. We have seen the market increase in the use of commercial Humic Acids in commercial agriculture," he said.

Humic Acid products are being used increasingly in farms throughout the world. Though both granular and liquid Humic Acids are used widely even in India, the most widely accepted are the liquid Humic Acid products as they can be easily mixed with water and sprayed.

The acid can be mixed with water and can be sprayed or drenched around the root zone. If fertiliser application is in the schedule, Humic Acid may be applied coinciding with fertiliser application.

The Chinese originally used the acid in farming about 150 years ago, followed by the USA and European countries  adopting the concept later. However, the product made a late entry into India - only about 15 years back. It was primarily imported into India till Margo Biocontrols developed an indigenous technology to extract Humic Acid. Christopher says that the response from farmers has been good. Established in 1997, Margo Biocontrols now has a presence in over seven states in India.

However, according to Dr Christopher, the farmers in Maharashtra and Kerala have shown more interest towards the products as they are using the acid largely for farming. The research also shows that Humic Acids can stimulate the respiration rates of seedlings which leads to quicker germination and faster root and shoot growth. "A few seed companies in Salem and Hyderabad have approached us for using our Humic acid products with their seeds," he said. Ultimately, it is the farmer who will benefit from using the Humic Acid coating on the seeds.

There are many forms of Humic Acids available in the market today. Most of them are mined from mineral deposits of lignite, found in many areas throughout the world.

Physical and Chemical benefits

• Humic Acid increases the water holding-capacity of the soil
• Forms chelates with micronutrients like zinc, iron and manganese and releases them slowly in different conditions, as per the need of the plant
• Increases the stability of the soil structure, soil aeration and root penetration
• Improves nutrition-holding capacity
• Retains water-soluble inorganic fertilisers in the root zone and releases them to the plants when needed, thus avoiding loss of nutrients due.

• Humic Acid stimulates growth and multiplication of desirable soil micro organisms.
• Accelerates cell division, thus stimulating plant growth and root development.
• Increases seed gernmination and seed viability
• Increases cell wall thickness, thus providing prolonged shelf life.
• Continues use of Humic acid in crop husbandry practices can reduce the inorganic fertilizer usage to 25 to 40 per cent.
• Increases nutrient uptake, drought tolerance and beneficial soil microbe activity.
• It is well known that Humic Acid controls many of the vital processes in soils and in plants (i.e. - absorption, photosynthesis, evaporation, growth, etc).

• Vegetables (Carrot, Radish, Cauliflower, Tomato, Brinjal, Chilly and others)
• Horticultural crops (Grapes, pomogranate, papaya and others)
• Plantation crops (Tea, Coffee, Cardamom, Pepper and others)
• Cereals (Rice, Wheat and others)
• Oil seeds (Cotton, Ground nut, Soyabean and others)
• Cash crops (Ginger, Turmeric, Sugarcane and others)
• Green house plants (Rose, gladiolous and others)
• Pulses (Black gram, Bengal gram, Tur and others)