Foliar Feeding of Crops, New Delhi, 2008

Foliar Feeding with Bonus-NPK,
a series of solutions for balanced and

economical nutrition for critical growth stages
NewAg Conference,
New Delhi, April, 2008
Oded Achilea
Haifa Chemicals, Head, Information & Knowhow Center
Haifa Chemicals
My dilemma
Control
19-19-19
15-15-30
68
66
4.21a
388
380
49
367
4.18a
19.5a
3.51b
13.5b
12.9b
No.
No. full
panicles/sq.m grains/panicle
% empty
grains
Yield (MT/ha)
My solution
Thank you NewAg team
for the GREAT job you are doing:
Increasing worldwide:
WUE - Water Use Efficiency
NUE - Nutrient Use Efficiency
and KUE - Know-how Use Efficiency !!!
My preference
Out of the dense spectrum
of crops checked by us
I will look into:
Rice
Corn
Citrus
Rice
Country
Ha
(mill.)
India
42.1
China
Indonesia
28.6
11.9
Bangladesh
10.4
9.2
Thailand
Vietnam
Myanmar
Philippines
Pakistan
Japan
(source: FAO)
7.4
6.0
4.1
2.5
1.7
Rice
Nutrient removal by a rice variety (IR36)

yielding 9.8 MT/ha of rough rice
Nutrient
elements
Nutrient removal at harvest, (kg / ha)

Straw*
Grain
Total
75
143
218
25.5
30.5
232
26
258
Ca
27
28
Mg
13
10
23
3.3
5.9
9.2
* - Straw yield = 8.3 tons/ha
(De Datta, Philippines - 1983)
Potassium Uptake
Rice
Growth & Nutrient Uptake
(% of Total)
100
Tillering
Boot Flower
Stage Exertion
Maturity
75
50
25
30
60
Days after planting
90
120
Bonus-npK grades carried in most Asian countries

To provide a simple and effective fertilizer
recommendation three Bonus grades were registered
and recommended:
Bonus 19-19-19 + TE:

This balanced formulation is recommended for use
during the vegetative growth stage of most crops.
Bonus 15-15-30 + TE :
This formulation with a higher potassium ratio is
recommended during the reproductive stage
Bonus-npK 13-2-44:
This formulation with a high potassium ratio is
recommended as a booster for all growth stages.
It is the cheapest one.
Rice
The
direct
result
Rice
Researches by: Dr. Pham Sy Tan

Cuu Long Delta Rice Research Institute
Vietnam - 1999 & 2003
Carried out in the Mekong Delta of
Vietnam
Mekong Delta
7.4 Million ha
Rice
Typical experiment conditions, Vietnam, 2003
Treatments conditions:
Spray volume: 350-400 L/ha
Application rate: 0.88 1.0 Kg/ha
Application timing: 1) at peak tillering ;
2) at heading ;
3) at milky stage
Area size per replication: 500 m2
Treatments:
1. Control treated with water
2. Bonus 19-19-19 + TE
3. Bonus 15-15-30 + TE
Rice
Typical experiment results, Vietnam

Testing Bonus 19-19-19 & 15-15-30
+35-39%
% above control
Control
19-19-19
15-15-30
68
66
+4-6%
+19-20%
4.21a
388
380
-31-34%
49
367
19.5a
4.18a
3.51b
13.5b
12.9b
No.
No. full
panicles/sq.m grains/panicle
% empty
grains
Yield (MT/ha)
Rice
Testing Bonus 13-2-44
Objectives:
1 - To determine the effect of rate & timing of Bonus-npK spray
2 - To work out the best rate and timing of Bonus-npK spray

3 - To quantify the benefits by using Bonus-npK
Treatments: Bonus-npK (13-2-44) concentrations: 1%, 2%, 3%

T1 40 DAS,
T2 60 DAS
T3 40 & 60 DAS
T4 40, 60 & 75 DAS
Cultivar: OM 1706 (199 days duration)
Rice

Treatment
(DAS)
Yield
(MT/ha)
Yield
Increase /
ha
%
US$
BonusnpK costs
(US$ / ha)
Spraying
labor
costs
Net
Return
(US$/ ha)
(US$ / ha)
Un-sprayed
4.56
--
--
--
--
--
40
4.98
9.2
49.2
8.4
6.25
34.25
60
5.17
13.3
71.4
8.4
6.25
56.7
40 & 60
5.22
14.4
77.3
16.8
12.5
47.9
40 & 60 & 75
5.29
16.0
85.5
25.3
18.75
41.4
(DAS = days after sowing)
Exchange rate of:
12,800 Dong = 1 US$
Spraying treatments: 750 liter/ha; 3% W/ V ;

Pham Sy Tan, Rice Research Institute, Cantho, Vietnam (1997)
Conclusions
1 Bonus-npK sprayed at 2% or 3% resulted in yield increase
as compared to 1% spray.
No clear difference between 2% to 3% effects.
2 - Two sprays of Bonus-npK at 40 & 60 DAS

and
Three sprays of Bonus-npK at 40, 60 & 75 DAS
produced highest grain yield.
3 - Bonus-npK spray at 2% or 3% provided higher net return.

At 2% spray twice, at P1 and before flowering stage.
At 3%, spray 1 - 2 times, before flowering stage.
Typical experiment results, China

Control
13-2-44 2%
13-2-44 4%
13-2-44 6%
135
132
130
86.4
128
110.2
85.3
84.4
84.2
76.3
(Guangxi, S&F inst.)

(1995)
5.56
5.39
4.82
5.81
73
65.3
14 28
-42
No. grains/ear Filling rate (%) Yield (MT/ha)

3.51b
Bonus costs
($US/ha)
Net return
($US/ha)
Rice price: 1.3 RMB / kg. ;

Bonus-npK price: 4 RMB / kg.
Exchange rate : 8.5 RMB = 1 UD$
Spraying treatments: 750 liter/ha; 3% W/V ; 30 & 60 d. after transplanting
Pre-plant fertilization (kg/ha):
N : 240 ;
P2O5 : 67.5 ;
K2O : 90
Rice
Typical experiment results, Thailand

1200
Unsprayed
3 x 2%
3 x 3%
1000
800
600
6.3
400
6.7
5.7
200
0
-200
Yield (kg/ha)
Yield value:
Yield value
($US)
Bonus costs
($US/ha)
Net return
($US/ha)
171 US$ / MT
Spray volume: 500 liter/ha;

Spraying done @ 40, 60 & 75 days after sowing
TJC Research Center, Suphanburi, (1998)
Rice
Typical experiment results, India*

Treatment
Grain yield Yield increase

(t/ha)
over control
Additional
net income
(Rs./ha)
No spray
5.83
--
--
3 x Bonus-npK 1%
6.32
8.4%
1,305
* NARDI (Hyderabad) 1997
Corn
Typical experiment conditions, Vietnam

Application timing: at 25 , 45 and 60 days after planting
Treatments:
2. Bonus 19-19-19 + TE
3. Bonus 15-15-30 + TE
Corn
+20.8%
Control
19-19-19
15-15-30
+9.5%
6.96a
6.82a
46
+4.5%
46
42
No. grains/row
290
291
5.76b
303
1000 grains weight (g)
Yield (MT/ha)
Foliar feeding in corn in Israel
* Israel is an Asian country too
Foliar feeding in corn in Israel
Citrus
2006
A new commercial treatment program in Vietnam
Citrus:
Purpose
Product
Rate
Timing
1,000-1,200
L/ha
Treatment
Bonus-npK
13-2-44
2% W / V
1&2
Flower
induction
Before
flowering @ 3
weeks interval
Bonus 19-19-19+ TE
0.5% W / V
3&4
Young fruit
nurturing
Bonus 15-15-30+ TE
0.5% W / V
Just after fruitset @ 4 weeks

interval
Bonus-npK
13-2-44
Bonus 15-15-30+ TE
2% W / V
5&6
Increase
fruit size
0.85% W/ V
4 weeks after
previous spray
3 weeks after
previous spray
A new commercial treatment program in Vietnam
Citrus:
Results of new vs. traditional program
Treatment
Fruit diameter No. of fruits

(cm)
dropped / ha
Yield (MT/ha)
24.5
Traditional
New
program
8.25 b
9.15 a
6010 a
3980 b
26.8
Net profit =
515 US$/ha
Spraying results in oranges (cv. Jaffa, in Israel)

Bonus-npK: a single application of 6% spray concentration at fruitlet diameter of 15-20mm.
The contribution of Bonus-npK to size distribution of the fruit

Fruit size share in treatment
50%
45%
40%
41%
Control
35%
Bonus-npK
30%
22%
20%
16%
14%
12%
3 x Multi-K
10%
6%
0%
0%
0%
50
55
4%
2%
2%
0%
0%
60
65
70
75
80
Mean fruit diameter (mm)
85
2%
0%
1%
0%
0%
90
95
Thank you, dear friends

for your attention
Lettuce

Application timing: at 7 , 14 and 21 days after planting
Treatments:
2. Bonus 19-19-19 + TE
3. Bonus 15-15-30 + TE
Lettuce
+3-4%
66.8
+15-19%
30
Control
19-19-19
15-15-30
67.4
64.4
+22-23%
32.9a 32.8a
31
26.8b
26
Plant height (cm)
Plant weight (g)
Yield (MT/ha)
Lettuce
Typical experiment conditions, Philippines
Application rate: 8 table-spoons / 16 L.
Application timing: 1) 14 days after transplanting
Three sprays at 10-d. intervals until
14-d. before harvest
Treatments:
2. Current practice: one base-dressing + one side dressing
3. Bonus 11-11-30 + 2MgO+ TE
*La Trinidad, Benguet State University,
experiments station, 2005.
Lettuce
Typical experiment results, Philippines
+5.6%
570a
540a
Control 0
Control current
11-11-30
+6.0%
+8.0%
3.10a
2.87a
370b
1.78b
Head weight (g)
34.41a
Head solidity
32.46a
21.64b
Yield (MT/ha)
Dragon Fruit
Application rate: 1.0-1.5 Kg/ha
Application timing: 1) 1 month before flowering
2) 10 days later
3) A week after fruit-set
4) 15 days later
Area size per replication: 3 trees
Treatments: 2003
2. Bonus 19-19-19 + TE
3. Bonus 15-15-30 + TE
Dragon Fruit
+4.1%
51
+9-11%
51
Control
19-19-19
15-15-30
476
49
470
+9-13%
430
+20.5%
10.9b
No. fruits/plant
Fruit weight (g)
13.1 13.2
a
a
0 Brix
19.7a
18.9a
17.4b
Yield (kg/plant)
When to use foliar application
Nutrients are fixed in the soil

Limited root activity (low temp, flooding, nematodes, etc.)
For fast curing of deficiencies.
Boosting performances at specific physiological stages
Competing successfully with weeds.
Compatibility with Pesticides - labor saving.
Overcoming most soil fertilization limitations:
leaching, insoluble precipitate creation, nutrients
antagonism, heterogenic soils unsuitable for low
dosages.
Foliar feeding flash.
3 systems composing leaves

1- Epidermal cells
2 - Mesophyll
3- Transportation
vessels
Epidermal cells
Surface and interior arrangement of barrier
to solute (spray solution) penetration
SURFACE WAX
Hydrophobic layer
CUTIN + WAX
CUTIN + WAX
EXTERNAL LAYER
Cutin (weak negative charge )
Semi-hydrophilic
Pectin
CELLULOSE
Cuticle
nonliving,
noncellular,
lipoidal biopolymer
cutin with
embedded wax
Cutin + Wax + Polysaccharides

Pectin (negative charge) Cellulose
can absorb water
Uptake steps by Leaves

Penetration through cuticle and epidermal cell wall by
passive diffusion:
Influenced by temperature and concentration gradient
Passive diffusion
Takes care of
most of the penetration
Nutrients are absorbed through tiny cracks or very

small transcuticular pores located in the leaf cuticle
-These pore channels (most < nm diam.), are lined
with negatively charged particles
Ectodesmata too!
- Submicroscopic channels that are direct pathway
through cell walls
- Abundant in guard cells and epidermal cells
associated with trichomes (leaf hairs) and leaf veins
Cations
+ Preferential uptake toward cell

membranes
By passive diffusion
(from high to low concentration)
Anions
Only small share penetrates, due to

rejection by cells membranes
(negatively charged)
+ +
EPIDERMAL CELL
+
The diffusion rate across a membrane is

proportional to the concentration gradient
High concentration
Low concentration
10 g / L
2g/L
K K
K K k
K K K K
K KKK K KK
K K
K K
K
K K
K K
K K K K K K K
K K
K
K
K
K
K K K K
k
K
K
K
K
K
K
EPIDERMAL
CELL
K
K K K K K K K
K
K
K
K K
K
K
K
K
K K K
K EPIDERMAL
K
K
CELL
K
The higher concentration of solute,

which can be applied to leaf surface without
causing damage,
the longer the time it remains in active state on the
leaf surface
Solute penetration across the

cuticular layer of leaf epidermal cells
K+
K+
K+
K++
Leaf surface
STOMATA
Guard
cell
Cuticle
Guard
cell
Cell wall
K+
K+
K+
Ion uptake is higher at night (closed stomata)

than during day-time
K+
K+
K+
K+
Most solutes do not penetrate through open

stomata
K+

1) Penetration through cuticle and epidermal cell wall by
passive diffusion:
Influenced by temperature and gradient of concentration
2)
Absorption of ions by the cytoplasms membrane surface

passive diffusion:
2)
3)
Active penetration into protoplast requires energy.

Energy is supplied by metabolic respiration or
photosynthesis process of the plant
Schematic cell-to-cell
transport processes
DIFFUSION OR
MASS FLOW
Absorption
by cytoplasms
membrane surface
ACTIVE TRANSPORT
INVOLVING ATP

passive diffusion:
2)
3)
Active penetration into protoplast requires energy.

Energy is supplied by metabolic respiration or
photosynthesis process of the plant
STOMATA
1- Epidermal cells
Cuticle
Cell wall
2 - Mesophyl
3- Transportation vessels
Guard
cell
Guard
cell
Nutrient translocation through tissue

Phloem transport is
extremely important for
distribution from mature
leaves to growing regions in

the roots and shoots.

Phloem mobility
1 - nutrients enter the phloem at the source.
2 - nutrients move within the phloem.
3 - nutrients move out of the phloem at the sink.
source
sink
Phloem transport is
extremely important
for distribution from

mature leaves to
growing regions in the
roots and shoots.
Made of active living cells

Movement of the nutrients from the point of penetration to
other locations in the plant. Nutrients are divided into
three groups (Bukovac and Wittwer, 1957).
- Mobile
- Partial mobile
- Not mobile
Mobile
Partially
mobile
Zn Cu Mn Fe Mo
Immobile
Ca Mg
* Bukovac & Wittwer (1957), Kunnan (1980)
Cl
Flux through the xylem is regulated by root output

and driven by water potential differences between
soil, leaf, and atmosphere.
Little importance to the
transport of foliarapplied plant nutrients

from sprayed leaves to
growing organs with low

transpiration rates
(buds, flowers, fruits).

Foliar Feeding of Crops, New Delhi, 2008

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Foliar Feeding with Bonus-NPK,

a series of solutions for balanced and

Nutrient removal by a rice variety (IR36)

Nutrient removal at harvest, (kg / ha)

* - Straw yield = 8.3 tons/ha

(De Datta, Philippines - 1983)

Days after planting

Bonus-npK grades carried in most Asian countries

Bonus 19-19-19 + TE:

Researches by: Dr. Pham Sy Tan

Typical experiment results, Vietnam

Testing Bonus 13-2-44

2 - To work out the best rate and timing of Bonus-npK spray

Treatments: Bonus-npK (13-2-44) concentrations: 1%, 2%, 3%

Testing Bonus 13-2-44

Typical experiment results, Vietnam

(DAS = days after sowing)

Exchange rate of:

12,800 Dong = 1 US$

Spraying treatments: 750 liter/ha; 3% W/ V ;

2 - Two sprays of Bonus-npK at 40 & 60 DAS

3 - Bonus-npK spray at 2% or 3% provided higher net return.

Typical experiment results, China

(Guangxi, S&F inst.)

No. grains/ear Filling rate (%) Yield (MT/ha)

Rice price: 1.3 RMB / kg. ;

Testing Bonus 13-2-44

Typical experiment results, Thailand

Spray volume: 500 liter/ha;

Testing Bonus 13-2-44

Typical experiment results, India*

Grain yield Yield increase

* NARDI (Hyderabad) 1997

Spray volume: 350-400 L/ha

1000 grains weight (g)

Foliar feeding in corn in Israel

* Israel is an Asian country too

Foliar feeding in corn in Israel

A new commercial treatment program in Vietnam

Just after fruitset @ 4 weeks

A new commercial treatment program in Vietnam

Fruit diameter No. of fruits

Spraying results in oranges (cv. Jaffa, in Israel)

The contribution of Bonus-npK to size distribution of the fruit

Mean fruit diameter (mm)

Thank you, dear friends

Spray volume: 350-400 L/ha

Plant height (cm)

Plant weight (g)

Head weight (g)

Fruit weight (g)

When to use foliar application

Nutrients are fixed in the soil

Foliar feeding flash.

3 systems composing leaves

Cutin + Wax + Polysaccharides

can absorb water

Uptake steps by Leaves

Nutrients are absorbed through tiny cracks or very

associated with trichomes (leaf hairs) and leaf veins

+ Preferential uptake toward cell

Only small share penetrates, due to

The diffusion rate across a membrane is

The higher concentration of solute,