In Malaysia’s agricultural sector, foliar products—those applied directly to plant leaves—are becoming essential tools for supporting crop growth, correcting nutrient deficiencies, and improving disease resistance. These products can be highly effective but need to be used with careful planning to realize their full potential. Here are the top three things you should know to make the most of your foliar applications.
1. Timing is Everything: Apply Foliar Products at the Right Growth Stage
Foliar products are fast-acting, delivering nutrients or biostimulants directly to plant leaves for rapid absorption. However, to make foliar applications cost-effective, they need to be applied at specific growth stages or before disease pressures escalate.
For instance, applying a biostimulant during the establishment phase of young plants can
significantly boost root development, helping seedlings grow strong and resilient. Similarly, foliar applications during active growth, flowering, or early fruit set support nutrient uptake for healthier crops and higher yields.
Applying foliar products just before disease onset can help plants build resilience, but once disease has taken hold, they are often less effective. Taking time to identify the optimal growth stages for foliar applications will maximize benefits for your crops.
2. Bioavailability Matters: Not All Nutrient Forms Are Equal
Foliar products are often used to correct nutrient deficiencies, but not all forms of nutrients are equally bioavailable to plants.
For instance, chelated forms of micronutrients like iron (Fe-EDTA) and zinc (Zn-EDTA) are more readily absorbed than non-chelated forms. Additionally, organic foliar products tend to contain naturally bioavailable forms of nutrients that plants can take up more effectively than synthetic or mineral-based forms.
Always check the nutrient forms in your foliar product, as products that don’t specify these may have limited efficacy. When in doubt, choose products that explicitly state they contain bioavailable nutrient forms to maximize the benefit for your plants.
3. Check for Red Flags: Look Closely at the Label
In Malaysia, organic fertilizers and foliar products are not tightly regulated, so it’s essential to scrutinize labels closely to understand exactly what you’re applying. Here’s what to look for:
Clear Ingredient List: Reputable products will list all active ingredients. If the label is vague, it may be a red flag.
Nutrient Composition: Look for a detailed breakdown of the nutrient content.
Microbial Information (if applicable): If the product contains beneficial microbes, it should specify the colony-forming units (CFU) per gram or milliliter. This information helps you gauge the concentration and viability of the microbes.
If any information is unclear, consider contacting the manufacturer to request a Certificate of Analysis (CoA). This document provides detailed product contents and ensures you’re investing in a high-quality product.
Pioneering Organic Foliar Products: The Role of Vitalis®
Malaysia, like many countries, is seeing a shift toward organic agricultural inputs, and this includes foliar products. Here, we define “organic” as products derived from organic matter, though they may still contain plant-available forms of inorganic nutrients, such as nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and calcium, sourced from that organic matter.
Organic foliar products primarily act as biostimulants, such as seaweed extracts or amino acid products. A new category that we’re pioneering is liquid extracts of Black Soldier Fly frass, such as Vitalis®. Vitalis® is a liquid biofertilizer that provides readily available macro and micronutrients, alongside beneficial bacteria. Laboratory and greenhouse trials have shown Vitalis® can inhibit plant pathogenic fungi, offering plants a unique layer of defense.
The benefits of Vitalis® go beyond nutrition, providing a suite of advantages that can help maximize farm profitability. By improving nutrient bioavailability, supporting beneficial microbes, and preventing yield loss from diseases, Vitalis® offers a valuable, holistic solution for farmers looking to increase their marketable yields while reducing input costs.
As an innovative organic foliar product, Vitalis® demonstrates why the organic foliar space is an exciting and rapidly evolving field in Malaysian agriculture.
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