Iron chlorosis of plants: all ways to combat iron deficiency. Iron chelate: features and methods of preparation

For normal growth and development, plants need different nutrients that they need to be supplied throughout their life. Iron chelate is the most important microfertilizer that provides reliable protection against the manifestation of a disease such as chlorosis. Another substance is used to improve the processes of photosynthesis in plants growing on poor soil.

Benefits of iron chelate for plants

The peculiarity of the substance is that it is iron in the chelated form. This allows it to be easily and completely absorbed by plants, providing them with a balanced diet for proper growth. For greens, iron is an intermediate. It does not require as much as macronutrients, but not as little as micronutrients. Therefore, this element is an indispensable component for plants.

Iron deficiency is easy to identify by the appearance of the plant: a light leaf plate and typical green veins on it are all symptoms of chlorosis. The disease is formed against the background of a failure in the production of chlorophyll in the foliage.

Chlorosis manifests itself with a strong deficiency of iron in the soil or as a result of disturbances in the assimilation of the element in this form by the plant. To solve the problem, it is necessary to change the methods of agricultural technology and apply fertilizers.

Characteristics of microfertilizer

Iron is actively involved in metabolic processes, but is also part of the enzymes that normalize respiration and the formation of chlorophyll.

Key Features

Main positive traits chelated iron:

The main feature of the substance is its availability for plants. Many believe that rusty water is also a source of iron, but this is a misconception. Yes, it is there, but in this form the substance does not dissolve and can have a detrimental effect on the plant.

In some cases, even the element's accessible form may not be useful. For example:

1. If the soil contains dolomite or chalk. These two components reduce the access of the substance to the plant. Even if there is enough of it in the soil, there will still be a lack.
2. As a result of oxidation, the available form of iron may become inaccessible. This reaction occurs due to the interaction of the element with oxygen.

Application for plants

Iron occupies one of the leading places among all trace elements for plants. It is a guarantor of the timely biosynthesis of chlorophyll and a reliable protector against various diseases, including chlorosis. Promotes proper development, vegetation and activation of all life processes that ensure the full growth of plants.

Regular use of microfertilizer guarantees:

This microfertilizer can be used as top dressing for foliar and root tillage. With significant signs of iron deficiency, the maximum effect can be achieved by using it in foliar treatment of affected leaves.

Fruit trees especially suffer from the lack of an element - pear, apple, plum, peach, cherry, citrus trees, as well as grapes grown on poor soils. Symptoms of the disease are expressed in poor yields, poor flowering and dull fruit color. The deficit also has a negative impact on vegetable crops- potatoes, tomatoes, cucumbers, corn, cabbage.

DIY chelated iron

Microfertilizer can be bought in specialty stores, but you can also prepare your own chelate at home, which will be more economical. Below are two methods that use iron sulfate, which is several times cheaper than the finished powder of the substance.

The first way - ascorbic acid

This method will require ascorbic acid, which can be purchased at any pharmacy. The only condition is that glucose should not be present in the composition of ascorbic acid.

Cooking steps:

• ascorbic acid (10 g) is added to a solution of ferrous sulfate (1 teaspoon per 500 ml of water);
• the resulting mixture is diluted with boiled water (3 liters), after stirring, an iron chelate is formed.

Everything, the solution is ready to use. The concentration of such a solution will be approximately equal to 0.5%, so it can be used for spraying.

The second way is citric acid

To prepare this method, citric acid is used, you can buy it at any grocery store. Manufacturing steps:

• citric acid (1 tablespoon) and iron sulfate (1 teaspoon) are introduced into boiled water (3 liters);
• when thoroughly mixed, a light orange mixture is obtained.

The main disadvantage of making iron chelate at home is that it cannot be stored for a long time, as iron oxidizes and precipitates.

Instructions for use

As mentioned above, the solution is used as a root or foliar top dressing. Root top dressing is recommended for especially severe cases chlorosis, foliar - for the prevention of the disease. It is important to remember that iron chelate is a substance of the third class of danger to people, therefore, when working with it, it is necessary to use personal protective equipment.

Foliar processing

Foliar treatment means spraying with a solution of diseased trees or plants from a spray bottle. For preventive purposes, spraying is carried out 2 times, while diseased plants are sprayed 4 times.

The first treatment is carried out after the foliage unfolds, the next - after 14–21 days. It is desirable to spray fruit trees with 0.8% iron chelate, and vegetable, berry, field, ornamental crops and vineyards - with a solution of 0.4%.

root processing

For root treatment, a 0.8% solution is used. Use it for watering the plant directly under the root or in pre-prepared holes (20–25 cm).

Watering is carried out in the following proportions:

• 10-20 liters - per tree;
• 1-2 liters - per bush;
• 4-5 liters - per 100 square meters vegetable or berry crops.

Other dosages can be read in the instructions for using liquid branded or chelated iron tablets. This is due to the content of ballast components in a solution or tablet. But when recalculated for the active substance, the concentration will still remain the same.

So, if the plants are ill with chlorosis or it is necessary to improve their photosynthesis, there is no better helper than iron chelate. Ease of preparation, application and its cheapness are indisputable arguments in favor of its use.

Iron chelate is used to treat a disease such as iron chlorosis, and to intensify photosynthesis processes in greens growing on a poor one.

This article will discuss methods of obtaining, indications for its use and storage conditions.

Description and chemical composition

In its pure form, iron chelate is a dirty orange powder that does not have a noticeable smell and taste. According to the chemical structure, the chelate complex is an atom of ferrous iron, which is, as it were, “packed” in a shell of a weak acid ligand, often citric acid is used for this. There is no covalent bond between the Fe++ ion and the ligand, therefore, in the chelate form, iron retains its valency until the ligand decomposes. The chelate shell protects iron from reactions with other active molecules that can convert iron into a trivalent form.

Did you know? Ferrous iron is also contained in the main component of erythrocytes - hemoglobin, which is responsible for gas exchange processes in a living organism.

Purpose of funds

Iron chelate has a rather narrow range of applications for plants, however, in the event of one of the situations described below, it simply cannot be dispensed with:

1. Treatment of non-infectious chlorosis (a disease in which the leaves of plants actively turn yellow, due to a violation of the processes of photosynthesis in the leaves).
2. Active prevention of chlorosis, mainly in.
3. In order to intensify the processes of photosynthesis in flora growing in adverse conditions(deficiency or excess sunlight, dry soil, excessive cold or heat).

Instructions for use

Iron chelate according to the instructions for use can be used in two different ways: for foliar and root top dressing. The second is recommended for especially advanced cases of chlorosis, while the first is better suited for preventive measures.

Important! The drug precipitates very quickly in the form of a solution, and therefore it is recommended to store it undiluted.

foliar top dressing

Implies the leaves of diseased plants and using a spray bottle. It is recommended to carry out 2 sprayings for preventive purposes and 4 for diseased plants.

The first treatment is performed immediately after the leaves unfold, the subsequent ones - with an interval of 2-3 weeks. Fruit trees are recommended to be sprayed with a solution with a concentration of 0.8%, field crops with a 0.4% solution.

Root top dressing

AT this case it is necessary to prepare a 0.8% working solution, which is later used for directly under the root of plants or in pre-prepared holes 20-30 cm deep. It should be watered in such quantities: 10-20 liters per tree or 1-2 liters per one bush, or 4-5 liters per 100 square meters of vegetables or berries.

Storage conditions

Ready-made iron chelate powder should be stored out of the reach of children at a temperature of 0 ° C to 30 ° C. The shelf life is 1.5 years. Preferably keep away from direct sunlight.

Standard safety precautions must be followed when using. In case of contact with mucous membranes, rinse thoroughly running water and in case of complications, seek medical help.

Do-it-yourself iron chelate

Making an iron chelate solution at home can cost you much less than buying ready-made powder. Both of the methods presented below involve the use, which is several times cheaper than the finished product.

First way

For him, you will need to stock up on ascorbic acid in advance, which can be easily found in a pharmacy. The only requirement for the latter is that it should not contain glucose.

Did you know? Iron is the second most abundant metal in the world after aluminum.

In a pre-made solution of ferrous sulfate (a teaspoon per 0.5 liters of pure water), we add 10 g of ascorbic acid.
The resulting mixture is diluted with three liters of boiled water, and after thorough mixing, an iron chelate solution is formed, ready for use. The approximate concentration of such a solution will be 0.5%, and it can be safely used for spraying.

Second way

The second method involves the formation of a chelate complex based on citric acid, which is not hard to find. To obtain a working solution, it is necessary to three-liter jar with boiled water, add a tablespoon of citric acid and a teaspoon of iron sulfate.

Iron chlorosis is a common plant disease that manifests itself as a violation of the formation of chlorophyll in the leaves. In this case, the leaf plate turns yellow, and the veins remain green.

Iron leaf chlorosis occurs when a plant experiences a catastrophic iron deficiency. For example, there is little of it in the soil, or changes have occurred in the plant's body that lead to the loss of the ability to absorb this very iron. To cure this disease, it is necessary to eliminate errors in the agricultural technique of growing the affected plant and feed it with iron.

• yellowing of young leaves, combined with green veins
• reduction in leaf size
• twisting the edges of the sheet plate
• falling leaves, flowers
• changing the shape of buds, flowers
• deterioration in the development of the root system, in advanced cases - the death of the roots
• drying of the top shoots

With iron chlorosis, the leaf plate turns yellow in plants, and the veins remain green.

What plants are most susceptible to chlorosis?

If you grow violets, you may never experience chlorosis at all. Chlorosis acts selectively. Here are the top 5 plants most susceptible to this disease:

• gardenia
• azalea
• hydrangea
• clerodendrum
• lemon

If you have purchased anything from this list, be prepared to struggle with leaf yellowing from time to time. Although, it is better to act proactively and do prevention.

Plant chlorosis: prevention

To reduce the risk of meeting with chlorosis, you need to:

1. Choose the right substrate for the plant

The soil should be light, moisture permeable. Alkalinization of the soil, leading to chlorosis, often occurs due to too dense soil that retains water.

2. Monitor the reaction of the soil

Pay attention to the acidity of the soil. Plants susceptible to chlorosis (see top 5) love acidified soil. A shift in the reaction towards an alkaline environment dramatically increases the risk of chlorosis.

3. Periodically water the plants with acidified water

Water acidification is another way to bring the soil reaction into the desired framework. Often tap water has pH-7, this value should be reduced to pH-5-5.5. To do this, dissolve several grains of citric acid in 1 liter of water (on the tip of a knife). Plants are watered with this water once a week.

Treatment of chlorosis with iron preparations

If your plants are already sick with chlorosis, preventive measures will not work. Rather, you still have to change the soil and make it a habit to use acidified water for irrigation. But besides this, the plant will have to add iron to the diet. It should be in a chelated form - the most easily absorbed even by a diseased plant. After spraying and applying one of the following preparations under the root, plant health is restored:

• Ferovit (Nest M)
• From yellowing leaves (Agricola)
• Ferrilene (Valagro)
• Brexil-Fe (Valagro)
• Iron chelate (Micom-reacom)
• Micro-Fe (Orton)
• Antichlorosis (Master Color)

The iron chelate works faster if it is applied through the sheet. When spraying, useful substances penetrate into the tissues of the plant already within a day, when watering - after 3 days. Therefore, many manufacturers of chelates are positioning them as leaf fertilizers. Although they can be safely used for irrigation, only a positive effect in this case will have to wait a little longer.

Spraying plants with chlorosis preparations is more effective than applying them under the root

Iron chelate for chlorosis can be prepared at home on your own.

• In 1 liter of boiled cold water dilute 4 g of citric acid (half a teaspoon), then add 2.5 g of ferrous sulfate (6 g in a teaspoon). As a result, a light orange liquid is formed, which contains a complex salt of ferrous iron - iron chelate at a concentration of 0.5 g / l. This solution can be used for both watering and spraying.
• 10 g of ferrous sulfate is diluted in 1 liter of water, then 20 g of ascorbic acid is added to the solution. The resulting solution is watered and sprayed with chlorosis plants.

The shelf life of homemade iron chelate is 2 weeks.

Making iron chelate at home

Non-traditional method - rusty nails from chlorosis

Plant chlorosis is a disease that must be fought on all fronts. Therefore, many flower growers, lovers of gardenias and hydrangeas, use all methods in the fight against yellowing of the leaves. There are among them very common and, oddly enough, very effective. These are rusty nails that are carefully buried in a pot with a plant. The main thing in this matter is the presence of rust, it can even be scraped off rusty metal objects and added to the soil with a capricious plant. Great method! Sometimes it helps when all other methods for chlorosis have already been tried, but turned out to be ineffective.

Iron is one of the most important nutrients. It is not classified as either a macro or a micronutrient, it simply must be constantly present in plant nutrition. Lack of iron leads to a disruption in the production of chlorophyll in the leaves, i.e., the gradual cessation of a vital function - the process of photosynthesis.

The most surprising thing is that iron is the most common element, and in the soil it is in sufficient quantity, but, unfortunately, in a form inaccessible to plants. The only available and easily digestible form of the metal is iron chelate.

What is iron chelate

Chelates are highly effective microfertilizers, which include one or more trace elements enclosed in a shell. As the shell breaks down, beneficial elements are released and nourish the plants. One such fertilizer is iron chelate.

In the free form in the soil is III-valent iron - Fe (III). But its molecules are inactive and do not bring practically any benefit to plants, they are not absorbed. The divalent form of iron Fe(II) is mobile, easily and quickly absorbed, but the problem is that such iron oxidizes very quickly, turning into a trivalent form (rust).

To prevent this from happening, Fe(II) is placed in a "shell" - a chelate complex, which consists of weak organic acids (most often - citric). Chelated iron can retain its II-valent structure long time until the chelate complex breaks down. The advantages of using iron chelate are that:

• the breakdown of chelates occurs at the same rate as the absorption of iron by plants, i.e. oversaturation with iron cannot occur, plants take as much as they need;

• the chelate shell breaks down into elements that do not clog the soil and are harmless to environment- oxygen, hydrogen, carbon.

Chlorosis, its causes and treatment

Why do plants need iron chelate? Iron is responsible for the normal course of the most important process in plants - photosynthesis. The lack of an element leads to infection of plant organisms with chlorosis, i.e. synthesis of chlorophyll in green leaves is disturbed.

Plants seem to lose their vitality, weaken and may even die. This manifests itself mainly on newly developing shoots as follows:

• the plates of young leaves between the veins turn yellow, but the veins themselves remain bright green;

• leaves become small;

• there is an unreasonable fall of foliage and unopened buds;

• the shape of the buds and flowers changes, bends;

• the edges of the leaves are twisted;

• apical shoots do not develop or dry out;

• the development of the root system slows down or stops, in the worst case, the death of the roots.

Even one of these symptoms indicates an insufficient amount of iron in the soil. To help the plants, it is necessary to make root or foliar top dressing with a solution of an iron preparation.

What is better for plants - iron chelate or ferrous sulfate?

The most common fertilizers containing iron are chelates and sulfates. However, many gardeners are inclined to believe that iron chelate is much more effective and safer than sulfate:

• during the decomposition of Fe2 (SO4) 3 fertilizer, ferrous iron is released much less than active SO4 ions;

• the rate of Fe(II) release and uptake by plants do not match, therefore most of useful element is lost;

• to achieve the norm of iron consumption, it will be necessary to oversaturate the plants with sulfur, as a result, sulfur poisoning occurs;

• ferrous sulfate is ineffective on depleted soils, in summer time and in difficult climatic conditions.

Much more efficient application iron chelate for plant nutrition.

How to apply

Fruit trees - apples, pears, plums, peaches, cherries, lemons - suffer the most from iron deficiency. In addition, a trace element deficiency is noticeable in such fruit and garden crops as tomatoes, cucumbers, carrots, potatoes, corn, and raspberries. The most effective are foliar treatments of plants on the leaves, but root watering also gives good results.

For the prevention of chlorosis

For preventive purposes, the leaves are sprayed every two weeks from the appearance of new leaves to the beginning of flowering (but at least 2 times). To do this, prepare a solution: 5 g of iron chelate is diluted in 10 liters of water, which is used to treat plants at the rate of 1 liter per 10 m 2.

For the treatment of chlorosis

5 g of chelate are dissolved in 5 liters of water for fruit trees, in 8 liters of water for vegetable crops. Processing should be carried out at least 4 times with a break of 2 weeks. If it is necessary to treat deep chlorosis, you can water the plants under the root - 2 liters per 1 sq.m.

For indoor plants

Some types of home flowers are especially demanding on iron and other trace elements, as they are forced to remain in a closed substance for a long time. Iron deficiency is experienced by:

• citrus trees;

• azaleas;

• hydrangeas;

• clerodendrum;

• gardenia.

If the symptoms of chlorosis are observed in other plants, regular spraying of the leaves with an iron chelate solution will help maintain a healthy appearance and normal development of pets.

Preparation of the drug at home

It is easy to make your own iron chelate at home. When ferrous sulfate is dissolved in water, Fe(II) and Fe(III) ions are formed. Chelating agent (citric acid) captures ferrous iron and supplies plants with it.

The drug is effective for preventive treatments, but contains a large number of ballast - Fe (III), therefore, when cooking, the observance of proportions is important. The working solution must be used immediately as long as it retains Orange color and transparency.

Cooking method:

• in 2 liters of warm distilled or rain water (you can use clean settled water), dissolve 5 g of citric acid;

• dissolve 8 g of ferrous sulfate in the same amount of water;

• then slowly pour the vitriol solution into a solution of citric acid in a stream, constantly stirring with a wooden stick;

• then, in the same way, pour another 1 liter of water and immediately use the solution.

Proportions and sequence must be observed. Processing should be carried out in the evening or early cloudy (!) Morning.

For normal growth, plants need nutrition rich in useful elements. One of these is iron chelate - an indispensable microfertilizer for plants in a biologically active form. Among Ukrainian manufacturers, the leading company for the production of chelated fertilizers and directly their first developer is the SPC "REAKOM".

Features of the use of iron chelate for plants

There are three possible ways applications of iron chelate: root tillage, drip irrigation and foliar plant nutrition. It is the foliar method of applying microfertilizers with iron in the composition that gives the best result.

In use, iron chelate demonstrates a number of positive qualities:

1. Non-toxic.
2. Completely soluble in water and easily permeable through foliage.
3. Compatible with mineral fertilizers and pesticides.
4. Universal in application.

The effect of the regular use of iron chelate is expressed as follows:

• Elimination of iron deficiency.
• Plants become immune to diseases.
• Improving photosynthesis and plant respiration.
• Normalization of metabolism.
• Stimulation of growth and development of plants.
• Ensuring sufficient availability of chlorophyll in the leaves.

Instructions for use of iron chelate for plants

The proportions, time intervals and duration of use of iron chelate depend on the purpose for which the drug is chosen: prophylactic or therapeutic.

For the purpose of prevention

Feeding plants with iron chelate will not be superfluous if the plant does not have any visible signs of disease.

In this case, it is necessary to measure 5 g of iron chelate and dissolve them in 10 liters of water. Processing with the prepared solution is carried out once every 2 weeks by spraying the foliage throughout the entire vegetative period. Start off preventive treatment It is possible from the moment the first leaves appear, and you need to finish before flowering begins. During this time, spraying should be carried out at least 2 times at a consumption rate of 1 liter per 10 square meters. m.

in the treatment of chlorosis

Chlorosis, caused by iron deficiency, manifests itself in plants in the form of the following symptoms:

• yellowing of the leaf plate with the appearance of green veins;
• reduction of leaves in size;
• delayed shoot development;
• causeless fall of leaves, flowers and buds;
• deformation of inflorescences;
• curling the sheet around the edges.

If at least one of the listed symptoms of a disease is detected in a plant, it needs treatment.

For this purpose, it is required to dilute 5 g of the drug in 5 liters of water (for fruit trees) and 8 liters of water (for all other types of crops). The foliage is sprayed with the resulting solution every 2 weeks at least 4 times for the entire cycle. With pronounced chlorosis, the effect can be enhanced by root application of iron chelate, for which 5 g of the drug is diluted in 5 liters of water. at the rate of 2 liters per 1 sq. meter.

In the process of working with iron chelate, it is important to follow safety rules: spray with gloves, goggles and a gauze bandage. And if the solution gets on the skin or in the eyes, they should be washed with water.