What is Nitrospray Plus?
Nitrospray Plus is a water soluble 7:3:1 nutrient solution with chelated cation micro elements and cytokinins which can be used as a vegetative stimulant or growth stimulant.
When should I use it?
Nitrospray Plus is formulated to stimulate growth during the vegetative growth stage or first crucial weeks after transplanting seedlings or young trees. It also stimulates growth of old established crops where growth is slow.
Why use it?
It has promising results and it gives your crop a healthy start.
How to apply Nitrospray Plus?
Nitrospray Plus can be applied as foliar spray on seedlings, adult plants or trees in the vegetative growth stage. It is compatible with most fungicides and pesticides except those who contain large amounts of copper or sulfur and alkaline materials. See the leaflet for the dosage of different applications and more information.
Key effects are:
– Cell enlargement and stem growth
– Root initiation and bud initiation
– Leave development and enlargement
– Apical dominance
Nitrospray Plus results on green beans.
Nitrospray Plus results on sugar cane.
Nitrospray Plus results on beetroot.
Crop |
Sucrose increase % |
Sucrose increase ton/ha |
Yield increase |
| Sugarcane | 1.4 | 5.88 | 32,57 ton |
|
Banana |
3,71 ton | ||
| Wheat | 420 kg | ||
| Carrots | 26,7% |
Research Results
Nitrospray Plus was applied as follows:
- Sugarcane – 3L/ha – 30cm plant height and 14 days later.
- Banana – 1L/200L water and 250ml/plant soil drench.
- Wheat – 2L/ha – at stool stage and 14 days later.
- Carrot – 2 ml/L water at true leaf stage and 14 days later.
What are cytokinins?
Cytokinins are one of the 5 major classes of plant hormones. In general, plant hormones control every aspect of plant growth and development. Plant hormones are produced in very small concentrations, but even a minute amount can have a profound effect. Reactions to plant hormones always depend on their relative concentrations compared to other hormones present. It is the hormonal balance that controls the growth and development of each plant.
Cytokinins and auxins were the first plant hormones detected. Cytokinins is the key plant hormone as it not only initiates different effects, but also controls the action of all other plant hormones like auxins and gibberellin. Cytokinins prevent aging of plant tissue. It prevents chlorophyll bleaching and maintaining of protein, RNA, DNA and nucleic acid synthesis, therefore the plant does not deteriorate.
Balance of auxins and cytokinins:
In the 1950’s a series of experiments showed how the ratio between auxin and cytokinins works. If auxin is added to a plant then the cells grow very large but they don’t divide. If cytokinins are added – and auxin is present – then the plant cells divide. Therefore, the ratio of auxin to cytokinins determines how the cells will differentiate. In young plants, a surplus of auxin will initiate root growth.
A higher concentration of cytokinins will support the development of shoots and shoot buds. If the concentrations of both are equal then the plant cells will grow but will remain undifferentiated. The exogenous application of auxin will promote root growth and initiate the synthesis of cytokinins in the root meristem.
These freshly produced cytokinins will signal the plant to grow more shoots, leading to a naturally balanced bigger and stronger plant.
The cytokinins-like activity and nitrogen dominated extract stimulates prolific adventitious vegetative growth when Nitrospray Plus is applied to almost any plant. This drastic increase in root tips leads to an increased level of cytokinins in treated plants, as this group of hormones is mainly produced in root tips.
The increased root volume and number of root tips also increase moisture and nutrient uptake from the soil. The improved nutrient status together with the higher level of cytokinins in the plant give better top growth that causes the increase in yield and quality of crops.
The improved root system also makes the plant more resistant to stresses such as drought, waterlogging, soil nutrient deficiency and salinity, nematode infestations and soil borne diseases.
Nitrospray Plus applied to plants also produces plants with a stronger root system, showing enhanced resistance. Nitrospray Plus efficiency as a cost effective agricultural fertilizer has been proven in numerous programmes under differing climatic conditions and on a wide variety of crops. Nitrospray Plus has a broad application base, is easy to apply and is compatible with most crop protection chemicals and foliar feeds. Its consistency in result and cost efficiency has led to its position in the market.
Written by: Pieter Vorster – Fertagchem Technical Manager, Gauteng.
