History

Chelation is a means of bonding a small amount of inorganic nutrient on to a stable but lengthy organic molecule so protecting the nutrient from interacting with unwelcome external factors. In theory this bonding gives chelates agrochemical compatibility and stability within the soil so avoiding leaching and colloidal interactions. Traditionally EDTA has been the most widely used chelating agent.

Benefits

EDTA chelates show excellent compatibility with pesticides and with fertiliser solutions containing phosphate, and as such are invaluable in these situations. Latterly, as their cost has gone up, there is some doubt over their ability to cure severe deficiency at economic rates of application and hence their overall cost effectiveness has been brought into question.

New Product Development

At Indigrow we have been working with novel complexing agents to see if more economic products based on organic acids can be used. Whilst this is still an on going development project, we have made considerable progress and are able to offer a number of alternatives which have excellent practical characteristics similar to EDTA chelates but at a much lower cost base.

Usage

These new formulations can be used by themselves as foliar sprays, introduced into drip irrigation systems or used as substituted as additives into multi-nutrient formulations where in the past EDTA chelates have had to be used.

Formulations

At present only the Complex Fe is available as both a liquid and powder but process development projects are currently under way to manufacture the other elements in both liquid and powder form.