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Re: Humate Sources



summerc@pilot.msu.edu (Cheryl Lynn Summer) wrote:

>My soil test
>indicates I need 300 lbs/A and 400-500 lbs/A (two fields) of humates
...
>If you have time I could use an education on what materials classify as
>humates, what experiences you've had, in what situations can I modify the
>application rate (budget is a concern), and what type of response (crop-wise
>and soil test-wise) can I expect.

This sounds somewhat suspect straight away.  You're already applying both 
organic matter and lime - how did the soil test identify a "humate 
deficiency"?  I don't know of any definitive work on critical soil or 
crop levels of "humates", nor of a soil test for "humates".  Be careful, 
especially at $170/ton!

So called humates are often derived from coal or lignite deposits, and it 
stretches one's imagination a little to consider them as "essential" soil 
amendments.
-
Andrew Rate (rate@uniwa.uwa.edu.au), Soil Science and Plant Nutrition Group, 
University of Western Australia, WA 6907, AUSTRALIA.    Tel: +61 9 380 2500
Fax: +61 9 380 1050      WWW:  http://www.uwa.edu.au/cyllene/soilweb/
Disclaimer: my opinions do not necessarily reflect those held by UWA.





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