Advantages and Benefits of Fertilizers with Acid Reaction in Fertigation

Efficient nutrient management is a key practice for maximizing crop yield and sustainability. In this context, acid-reaction fertilizers have gained prominence as strategic tools to enhance nutrient availability in alkaline soils or those with high carbonate and bicarbonate content. These fertilizers are especially effective when applied through fertigation systems—a technology that enables precise distribution of water and nutrients directly to the root zone.

What Are Acid-Reaction Fertilizers?

Acid-reaction fertilizers are those that, when dissolved in water and applied to the soil, lower the pH of the immediate environment in the rhizosphere. This pH reduction improves the availability of essential nutrients that might otherwise become immobilized. Their acidifying effect generally comes from compounds that release protons (H⁺) upon reacting with water or soil.

Featured Acid-Reaction Products

Several highly soluble, acid-reaction fertilizers are currently available on the market, specifically formulated for fertigation systems. Notable examples include:

• Nova PeKacid: A phosphorus and potassium source with an acidifying effect, ideal for hard water. It not only supplies essential nutrients but also cleans irrigation lines by dissolving carbonate deposits and unlocking fixed nutrients in soil and water.
• Agrolution pHLow: A water-soluble fertilizer with PeKacid technology that lowers water pH and enhances the absorption efficiency of micronutrients such as iron, zinc, and manganese.
• Nova CalPhos: A phosphorus and calcium fertilizer with PeKacid technology and acid-reaction properties. Recommended for alkaline and calcareous soils where phosphorus and calcium availability is limited. Nova CalPhos improves the availability and uptake of these nutrients.

Dripper cleaning effect of  Nova PeKacid

Agronomic Advantages of Acid-Reaction Fertilizers

• Improved Nutrient Availability
  By lowering the pH in the application zone, the solubility of nutrients like phosphorus, iron, zinc, and manganese increases, making them more accessible to plants.
• Correction of Localized Alkalinity
  In calcareous or alkaline soils, these fertilizers help create a more favorable microenvironment for nutrient uptake.
• Prevention of Irrigation System Blockages
  Acidifying the nutrient solution prevents or reduces the precipitation of salts such as calcium and magnesium carbonates, helping keep drippers and irrigation lines clean.
• Enhanced Phosphorus Efficiency
  Phosphorus is highly sensitive to soil pH and can become immobilized in alkaline soils. Acidifying fertilizers like Nova PeKacid and Agrolution pHLow improve its immediate availability.

Specific Benefits in Fertigation

Fertigation efficiently combines irrigation and nutrition, and acid-reaction fertilizers significantly enhance the performance of this system:

• Greater Compatibility with Hard Water
  Acidic fertilizers condition the water by lowering its pH, preventing deposit formation and improving application efficiency.
• Balanced Nutrition with a Corrective Effect
  Acidic fertilizers allow growers to maintain a steady supply of essential nutrients without compromising water or system quality.
• Simplified pH Management
  The need for hazardous industrial acids is reduced or eliminated, improving safety when operating fertigation systems.

Conclusion

Acid-reaction fertilizers offer an effective, modern solution to challenges associated with alkaline soils, hard water, and pressurized fertigation systems. Their use not only enhances nutrient availability and uptake efficiency but also supports irrigation system maintenance, reduces operational costs, and enables more precise plant nutrition.

Selecting the right products—such as Nova PeKacid, Agrolution pHLow, Nova CalPhos —allows agricultural producers to tailor their nutritional strategies to their specific soil and water conditions, optimizing yields and promoting more technical, safe, and efficient farming.

References

1. Marschner, H. (2022). Mineral Nutrition of Higher Plants (4th ed.). Academic Press.
2. Fageria, N. K. (2009). The Use of Nutrients in Crop Plants. CRC Press.
3. Badr, M. A., Taalab, A. S., & Abo El-Nor, S. A. (2014). Impact of acidified fertigation on water quality and dripper clogging. Agricultural Water Management, 136, 1-7.
4. Rengel, Z. (2015). Availability of Mn, Zn and Fe in the rhizosphere. Journal of Soil Science and Plant Nutrition, 15(2), 397-409.
5. Yadav, B. K., & Yadav, Y. C. (2014). Fertigation: A novel technology for enhancing productivity and nutrient use efficiency. Indian Journal of Fertilisers, 10(11), 14-25.