A Review of Foliar Fertilization of Some Vegetables Crops

Abstract

The main aim of this review is to provide an overview of the foliar fertilization studies in Bulgaria, comparing them with current research trends and to indicate future benefits of foliar nutrient spray investigations and their importance for agronomic science and practice. The application of foliar sprays is an important crop management strategy, which may help maximizing crop yield and quality. Foliar fertilization is used as a means of supplying supplemental doses of macro- and micro-nutrients, plant hormones, stimulants, and other beneficial substances. Observed effects of foliar fertilization have included yield increases, resistance to diseases and insect pests, improved drought tolerance, and enhanced crop quality. Plant response is dependent on species, fertilizer form, concentration, and frequency of application, as well as the stage of plant growth. Foliar applications are often timed to meet the demand of nutrients at specific vegetative or fruiting stages of growth, and the fertilizer formula is adjusted accordingly. Applications may also be used to aid plants recovering from transplant shock, hail damage, and other damaging environmental conditions. It is proposed that this treatment should be recommended in integrated plant production, because it is more environmentally friendly and may increase productivity and quality of crops. In the present paper, a brief review of the research on foliar fertilization, the advantages of this fertilization method and applied foliar fertilization of vegetables studies in Bulgaria are discussed. It is concluded that foliar fertilization has a definite place in vegetable crop production and that foliar nutrient sprays will be widely used in the future.