Molybdenum with the tabular symbol Mo is a chemical element that is important, but not critical, in growing various crops.
The main function of molybdenum is to support the growth and overall development of the plant. This trace element is actively involved in various processes – metabolism, regeneration, energy conversion, etc. It is for the activation and proper flow of these processes that Mo and its compounds are used in agriculture.
Pure molybdenum is distributed in insignificant quantities. This chemical element is extracted from molybdenum ore, and the pure substance in it is about 1% of the total extraction.Also, to extract molybdenum in sufficient quantities, various industrial wastes are purified. In small amounts molybdenum is contained in valuable compounds for industry such as molybdenum sulfide and oxide, ammonium molybdate and others.The soil also contains molybdenum. The amount of this element depends on the specific type of soil. Most often, the amount of molybdenum per kilogram of soil rarely exceeds 2.6 milligrams. This value may vary, but the deviation is insignificant, and depends primarily on the type of soil and territorial features. For example, the most molybdenum and its compounds are contained in granite rocks – about 12 mg per 1 kg.
Molybdenum performs several important functions in plant life:
-biological protein synthesis
-increasing resistance to oxidative reactions
-enzymatic function.
Molybdenum deficiency in plants during active growth can cause the following effects:
-lower growth and flowering rate;
-The leaves of the plant wither or curl;
-susceptibility to disease;
-Decrease in resistance to low temperatures and moisture.
However, remember that a surplus of this element is dangerous to human and animal health, so it is strongly necessary to comply with the recommendations on the dosage of drugs and fertilizers.
Some external signs may indicate a molybdenum deficiency in plants. The main attention should be paid to the size and shape of the leaves, and their color may change (pale, yellowing, etc.). The plant growth slows down and the formation of flower stalks stops or there is no flowering at all. The crop also becomes sensitive to temperature fluctuations and water shortages.
Great benefit molybdenum brings cereals and legumes, and vegetables. Expected increase in yield of peas and soybeans can be 1-2.5 kg / ha, clover hay – 0.7-1.1 t / ha, cauliflower to 2 t / ha, tomatoes to 6.5 t / ha, potatoes to 2.2 t / ha, red beets to 6 t / ha. Molybdenum helps increase protein content in peas and soybeans, in clover hay, alfalfa, sugar content and vitamin content in vegetables.
When applying molybdenum fertilizers to crops, other mono-fertilizers or complex fertilizers are applied together, which usually increases the effectiveness of joint application. For foliar fertilization, 1 liter per 1 hectare of crops is used. For long-term cultivated pastures – 0.5-1 liters per 1 hectare. A hectare rate for aerial spraying is dissolved in 50-100 liters of water; when ground spraying of row crops – in 100-300 liters. Leaf dressings for legume grasses, peas and other crops grown for seed or grain are applied during budding – beginning of flowering. Feeding perennial grasses – clover and alfalfa in hay, carried out in autumn in the year of sowing after removal of the cover crop when the leaf surface is well developed. In natural meadows with a large proportion of legume component in the herbage, foliar feeding is carried out at the beginning of grass regrowth.
However, molybdenum is not a major trace element in plant life. Its presence is necessary, as well as the presence of other nutrients. Therefore, preparations with molybdenum for plants are used in conjunction with other fertilizers, respecting the rules of dosage, compatibility and frequency. It is most convenient to work with liquid fertilizers, which are available in mono form, as well as mono plus fertilizers. Such preparations contain the necessary amount of nutrients, which, if the rules of use are followed, quickly penetrate into the plant.
