Diature™ DE also has properties advantageous for soil improvement, plant growth and self-protection against fungal attack and can be applied when cultivating along with applications of lime, slag or mixed with seeds.
Diature™ DE is not a fertiliser but due to its high cation exchange capacity, and high surface area, enables soils and fertilisers to work more efficiently.
- Mobilising and promoting uptake of calcium and other minerals whilst locking up harmful heavy metals and aluminium.
- Providing plant available silica essential for promoting the growth of beneficial soil bacteria and fungi.
- Stimulating plants to produce their own antifungal compounds
- Strengthening plant cell walls,(silica/calcium uptake) resulting in plants with stronger more upright stems and thick glossy leaves, gaining more benefit from sunlight.
- Fruit trees have more viable pollen and better fruit set,& improved calcium levels in foliage, leading to better flavour and keeping qualities
When DE and a dolomitic lime is added to soils growing stoned fruits in Australia, to improve foliar calcium levels and quality fruit, a simple alternative to using foliar calcium sprays.(contact us for more details)
Vines also respond well, giving improved yields, strong young plants and grapes of excellent flavour and quality when the soils are conditioned with DE/lime mix. Growth is much improved compared to that of vines in soil lacking DE.
NFF Ltd has undertaken studies on forage maize, spring barley as well as several vegetable crops with outstanding results for root growth, yield and mineral uptake when Diature™ DE was applied at 18kg per acre to the soil mixed into a lime application before seeding.