BEST Active Ingredients 73 (Ai73) is a premium soil conditioner formulated with a fulvic acid-based organic carrier and enriched with kelp extracts. It is specifically designed to improve soil nutrient management by enhancing the availability of essential minerals and nutrients.
Ai73 works by utilizing its unique chelating properties, derived from an inorganic electrolyte with both positive and negative charges. This allows it to effectively mobilize leached and locked-up salts and mineral ions in the soil, ensuring they remain accessible to plants when needed.
In addition, Ai73 aids in the removal of heavy metals from the soil and helps naturally balance pH levels, further improving nutrient uptake. For optimal results, it is recommended to use Ai73 alongside TM Agricultural and Best Foliar Fertilizer, maximizing the benefits for both soil health and crop productivity.
All-Natural
1. Chelation and Nutrient Mobilization: Fulvic acid, a low-molecular-weight organic acid, acts as a chelating agent. It forms stable complexes with micronutrients and trace elements, binding with metal ions such as iron (Fe²⁺), zinc (Zn²⁺), magnesium (Mg²⁺), and others. This chelation prevents these elements from forming insoluble compounds in the soil, keeping them in a soluble state that is bioavailable for plant uptake. Fulvic acid’s chelation ability also extends to heavy metals, which helps in detoxifying soils by binding and removing excess heavy metals like lead (Pb) and cadmium (Cd).
2. Ion Exchange and pH Buffering: Fulvic acid functions as an ion exchanger due to its negatively charged functional groups, which can attract and exchange cations in the soil. This helps to buffer soil pH levels, allowing for optimal root function and nutrient uptake. By managing ion exchange, Ai73 helps maintain the availability of essential nutrients even in soils prone to acidification or alkalinity.
3. Enhanced Nutrient Uptake: The fulvic acid molecules in Ai73 are small enough to penetrate plant cell walls, increasing the permeability of cell membranes to facilitate the transport of nutrients into roots, stems, and leaves. This enhanced permeability allows for more efficient uptake of macro and micronutrients, accelerating metabolic activities within the plant, such as photosynthesis, protein synthesis, and enzyme activation.
4. Plant Growth Regulation: The seaweed extract component of Ai73 is rich in phytohormones, particularly auxins and cytokinins, which play critical roles in cell division, root elongation, and shoot growth. These hormones promote the development of root systems and enhance the plant’s ability to absorb water and nutrients. The presence of these bioactive compounds improves the overall growth rate and stress tolerance of plants.
5. Biostimulation of Microbial Activity: Ai73 stimulates beneficial microbial communities in the rhizosphere through the presence of fulvic acids and organic compounds. These microorganisms produce organic acids and enzymes that further enhance the breakdown of soil organic matter and mineralization processes, releasing nutrients that are otherwise locked in the soil matrix. This symbiotic relationship supports the cycling of nutrients and the natural suppression of soil-borne pathogens.
6. Antioxidant Properties: Ai73 contains antioxidants that reduce oxidative stress in plants caused by reactive oxygen species (ROS). By neutralizing ROS, the product helps prevent cellular damage in both plants and soil microorganisms, maintaining overall plant vitality and promoting microbial health in the soil.
7. Soil Structure Improvement: The ionic interactions and organic matter contributed by Ai73 help improve soil structure by enhancing soil aggregation and porosity. This leads to better air and water movement through the soil profile, promoting root aeration and moisture retention. This improved soil structure reduces compaction and provides an optimal environment for root proliferation.
Prevents essential minerals such as iron, zinc, and magnesium from binding with soil particles, making them readily available for plant uptake. This enhances the overall fertility of the soil and reduces the risk of nutrient deficiencies in crops.
Uses the chelating properties of fulvic acid to attach to positively charged mineral ions in the soil. This chelation process keeps nutrients mobile and prevents them from becoming locked within the soil matrix, ensuring consistent nutrient supply to plants over time.
Acts as a detoxifying agent by binding to heavy metals like lead, cadmium, and mercury, reducing their bioavailability and toxicity in the soil. This helps create a safer growing environment, minimizing potential damage to plant roots and microbial communities.
By mobilizing salts and minerals, Ai73 helps stabilize the pH levels of the soil. This adjustment allows plants to access a broader range of nutrients, especially in soils that are too acidic or alkaline, which can otherwise limit nutrient availability.
Improves soil aggregate stability, leading to better soil structure and porosity. This improvement facilitates water infiltration and root penetration, reducing the risk of soil erosion and waterlogging.
Supports the growth of beneficial microorganisms like bacteria and fungi by providing a more balanced and nutrient-rich environment. These microbes aid in decomposing organic matter, breaking down complex nutrients, and making them available for plants.
Improves soil aggregation, which reduces compaction and makes it easier for roots to penetrate deeper into the soil. This reduction in compaction also helps improve the soil’s water-holding capacity and drainage.
Enhances the breakdown of organic materials like crop residues and organic fertilizers, converting them into humus. This process enriches the soil with organic carbon and improves its nutrient-holding capacity.
Enhances the soil’s ability to retain moisture by improving soil porosity and water-holding capacity. This benefit reduces the frequency of irrigation needed, especially in arid or drought-prone conditions.
Creates a conducive environment for prebiotic substances, which support the growth of beneficial bacteria and fungi. This fosters a healthy soil microbiome, which plays a crucial role in nutrient cycling and disease suppression.
Improves cell membrane permeability, allowing roots to absorb a broader spectrum of nutrients more efficiently. This ensures that essential macro and micronutrients reach the plant tissues where they are needed for growth and development.
Seaweed extracts in Ai73 contain natural growth hormones like auxins, which stimulate root cell elongation and division. This results in more extensive and deeper root systems, allowing plants to access water and nutrients from deeper soil layers.
The presence of cytokinins in the seaweed extract promotes cell division in the shoots, leading to improved leaf expansion and shoot development. This translates to increased photosynthesis and overall plant vigor, supporting better crop growth.
By ensuring a steady supply of nutrients and growth hormones, Ai73 helps plants build stronger stems, leaves, and roots. This increased vigor makes plants more resilient to environmental stresses like wind, pests, and diseases.
Contains antioxidants that neutralize reactive oxygen species (ROS), which are harmful byproducts of plant metabolism under stress conditions. This reduction in oxidative damage helps maintain the health of plant cells and supports steady growth, even under challenging conditions.
With enhanced root growth and water retention, Ai73 enables plants to better tolerate periods of low water availability. This improves crop survival and performance during drought conditions, ensuring more consistent yields.
Supports the proliferation of beneficial microbes that compete with harmful pathogens in the rhizosphere. These beneficial microbes can also produce natural biocontrol agents that help suppress soil-borne diseases and reduce crop losses.
Improves the absorption and effectiveness of natural plant growth hormones like gibberellins and cytokinins. This enhances key growth processes such as seed germination, flowering, and fruit development.
By improving overall plant health, nutrient absorption, and stress tolerance, Ai73 can lead to significant increases in crop yields. Healthier plants with better nutrient access are able to produce more robust and higher-quality harvests.
Aids in the efficient movement of nutrients from the roots to other plant parts through the xylem and phloem. This ensures balanced growth across the entire plant, promoting uniform development of leaves, stems, and fruits.
Feature | BEST Ai73 | Market Alternatives |
|---|---|---|
Composition | Combines fulvic acid and seaweed extracts | Often contains either one or the other |
Chelation Efficiency | Highly effective in binding minerals | May use less effective synthetic chelators |
Biological Activity | Promotes beneficial soil microbes | Limited support for microbial activity |
Heavy Metal Detoxification | Actively detoxifies heavy metals | Often does not address contamination |
Nutrient Release Timing | Controlled and sustained nutrient release | Rapid release, potential for leaching |
Environmental Safety | Made from all-natural ingredients | May include synthetic additives |
Overall Performance | Holistic solution for soil and crop health | Focused on specific aspects |
Crops with a cycle under 3 months include radishes, lettuce, spinach, baby carrots, arugula, turnips, cilantro, bok choy, peas, green onions, mustard greens, microgreens, watercress, and summer squash.
Only 1 Application: Apply 250-375 ml/ha to soil 0 to 6 weeks prior to planting with adequate soil moisture. You can also do it on the day of sowing.
Crops with approximately a 6-month agricultural cycle include rice, sugarcane, potatoes, cotton, tomatoes, tobacco, maize (corn), soybeans, peanuts, cassava, sorghum, millet, barley, rapeseed (canola), sweet potatoes, and sunflowers.
1st Application: Apply 250-375 ml/ha to soil 0 to 6 weeks prior to planting with adequate soil moisture.
2nd Application: Apply 250-375 ml/ha in crop 6 to 8 weeks after planting.
Crops with a growth cycle of more than 12 months include oil palm, rubber, pasture, coconut, coffee, tea, avocado, pineapple, almonds, grapes, cacao, macadamia nuts, black pepper, cashew, mango, guava, lychee, dragon fruit, pomegranate, and various citrus trees, including oranges and lemons.
1st Application: Apply 250-375 ml/ha to soil 0 to 6 weeks prior to planting with adequate soil moisture.
2nd Application and Onwards: Apply 250-375 ml/ha to the soil (or under the tree canopy only) after planting. It can be applied in the middle of the agricultural cycle or at any stage.
Disclaimer: Every care has been taken in compiling this information to ensure accuracy of the observations supplied by the farmer to Best Farming Systems and media outlets. These observations are independent of Best Farmin Systems Pty Ltd, no responsibility is accepted by Best for any errors or misdescription.
