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Basic concept of WSF
Water Soluble Fertilizer (WSF for short), is liquid or solid
fertilizer which can be dissolved or diluted in water, used for fertigation,
foliar spraying, hydroponic culture, presoaking and root-irrigation. WSF
can apply to sprinkler irrigation and drop irrigation system, which could
realize the control of water and fertilizer at the same time, to save
water, fertilizer and labor cost.
� Classification of WSF� By physical state：solid fertilizer (powder and granule)
� and fluid fertilizer.
� By chemical analysis: macro element WSF, secondary
� element WSF, trace element WSF, WSF with amino acid,
� WS NPK with humic acid and organic WSF.
� By function: nutritional WSF and functional WSF.
Nutritional WSF: made up of one or more of macro elements, secondary
elements and microelements, to supply nutrients for plants and improve
the growth of plants. It mainly contains macro element WSF, secondary
nutrients WSF and trace element WSF.
Functional WSF: made up of inorganic nutrients and bioactive
substances such as plant growth regulator, amino acid, humic acid,
alginic acid, sugar alcohol and other beneficial substances or pesticides.
Bioactive substances can active plants and pesticides can prevent plants
from pest and diseases.
The 6 product lines in China
1 Macro element WSF
2 Secondary element WSF
3 TE WSF
4 WSF + amino acid
5 WSF + humic acid
6 Organic WSF
Among the product lines, the production technology
for 1,3 and 5 is relatively mature.
Macro element WSF
�The content of macroelements means sum of the contents of N, P2O5 and
K2O.
�The content of trace elements means sum of the contents of Cu, Fe, Mn, Zn,
B and Mo.
�Two or more kinds of macro elements
�Every macro element 4.0% min.
�One or more trace element included.
�Every trace element 0.05% min. Mo 0.5% max.
�The content of secondary elements means sum of the contents of Ca and Mg.
�One or more secondary element included.
�Every secondary element 0.1% (1 g/L) min
�Detrimental metal: the contents of Hg, As, Cd, Pb, Cr accord with NY1110-
2010
WS NPK fertilizer +TE test analysis
Itemsspecification
powder
specification
fluid
The content of macroelements 50.0% 500g/L
TE content 0.2%-3.0% 2g/L-30g/L
Insoluble in water 5.0% 50g/L
pH 1:250 3.0-9.0 3.0-9.0
Mositure H2O 3.0%
WS NPK fertilizer +secondary element test analysis
Itemsspecification
powder
specification
fluid
The content of macroelements 50.0% 500g/L
Content of secondary elements 1.0% 10g/L
Insoluble in water 5.0% 50g/L
pH 1:250 3.0-9.0 3.0-9.0
Mositure H2O 3.0%
Items Value (solid) Value (fluid)
The content of secondary elements ， 10.0% 100 g/L
Insoluble in water， 5.0% 50 g/L
pH (1:250 3.0-9.0 3.0-9.0
mositure H2O)， 3.0% --
Secondary element WSF
�The content of secondary elements means the content of one or more
secondary element, and when Ca and Mg exsit together, the sum of Ca and Mg
is 10% minimum.
�The contents of Ca, Mg and S in plant body are 0.5%, 0.2% and 0.1%,
respectively.
�The content of trace elements means the sum of the contents of Cu, Fe, Mn,
Zn, B, Mo.
�One element at least is contained TE WSF.
�There are powder and granule TE WSF, and the former is more .
�In our country, trace element fertilizers mainly contain boron(B), iron
sulfate, zinc sulfate, manganese sulfate, copper sulfate, sodium molybdate,
ammonium molybdate.
Items Value (solid) Value (fluid)
The content of trace elements, 10.0% 100 g/L
Insoluble in water, 5.0% 50 g/L
pH (1:250 3.0-7.0 3.0-7.0
Mositure H2O), 6.0% --
TE WSF
Items Value(solid) Value (liquid)
Free amino acid， 10.0% 100 g/L
Insoluble in water， 5.0% 50 g/L
pH (1:250 3.0-9.0 3.0-9.0
mositure H2O), 4.0% --
�WSF + amino acid contains amimo acid and trace elements, suitable for leaf
spraying.
�WSF + amino acid is usually liquid fertilizer for spraying.
WSF + amino acid
Items Value(solid) Value (liquid)
Humic acid， 3.0% 30 g/L
Insoluble in water， 5.0% 50 g/L
pH (1:250 4.0-9.0 4.0-9.0
mositure H2O), 5.0% --
WSF +humic acid
�High quality fertilizer is NPK(20-35-0) +fulvic acid.
�Common fertilizer is NPK(15-20-0) + sodium humate.
Orgainc WSF contains organic matter such as
humic acid, fulvic acid, amimo acid, alginic acid,
chitin, and so on.
Organic WSF
Advantages of WSF
• Reducing the cost of transport by increasing the
nutrients concentration.
• Easily dissolved in water, anti-caking.
• Increasing fertilizer utilization rate.
• Could mixed with pesticides, insecticides,
fungicides, etc.
• With unique functions.
Near root or leaf spraying
can be uptake quickly and increase the
utilization effciency of fertilizer.
From soil
Traditional fertilizationCrop requirement
55-70%
In China, the utilization rate of general fertilizer
usually is 20%-30%, while the WSF up to 70%-80%.
Leaching loss of
NO-3-N
Too much irrigation
water will cause
leaching loss of N,
decreasing
fertilizer efficiency.
It’s
economical to
manage water
and fertilizer
well.
Note: The water
every-time used must
be less than 15 m3/mu,
and if for sand soil, the
water should be less
than 10 m3/mu! If
water used more or it
rains a lot, topdressing
N fertilizer timely.
Water mixed with
WSF every time
should be less than
5kg/mu
Fertilizer combined with
water frequently, small
amount each time.
Vegetables need
fertilizer a lot, especially N
fertilizer, but in the later
growth stage they prefer to
K fertilizer. So low N and
high K fertilizer is the best,
as well as Ca and B
fertilizer.
Regulation during
growth stage
Soil texture and growth stage determine the
application frequency of WSF
Growth stage
Texture
1st-2nd
month
2nd-3rd
month
3rd-6th month
Clay or clayeyloam 1-2 times 1-2 times 2-4 times
Loam 1-2 times 2-4 times 6-10 times
Loamy sand 2 times 3-5 times 8-12 times
Sandy soil 2-4 times 8-12 times 12-20 times
The growth characteristics of different crops decide the application frequency and
amount of nitrogen fertilizer! 2~5 kg N/ mu by drip irrigation.
1. To select WSF formula based
on the ratio of nutrients required
by crop
2. Control the ratio of P and K
according to new or old
vegetable field
3. The way of fertilization: the low
nutrients fertilizer is also OK
for irrigation, and better choose
WSF 100% soluble fertilizer for
drip irrigation.
1000kg fertilizer requirement
kg
Ratio of NPK Designed formula*
N P2O
5K
2O N-P2O5-K2O N-P2O5-K2O
4.81 1.63 6.76 1-0.34-1.40 18-8-25
Nutrient absorption in different growth period of Pepper
Selection principle of WSF
� Choice of formula
� considering the ratio of nutrients required by crops, P in
organic fertilizer and K in the soil to choose topdressing
Vegetable
field
fertility of soil
in root layerorganic fertilizer
Planting –
blooming
topdressing
N-P2O5-K2O
blooming—harvest
topdressing
N-P2O5-K2O
Initial
formula
---- ---- ---- 18-8-24
Old
greenhouse
High NPK
nutrient
Normal quantity of
organic fertilizer
25-15-10 20-10-20
New
greenhouse
High N PK
nutrient
Large quantity of
organic fertilizer
25-15-11 16-6-30
New
greenhouse
Optimum level
of NPK
nutrient
Large quantity of
organic fertilizer
25-15-11 12-10-30
The choice of top dressing during tomato growth stages
Note: increasing P when the temperature is low in winter.
� Based on N to adjust K content
Formula of top dressing N recommendation
dose kg/hm2
Input of K2O
kg/hm2
16-8-34
High K formula
370 786
22-4-24
balanced formula of
NK
370 404
Based on optimized N recommendation dose, the amount of K2O
applied in different formula of topdressing
N element is active in soil and the it is the first element to consider when
fertilization.
Ca, Mg and B are important in formula
Response of vegetables to microelements.
CropsDegree of response
Mn B Cu Zn Mo Fe
Cucumber High Low Medium — — —
Hot pepper Medium Low Low — Medium —
Tomato Medium Medium High Mediun Medium High
Note: High means effective, medium means inefficient, low means no effect.Lucas & Knezek，1972
Those plantations (fruit trees and vegetables) intensively managed are likely to
lack Ca, Mg and B, which should be considered firstly. Because of the blind
application of organic fertilizer in greenhouse vegetable production, Cu, Zn and
other micro elements are excessively used more than that plants needed.
The functions of WSF
• Enable to directly or indirectly supply essential nutrients for plants.
• 100% soluble in water, realize the integration of water and fertilizer.
• Regulate the soil pH and improve the soil texture
• Improve the soil properties, activate the nutrients in soil.
• Promote the growth of plants like promoting roots of plant.
• Increase the fertilizer utilization rate
• Prevent disease and improve the rhizosphere micro ecosystem
WSF must meet all or part of demands of
the market as follows.
Professional Technical Service
Broadcasting Drop Irrigation Foliar Spraying
Macro element
WSF
Secondary element
WSFTE WSF
Complete Product Groups
Different Applications
Other nutrients
� Nutritional functions of WSF
• Functions: quickly supply essential
NPK and trace elements for plants at
key growth stages (seedling, blooming
and setting, fruit swelling stage) and
correct deficiency symptoms to
increase the yield and quality.
• Features: high content of nutrients,
quickly soluble in water, easily
absorbed by crops, and high fertilizer
utilization rate.
� Selection principles of WSF formula
Suitable formulations should meet with principles
as follows:
(1) Supply certain crop with suitable nutrients, physical form, content and special requirements
(2)Take the level of soil organic matter and soil nutrient of plantation fields and the demand of different growth stages of plants into account.
(3)The formula selected should meet with the recommendedfertilizer practice (dose and plants growing stage).
(4)Take the deficiency of secondary and micro elements which probably occurs in the conditions where plants grow into consideration.
Monband Water Soluble
Fertilizer： NPK Water Soluble Fertilizer Macro elements N-P2O5-K2O) Trace elements TE & Secondary element Mg
10-52-10 Zn EDTA-Zn : 0.15 B WS-B : 0.05 Mo WS-Mo : 0.01
11-5-40 Zn EDTA-Zn : 0.1 B WS-B : 0.1 Mn EDTA-Mn : 0.1
Fe EDTA-Fe : 0.1 Cu EDTA-Cu : 0.05 Mo WS-Mo : 0.0120-10-20
16-6-30 Zn EDTA-Zn : 0.1 B WS-B : 0.1 Mn EDTA-Mn : 0.2
Fe EDTA-Fe : 0.1 Cu EDTA-Cu : 0.05 Mo WS-Mo : 0.01
20-20-20 Zn EDTA-Zn : 0.05 B WS-B : 0.1 Mn EDTA-Mn : 0.05
Fe EDTA-Fe : 0.05 Cu EDTA-Cu : 0.005 Mo WS-Mo : 0.01
18-8-25 Zn EDTA-Zn : 0.1 B WS-B : 0.1 Mn EDTA-Mn : 0.3
Fe EDTA-Fe : 0.05 Cu EDTA-Cu : 0.005 25-15-10
12-10-30
30-10-10 Mg：1.0
10-42-10
15-5-30
Monband Water Soluble Fertilizer：Secondary Element Water Soluble Fertilizer & Trace Element Water Soluble
Fertilizer Secondary Element Water Soluble
FertilizerSpecification
Secondary Elements
Ca+Mg ,% 15.0
Calcium Ca ,% 12.0
Magnesium Mg ,% 3.0
Nitrogen N ,% 13.0
Insoluble,% 1.0
Trace Element
Water Soluble
Fertilizer Items
%
Zn EDTA-Zn : 3.0 B WS-B : 1.7 Mn EDTA-Mn :
2.0
Fe EDTA-Fe : 2.5 Cu EDTA-Cu : 0.8
Zn: 5.5 B: 3.0 Mn EDTA-Mn : 0.5
Fe: 0.5 Cu: 0.5
ItemsSpecification
powderSpecification fluid g/L
Humic acid, % 4.0 40 40
N, % 8.0 60 40
P2O5, % 20.0 40 100
K2O, % 12.0 100 60
Monband WSF products: WSF+ humic
acid
