Fertilizer nutrition is one of the basic factors in plant growth and development and management of plant food resources is very important for the production of agricultural products on a commercial scale. Food sources or elements needed by plants are absorbed by the roots from the soil and stored in the plant tissue. Micronutrients such as iron, manganese, zinc and copper are easily oxidized in the soil, so for optimal use of these micronutrient fertilizers, the use of chelate fertilizers to increase consumption efficiency is recommended.
What are the reasons for the need for chelate fertilizers?
1- Because the soil content is complex and micronutrients are easily oxidized in the soil. Therefore, chelate fertilizers protect them by enclosing these elements. Chelated fertilizer increases the plant’s access to micronutrients such as iron, copper, manganese and zinc, which in turn contributes to the efficiency and profitability of commercial crop production. Numerous factors reduce the availability of iron to the plant, including high soil pH, high bicarbonate content, plant species, and abiotic stresses. Normally, plants use iron as Fe + 2, but when the soil pH reaches more than 3.5, iron is oxidized as Fe + 3, and when the soil pH reaches more than 7.4, iron deficiency. It happens. In these conditions, to prevent the conversion of Fe + 2 to Fe + 3 and iron deficiency in the soil, the use of iron chelate fertilizers is recommended.

2. The use of elements such as iron, manganese, zinc and copper directly in the soil is inefficient because these elements in the soil are in the form of positively charged metal ions that react easily with oxygen or negatively charged (OH) hydroxide ions. In this case, they create new compounds that the plant can not use. Therefore, the use of chelate fertilizers prevents these reactions and provides the elements needed by the plant.
   3- Plant roots have the ability to produce natural chelates. One of these natural chelates is called phytosiderophore, which is released from the roots of herbaceous plants and in conditions of iron deficiency helps the plant to absorb nutrients such as iron around the roots.
3. Chelated nutrients also increase the absorption of nutrients by the leaves. Because the leaves of the plant are naturally covered with wax, which expels water and iron ions. Large micronutrient chelating molecules can penetrate the wax layer and increase iron absorption.