LIEBIG's Law

MicroSoil a Natural Concentrate of Beneficial Microorganisms

A Natural Concentrate of Beneficial Soil Microorganisms

The capacity of the barrel is limited by the length of its shortest stave

The yield potential of a crop is like a barrel with staves of unequal length. The capacity of the barrel is limited by the length of the shortest stave (in this case, nitrogen), and can only be increased by lengthening that stave. When that stave is lengthened, another one becomes the limiting factor.

The Law of the Minimum

Justus von Liebig, generally credited with being the "Father of the Fertilizer Industry", propounded the "Law of the Minimum" which states that if one crop of the nutritive elements is deficient or lacking, plant growth will be poor even when all the other elements are abundant. Any deficiency of a nutrient, no matter how small an amount is needed, will hold back plant development. If the deficient element is supplied, growth will be increased up to the point where the supply of that element is no longer the limiting factor. Increasing the supply beyond this point is not helpful, as some other element would then be in a minimum supply and become the limiting factor.

The concept of the law of the minimum has been modified as additional elements have proved to be essential in plant nutrition. It has been extended to include other factors such as moisture, temperature, insect control, light, plant population and genetic capacities of plant varieties.

(Reference: The Fertilizer Handbook / The Fertilizer Institute)

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