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Abstract Humic acid is touted as an organic soil additive to improve plant growth by multiple means. Does it really work? Here's how you can find out.Objective The purpose of this project is to determine which soils will yield the greatest plant growth, root length, and root weight: soil without additives, soil with dry humic acid, soil with liquid humic acid, or soil with a combination of dry and liquid humic acid. Introduction  Organic matter is an important component of fertile soil. Many different types of organic matter can be used as fertilizers to enhance plant growth, such as manure, compost, etc... Humic acid is believed to be a good organic fertilizer for certain plants. Does humic acid really work to improve plant growth? Terms, Concepts, and Questions to Start Background Research You should have an understanding of humic acid and humate, how they are produced and what their impact is on soil. Cation exchange capacity is an important term to understand how humic acid impacts soil. Bibliography Basic explanation of Humic Acid:
Similar studies looking at benefits of humic acid on growth of different varieties of plants:
Simple explanation of cation exchange capacity Impact of organic matter on soil productivity (includes brief discussion of humic acid) Materials and Equipment
Experimental Procedure
*Experimental Note
Variations Try different types of plants, vegetables, fruits, houseplants.... Try humic acid vs. fertilizer
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Agricultural Technician As the world's population grows larger, it is important to improve the quality and yield of food crops and animal food sources. Agricultural technicians work in the forefront of this very important research area by helping scientists conduct novel experiments. If you would like to combine technology with the desire to see things grow, then read further to learn more about this exciting career. |
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Plant Scientist With a growing world population, making sure that there is enough food for everyone is critical. Plant scientists work to ensure that agricultural practices result in an abundance of nutritious food in a sustainable and environmentally friendly manner. | |
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