Researchers from the University of Cordoba have proved foliar
application of fertilizer leads to better zinc absorption in wheat than
the conventional way of applying fertilizer to soil.

The study tested different methods of zinc biofortificationto wheat in
calcareous soils in southern Spain for a period of eight years. The
researchers applied different doses of fertilizer in the soil and
different doses of zinc were sprayed to the plant leaves at various
stages of the wheat's development. The results showed that the
application of fertilizers to the soil was not very effective, but
foliar application increased zinc concentrations in grains by up to 51%
with just 10% of the fertilizers used.

"Foliar application is very valuable for places where there is no other
source of zinc in diets, although it would entail adding another task to
wheat cultivation, or combining it with the application of other
phytosanitary treatments," said Antonio Sanchez-Rodriguez, the lead
author of the study.

Foliar application boosts zinc content of wheat by 50% - UCO research
(agriland.ie)
[www.agriland.ie]