🌱 Humic Acid vs. Fulvic Acid: What’s the Difference and Why It Matters for Your Crops?
As a trusted supplier of high-efficiency fertilizer solutions, Zhongcang offers both humic acid and fulvic acid products. While both play vital roles in soil health and crop nutrition, they are not the same. Understanding their differences helps farmers, distributors, and agronomists make smarter product choices based on crop needs, soil conditions, and application methods.
💡 What Are They?
🟫 Humic Acid
Humic acid is a larger molecular weight organic compound extracted from natural leonardite, lignite, or weathered coal. It is dark brown to black and mostly insoluble in acidic conditions, but soluble in alkaline environments (such as potassium humate).
🟨 Fulvic Acid
Fulvic acid is a smaller, low molecular weight fraction of humic substances. It is light yellow to golden brown, completely water-soluble under all pH conditions, and more bioavailable to plants due to its smaller molecular structure.
🔍 Key Differences at a Glance
| Feature | Humic Acid | Fulvic Acid |
|---|---|---|
| Color | Dark brown / black | Light yellow / amber |
| Molecular Weight | High | Low |
| Solubility | Alkaline soluble only | Fully soluble in all pH conditions |
| Absorption Speed | Slower (soil conditioner) | Faster (direct nutrient carrier) |
| Main Use | Soil improvement, root stimulation | Foliar spray, nutrient chelation |
| Availability to Plants | Indirect via soil enhancement | Direct via leaf/ root absorption |
🌾 How Each Benefits Your Crops
✅ Humic Acid: The Soil Builder
- Improves soil structure and aeration
- Enhances CEC (cation exchange capacity) and nutrient retention
- Stimulates root growth and microbial activity
- Ideal for soil application and base fertilization
- Works well with potassium humate formulations
✅ Fulvic Acid: The Nutrient Activator
- Chelates and carries micronutrients into plant cells
- Enhances photosynthesis and enzymatic activity
- Boosts nutrient uptake efficiency through foliage or roots
- Fast-acting and compatible with drip irrigation and foliar sprays
🧪 Zhongcang’s Fulvic & Humic Product Range
Zhongcang offers a wide range of humic-based products, including:
- Potassium Humate (8%, 10%, 12%) – Soil conditioner and base fertilizer enhancer
- Sodium Fulvate (1–2%) – Cost-effective fulvic acid alternative for foliar use
- Liquid Fulvic Acid Fertilizers – For quick leaf absorption and nutrient uptake
- Combined Formulas – Humic + amino acid, or humic + NPK solutions for comprehensive nutrition
Each product is developed in our certified facility and field-tested to ensure solubility, purity, and crop safety across different regions and soil types.
🌍 Applications by Market
- Vegetable Farms: Fulvic acid for foliar nutrient sprays
- Fruit Orchards: Potassium humate for root and soil conditioning
- Export Agriculture: Combined formulas to meet organic standards
- Saline-Alkali Soil Regions: Humic acid for improving soil buffering capacity
💬 Final Words
While both humic acid and fulvic acid are derived from the same natural sources, their molecular structure, solubility, and functionality make them suitable for different applications. Zhongcang’s mature product line allows clients to choose or customize the right formulation for every soil, crop, and climate.
Looking to build a long-term supply of humic and fulvic acid fertilizers?
👉 Let Zhongcang be your expert partner in soil health and crop performance.