The effects of humic substances on soil properties are known. However, little is known about the effects of these materials on plants. Depending on the concentration and chemical nature of the humic molecules applied, the effect may be expressed by an expansion of the root system, increase of nutrient absorption and increased crop growth. To evaluate the effects of C-humic acid concentrations on nutrition and growth of eucalyptus seedlings, a greenhouse experiment was carried out in nutrient solution. The treatments consisted of two sources of humic acids (humic material - HM and humic acid p.a.-HA p.a). Each source was applied at four C-humic acid concentrations: 0, 10, 30, and 150 mg L-1. Other treatments were applied using the source HA p.a. at concentrations of 0, 10, 30, and 150 mg L-1 of C-humic acid combined with 21 mg L-1 citric acid and 9 mg L-1 oxalic acid. The following variables were analyzed: electric conductivity of the nutrient solution, stem diameter and plant height, dry matter of stem, leaves, shoot, root and total, dry matter root:shoot ratio, and nutrient accumulation in leaves and stem. Plant height and stem diameter decreased linearly with concentrations of C-humic acid of HA p.a. The use of HM at low concentrations of C-humic acid (0.07-4.3 mg L-1) resulted in maximum root, stem, leaf and total dry matter production. The greatest accumulation of some nutrients (especially N, P, and B) resulted, in some treatments, in small increases (2.4 to 9.3%) of root, leaf, stem and total dry matter production. The application of the humic acid sources in nutrient solution, as used in this study for the cultivation of eucalyptus seedlings, is therefore not recommended.
humic substances; citric acid; oxalic acid; root growth; organicmetallic complexes
