Humate Benefits

More Details on Humates

The following excerpts from: T.L. Senn and Alta R. Kingman's research (1973) give a more complete description of humates and their importance in soil management:

Waksman defines humus as "a complex aggregate of brown to dark colored amorphous substances, which have originated during the decomposition of plant and animal residues by microorganisms, under aerobic and anaerobic conditions, usually in soils, composts, peat bogs, and water basins". Chemically, humus consists of certain constituents of the original plant material resistant to further decomposition; of substances undergoing decomposition; of complexes resulting from decomposition, either by processes of hydrolysis or by oxidation and reduction; and of various compounds synthesized by microorganisms. Humus is a natural body; it is a composite entity, just as are plant, animal, and microbial substances: it is even much more complex chemically, since all of these materials contribute to its formation.