Using Humic Acid for Cannabis Production
Using Humic Acid for Cannabis Production
Using Humic Acid for Cannabis Production
Professor DeBacco
What is Humic Acid?
Humic and Fulvic acids are the final break-down components decaying plants and animals and found in pre-historic deposits.
The one source of humic acids are the sedimentation layers referred to as Leonardite.
Leonardite is organic matter, which has not reached the state of coal and differs from soft brown coal by its high oxidation degree, a result of the process of coal formation, and has no value as fuel.
Research Article
Bernstein, N., Gorelick, J., Zerahia, R., & Koch, S. (2019). Impact of N, P, K, and humic acid supplementation on the chemical profile of medical cannabis (Cannabis sativa L). Frontiers in plant science, 10, 736.
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpls.2019.00736/full
Humic Acid and THC Levels
For example, following HA application THC levels at the top of the plant was reduced from 11.8 to 7.4%, and consequently concentrations throughout the plant height did not differ significantly
Humic Acids Impact
The nutrition treatments were supplemented with HA, enhanced P fertilization, or enhanced NPK.
HA was found to reduce the natural spatial variability of all of the cannabinoids studied.
The results demonstrate sensitivity of cannabinoids metabolism to mineral nutrition.
Nutrients Impact on Cannabinoids
P enhancement treatment did not affect THC, CBD, CBN, and CBG concentrations in the flowers from the top of the plants, a 16% reduction of THC concentration was observed in the inflorescence leaves.
NPK supplementation increased CBG levels in flowers by 71%, and lowered CBN levels in both flowers and inflorescence leaves by 38 and 36%, respectively.
Link to Lecture Slides: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1lvrZLT8Eq-0l11JCVrxfV8g6rR8rYn6a/view?usp=sharing
*Due to the description character limit the full work cited for “Using Humic Acid for Cannabis Production” can be viewed at… https://drive.google.com/file/d/1umcPhaAhrB25rdtnrg9tt8SjOOakZ80e/view?usp=sharing
Not all humic acid is the same.
Please be aware that the source of humic acid will change the results.
Perhaps the positive effects of humic acid are not desirable in the quest for THC. My hypothesis is that it either has to do with the plant being less stressed and thus producing less cannabinoids (it isn’t clear why but we know cannabis produces at least part of these secondary metabolites in response to stress,) or that the addition of HA disbalances the ratio of bacterial to fungal endophytes in an undesirable manner.
A good rule of thumb I know is that cannabis likes
bacteria, and that humic acid promotes fungus which competes with bacteria.
So who knows? I’m wanting to do a test run next time I grow from clones, although I am currently in a DWC so the premise would be slightly different.
I personally like to spray my plants in the vegetative stage with fulvic acid, but your videos are making me think! Thanks a lot for bringing that study up, I’ll definitely think about that
sources I went to, to make sure I wasn’t just conjecturing something out of thin air :
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-019-48620-4
https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2607/8/3/355/htm
https://web.extension.illinois.edu/soil/SoilBiology/fw&soilhealth.htm
Here’s the problem (excerpt from the study):
"For the [+HA] treatment, humic acids were added daily, 2 h after the last fertilization each day, as a liquid humic acid solution, 200 ml/pot of a 1:10 (W/W) dilution of a commercial product containing 12% humic acid (Uptake 12, Lidorr chemicals LTD, Ramat Hasharon, Israel)."
Humic acids WERE ADDED DAILY 200 ml/pot containing 12% humic acid! + 2 h after the last fertilization EACH DAY…
200ml of whole 12% concentrate freaking D A I L Y ! ! ! This is seriously unacceptable!
+ Here’s another problem (also excerpt from the study):
"When needed, artificial illumination by 20-W PL fluorescent lamps was used to extend the photoperiod."
They confused the plants (that were used to grow under sunlight) by extending the photoperiod "when needed" with only 20w of junk fluorescent lamps that are used for seed sprouting…
Sorry but the study is full of flaws, serious ones. It’s surprising that the plants actually produced at least something, and didn’t die.
I read the study too but other cannabinoids are significantly increased while THC and CBN is reduced i think. And with EM together it has NPK increasing propertys but without EM it decreases N, which is a problem if you use HA in the vegetative state without EM or with too less EM (with super soil mix, I am afraid you cant use too much EM at beginning, because the nutrients will be degraded too quickly).
I find myself watching many of your videos. Thank you for taking the time to make these. Very informative!
Your videos are the best, straight to the point and easy to understand.
Ok so I was reading over the study but something I didn’t find.The variables were different yes, but what were the constant nutrition the plants were given to even grow in the first place? The amount of light? The spectrum of light? But my main question is what was the general nutrients application throughout all of the different study types?
Would it be ok in veg you think?
I’m wondering if it wasn’t getting a slight symptomatic cause of what we called lockout
This is the first time I have heard this.
That humic acid lowers the thc and some cannabinoid levels in the cannabis plant.
What about fulvic acid
Does that do the same thing.
A few years ago a fellow grower gave me some fulvic to try that was produce from a grain.
I can’t remember which grain.
I don’t know if you have seen or heard anything about the fulvic made from the grain.
Would you have any info regarding that product ?
Very interesting regarding the humic, though.
Well now I have something to study tonight.
Thanks a lot for your work. Thousands of free videos. Ive learned tons!
This is very nerdy but exactly what I needed to know. I also did not know that HA lowers THC levels as well… thanks !
#1.. anyone who does regular testing know results vary not just plant per plant, but node to node. There is no such thing as consistent lab testing. Secondly, I’ve actually noticed an uptick in my numbers overall since adding humic. Sorry I call bs from personal experience with actual use and established baseline from many lab tests and examples lol
🙂
I use mark nature humic acids there 64% humic plants never looked so healthy
Misleading study. Also plants don’t have over 15 nutrients. Don’t go vegan.
I am going to also have to disagree with your statement on Reduced THC levels with use of Humic acid. Since ive started using high quality powdered humic acid, i have had incredible results. I believe the quality of Humic plays a big factor! So, with all due respect, i would retract your statement of humic reducing THC levels without several controled tests, and using a quality humic acid such as Tera Vita SP90. 👌👍💪👋👋