Amino-acid chelated trace elements
ZENITH MICRO-MIX
Six micronutrients bound to plant-source L-amino acids, not to a synthetic chelator. The carrier crosses the leaf with the metal, is metabolised by the crop, and leaves no persistent chelating agent behind in soil or water.
A micronutrient carrier the plant already knows
In soils above roughly pH 7, iron, zinc, manganese and copper precipitate as oxides and hydroxides that roots cannot take up. Chelation keeps the metal soluble and shielded until the plant absorbs it — and the choice of chelating agent decides what happens next.
Plant-source amino acids
The ligands are free L-amino acids and short peptides produced by enzymatic hydrolysis of plant protein — the same molecules the crop uses for protein synthesis.
Small and electrically neutral
A fully chelated metal carries no net charge, so it is neither repelled by nor bound to the negatively charged leaf surface, and its low molecular weight helps it cross the cuticle.
Moderate, not maximum, stability
Very strong chelators hold the metal too tightly to release it where it is needed. Amino-acid ligands sit in the agronomic middle: stable enough to protect the metal, weak enough to hand it over.
The carrier is a nutrient
Once the metal is delivered, the ligand is not waste. It enters the plant's own nitrogen metabolism, so each application supplies organic nitrogen alongside the trace element.
How it is made
MICRO-MIX is produced by the protein-hydrolysate route and reacted with metal oxides and carbonates rather than sulphates, so the only reaction by-product is water — no sulphate or chloride counter-ions are carried into the bag.
- Enzymatic hydrolysisPlant protein is hydrolysed into free L-amino acids and short bioactive peptides.
- ChelationAmino acids react with metal oxides and carbonates at pH 5–6.5 and 55–65 °C, at roughly a 2:1 ligand-to-metal ratio.
- VerificationFT-IR and 13C-NMR confirm that the metal is bound rather than blended, supported by a free-amino-acid assay.
- Spray dryingThe finished chelate is dried to a light-yellow, fully water-soluble powder and released against batch specification.
Amino-acid chelate or synthetic chelate?
Both deliver micronutrients. They differ in what the carrier does after delivery — and in what it leaves behind.
Amino-acid chelate
- Neutral, low-molecular-weight complex, well suited to foliar uptake.
- The ligand is metabolised by the crop and by soil micro-organisms.
- Supplies organic nitrogen in addition to the trace element.
- Leaves no persistent chelating agent in soil or drainage water.
EDTA and related synthetic chelators
- Effective at holding metals in solution, including at high pH.
- Poorly biodegradable; aminopolycarboxylates are reported to persist in soil and surface water.
- After releasing its metal the free ligand can complex other cations, including calcium.
- Persistent chelators have been linked to increased mobility of heavy metals such as cadmium and lead in soil systems.
Statements about the environmental behaviour of aminopolycarboxylate chelators refer to the published literature on that class of compounds, not to any individual competitor product.
Specification
| Iron (Fe), amino-acid chelated | 5.2 % |
| Zinc (Zn), amino-acid chelated | 4.36 % |
| Manganese (Mn), amino-acid chelated | 3.2 % |
| Boron (B) | 2.1 % |
| Copper (Cu), amino-acid chelated | 1.28 % |
| Molybdenum (Mo) | 0.18 % |
| Total trace elements, minimum | 15 % |
| Free L-amino acids, minimum | 25 % |
| Appearance | Light-yellow powder |
| Process | Enzymatic protein hydrolysis |
| Source | 100 % plant protein |
| Water solubility | 99.5–100 % |
| Moisture | < 3 % |
| pH (1 % solution) | 4–6 |
| Packaging | 1 kg · 5 kg · 25 kg |
| Shelf life | 24 months unopened |
How to apply it
| Method | Rate | Timing |
|---|---|---|
| Foliar spray | 100–200 g per 100 L water (0.1–0.2 %) | 2–4 applications per season, 10–14 days apart |
| Fertigation and drip | 1–2 kg/ha per application | Active growth, flowering and fruit set |
| Hydroponics and soilless | 25–50 g per 1,000 L nutrient solution | Adjust to tissue or solution analysis |
| Seed or transplant dip | 0.05–0.1 % solution | Brief immersion before planting |
Crops
Vegetables, fruit trees, field and grain crops, tea, cotton, tobacco, oil crops, flowers and turf, medicinal plants.
Tank mixing
Broadly compatible. Run a small jar test before combining with other products, and avoid strongly alkaline partners above pH 8.
Getting the dose right
Spray in early morning or late afternoon and keep to the stated concentration. Micronutrients have a narrow window between deficiency and excess, and over-application can scorch sensitive foliage.
Rates are general guidance. Confirm the rate for your crop, growth stage and water quality against the product label and local advice before use.
Questions we are asked
Is this a true chelate or a blend of salt and amino acid?
A true chelate. Each batch is checked by FT-IR and 13C-NMR: the characteristic shift in the carboxylate signal and the disappearance of the free-amino-acid signal show that the metal is coordinated by the ligand rather than simply mixed with it.
Why not use a stronger chelating agent?
Stability is not the same as usefulness. A very high stability constant means the ligand holds the metal so tightly that release inside the plant is slowed. Amino acid ligands have moderate stability constants, which is the practical compromise between protecting the metal in the tank and releasing it in the leaf.
Can it be used in organic production?
The product is plant-sourced and contains no synthetic chelating agent. Whether it may be used in a certified organic system depends on your certifier and country — ask us for the current documentation for your market before you plan an organic programme around it.
Does it replace my NPK programme?
No. MICRO-MIX supplies micronutrients and a small amount of organic nitrogen from the amino-acid carrier. It complements a macronutrient programme rather than replacing any part of it.
How should it be stored?
Cool and dry, below 30 °C, in the sealed original container. The powder is hygroscopic, so reseal after use and prepare only as much spray solution as you will apply within 24 hours.
Technical documentation and samples
Product datasheet, technical data sheet and safety data sheet are available on request, along with trial samples for distributors and agronomic partners.
Email our technical teamDownload the data sheets
ZENITH TECH GmbH · Industriestr. 1, 31180 Giesen, Germany · Zenith@zenith-tech.de
Information provided here reflects our current knowledge and describes the product for possible applications. It does not release the user from their own testing and does not constitute a binding assurance of properties.