Healthy wheat field

Why Humalite Outperforms Other Humic Products in Crop Performance

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Benefits at a glance:


Bigger Yields, Better Quality

  • +14–19% grain yield in University of Alberta trials
  • +23–30% higher seed protein content
  • Consistently outperforms standard humic products and fertilizer only programs

Lower Fertilizer Bills

  • Achieve equal or better yields with less synthetic nitrogen
  • Improve nitrogen use efficiency by 14–60%
  • Keep nutrients (N, P, K) in the soil longer for better plant uptake

Stronger Roots & Healthier Soil

  • Roots with greater length, surface area, and volume for improved water and nutrient uptake
  • Increases soil organic matter and boosts beneficial microbes
  • Especially effective on poorer soils where yield potential is limited

Proven Across Crops

  • Results confirmed in wheat, canola, and field peas
  • Benefits extend to other cereals, oilseeds, pulses, and forage crops

Cleaner, Higher Purity Humate Source

  • 75–90% humic acid content – far above typical leonardite products
  • Naturally low in ash and heavy metals
  • Consistent quality from one of the purest deposits on Earth

Why Humates Matter for Your Operation

When it comes to humates, it’s the humic and fulvic acid content that does the heavy lifting. The higher the percentage, the better it works for your soil, crops, or animals. For decades, most farmers have turned to leonardite, mined in North Dakota since the 1920s and in parts of New Mexico. But there’s a better option—Humalite—found only in Alberta, Canada.

Raw Humalite is naturally rich in humic acid, containing 75% to 90%, with very little ash or heavy metals. Through our Fulvic Isolation Technology™ (FIT™), we carefully refine it to separate and purify the fulvic and humic components. This process delivers a clean, consistent, and highly effective product for crops, turf, and livestock.

The name Humalite comes from:

  • HUM – Humic material
  • A – Alberta
  • LITE – Coal formations

Sourced From the Best Deposit in the World

Our Vitalité YieldMax product comes from the purest, most potent humate deposit on Earth.

Humalite is rich in both fulvic and humic acids, naturally formed when plant matter breaks down over time.

Humic substance extraction

What Makes Humalite Different

Because Humalite comes from plant based material, it’s naturally low in ash and heavy metals. This makes it better for your soil, safer for your livestock, and easier on the environment.

The high humic content means better:

  • Soil health
  • Crop yields
  • Fertilizer efficiency

If you care about sustainability and keeping your land productive for the long haul, Humalite is a smart choice.

Why Formation Matters

Humalite formed in freshwater at a shallow depth, which allowed it to go through more oxidation—boosting the humic acid levels far above what you get from other sources.

Because of this:

  • You get more humic acid per ton
  • The deposit is uniform, so the quality is consistent
  • Extraction is easier, which keeps costs down and quality up
healthy  canola field

The Problem with Other Sources

Leonardite and lignite come from saltwater environments and often contain:

  • Higher levels of ash and heavy metals
  • Mixed plant and animal material resulting in higher ash and heavy metal content.
  • Uneven deposits, making quality unpredictable

That’s why two loads of leonardite can perform very differently—something you don’t have to worry about with Humalite.

The Bottom Line for Farmers

With Humalite, you’re getting:

  • Better nitrogen efficiency
  • Stronger soil structure and fertility
  • Improved water retention

All of this means healthier crops, higher yields, and a better return on every acre you farm.

For farmers who want the best humic product on the market—Vitalité YieldMax is the clear winner.

Healthy green crop

Humalite Studies

University of Alberta Research on Humalite

Recent research from the University of Alberta, Department of Agricultural, Food, and Nutritional Sciences shows that Humalite delivers major benefits for crop performance, nutrient efficiency, and reduces reliance on synthetic fertilizers.

Key Findings

Humalite treated plants had:

  • Stronger roots – longer, larger, and with greater surface area
  • More biomass – increased growth above and below ground
  • Better nutrient uptake – higher absorption of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), and sulfur (S) compared to fertilizer alone
  • Lower fertilizer needs – the same or better yields with less synthetic nitrogen

Increased Yield and Quality

  • 14%–19% increase in grain yield
  • 23%–30% higher seed protein content
  • 14%–60% improvement in nutrient use efficiency (NUE)

Bottom Line

Adding Humalite to a standard fertilizer program can improve root health, maximize nutrient use, and boost both yield and grain quality
helping you get more from every acre while cutting back on fertilizer costs.

Wheat Growth Response to Humalite and NPK Fertilization

Figure 1. Wheat Growth Response to Humalite and NPK Fertilization

Top Row – Plant Photographs (8 Weeks After Planting):

(a) Control – No NPK or Humalite

(b) NPK only (no Humalite)

(c) NPK + 200 kg/ha Humalite

(d) NPK + 400 kg/ha Humalite

(e) NPK + 800 kg/ha Humalite

(f) NPK + 1600 kg/ha Humalite

Bottom Row – Growth Parameter Boxplots:

(g) Shoot dry weight per plant

(h) Total number of spikes per plant

(i) Total number of tillers per plant

Each boxplot shows the median (center line), first quartile (Q1), and third quartile (Q3) (n = 6).
Different letters above boxes indicate significant differences (Fisher LSD test, p ≤ 0.05).

Root Growth Response of Wheat to Humalite and NPK Fertilization

Figure 2. Root Growth Response of Wheat to Humalite and NPK Fertilization

Top Row – Root Photographs (8 Weeks After Planting):

(a) Control – No NPK or Humalite

(b) NPK only (no Humalite)

(c) NPK + 200 kg/ha Humalite

(d) NPK + 400 kg/ha Humalite

(e) NPK + 800 kg/ha Humalite

(f) NPK + 1600 kg/ha Humalite

Bottom Row – Root Growth Parameter Boxplots:

(g) Total root length

(h) Total root surface area

(i) Total root volume

(j) Root dry biomass

Each boxplot shows the median (center line), first quartile (Q1), and third quartile (Q3) (n = 6).
Different letters above boxes indicate significant differences (Fisher LSD test, p ≤ 0.05).

Figure 3. Effect of Humalite Rates on Soil Available Nitrogen Over Time

Line graph showing soil available nitrogen (measured with plant root simulator probes) at 2-week intervals from planting to 8 weeks.
Values represent means ± standard error (SE) (n = 6).

Shoot Mineral Content and Chlorophyll Response of Wheat to Humalite and NPK Fertilization

Figure 4. Shoot Mineral Content and Chlorophyll Response of Wheat to Humalite and NPK Fertilization

Measured Parameters (8 Weeks After Planting):

(a) Total nitrogen

(b) Total phosphorus

(c) Total potassium

(d) Total sulfur

(e) Chlorophyll a

(f) Chlorophyll b

(g) Total chlorophyll

(h) Chlorophyll a/b ratio

Each boxplot shows the median (center line), first quartile (Q1), and third quartile (Q3) (n = 6).
Different letters above boxes indicate significant differences (Fisher LSD test, p ≤ 0.05).

Figure 5. Shoot Growth and Yield Response of Wheat to Humalite and NPK Fertilization

Figure 5. Shoot Growth and Yield Response of Wheat to Humalite and NPK Fertilization

Measured Parameters (8 Weeks After Planting):

(a) Shoot dry weight

(b) Total number of spikes per plant

(c) Total number of tillers per plant

(d) Total number of seeds per plant

(e) Total seed weight per plant

(f) Total seed protein content

Each boxplot shows the median (center line), first quartile (Q1), and third quartile (Q3) (n = 16).
Different letters above boxes indicate significant differences (Fisher LSD test, p ≤ 0.05).

Figure 6. Nitrogen Use Efficiency of Wheat with Humalite and NPK Fertilization

Figure 6. Nitrogen Use Efficiency of Wheat with Humalite and NPK Fertilization

Measured Parameter:

Nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) at seed maturity

Each boxplot shows the median (center line), first quartile (Q1), and third quartile (Q3) (n = 16).
Different letters above boxes indicate significant differences (Fisher LSD test, p ≤ 0.05).

University of Alberta Research on Humalite: 6 Key Conclusions

1. Keeps Nutrients in the Soil Longer

University of Alberta research shows that applying synthetic nitrogen fertilizer (urea) with Humalite keeps nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium in the soil longer than using fertilizer alone—giving crops more time to take them up.

2. Bigger Yields & Higher Quality

Across greenhouse and field trials, Humalite consistently improved plant growth and yield, including:

  • Grain yield: ↑ 14–19%
  • Seed protein content: ↑ 23–30%
  • Nitrogen use efficiency: ↑ 14–60%

Comparable or better yields with less synthetic nitrogen fertilizer

3. Improves Root & Shoot Growth

Humalite stimulates key plant hormones, leading to stronger root systems—greater length, surface area, and volume—and increased biomass in both shoots and roots. This results in better nutrient and water uptake.

4. Proven Across Crops

In studies with wheat, canola, and field peas, Humalite improved nutrient uptake of:

  • Nitrogen (N)
  • Phosphorus (P)
  • Potassium (K)
  • Sulfur (S)

5. Real World Field Testing

Plot trials in St. Albert, Westlock, Battle River, and Oyen are showing higher wheat and canola yields with reduced urea use. Researchers are also testing Humalite’s ability to:

  • Improve drought tolerance
  • Enhance biological nitrogen fixation in legumes and forages

6. Especially Effective on Poorer Soils

Humalite increases humic and organic matter levels, improving overall soil performance—particularly in low quality soils.

bountiful corn harvest

The Bottom Line: Build Better Soil, Grow Better Crops

Humalite helps you get more yield, more protein, and better nutrient efficiency from every acre, while cutting back on synthetic nitrogen use—especially valuable where soils are less productive. 

But here’s the catch: not all humic products are the same.

The source and purity of your humate make a big difference in how well it works.
That’s where Humalite stands apart. Sourced exclusively in Alberta, it delivers some of the highest humic acid levels in the world, with exceptional purity and low contaminants —giving you more performance per pound.

We’ll break down exactly why Humalite is the best choice for farmers in our next article— and why upgrading your humate source could be the easiest yield boost you’ve ever made.

See the Results for Yourself

If you’re ready to grow more while spending less on fertilizer, now is the time to try Vitalité YieldMax. This isn’t just another soil additive — it’s a proven humate blend, backed by years of University of Alberta research and real-world farmer results.


Farmers are seeing stronger, healthier crops, higher yields, and reduced fertilizer requirements — all while improving soil structure and long-term productivity. Test it in your own fields and see firsthand why researchers and growers agree: Vitalité YieldMax outperforms.


🌱 Application rates for Vitalité YieldMax depend on soil type, crop, and intended use. Typically, our minimum order of 1 kg is enough to treat approximately 17–25 acres, depending on application rate. For livestock applications, usage varies by species and purpose. Quotes for both crop and livestock applications are customized to reflect your specific needs and goals and include an estimate of your potential cost savings. Larger orders provide extended coverage and a lower cost per kilogram, ensuring the best return on investment.


👉 Get started today — request your free, no obligation quote and find out how Vitalité YieldMax can fit into your operation and budget.

Farmer in a tractor harvesting wheat

📖 Read More: Real Farmer Results in the Field

The research is clear — now see how real farmers are putting humic substances to work and reaping the rewards. From higher yields to reduced fertilizer bills, their results speak for themselves.

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