On the Forming Processes of Soil Humic Substances and its Physiological Effects on Plants

토양(土壤) 부식물(腐植物)의 생성(生成)과 효과(効果)에 대(對)한 고찰(考察)

Soil humic substances are defined as a humified part of the soil organic matters and regarded to play beneficial roles for colloid chemical properties and the fertility of the soils. This paper is referred to review the present trend of the studies on the forming processes of humic substances and on the effect on plant metabolism by some organic compounds that are directly absorbed by plants. It is generally considered that the humic substances are formed organic matters in soil or plant materials through numerous organic or biochemical processes. However, the nature of the constituting "core" and of attachment of carbohydrate, nitrogen containing compounds like protein, phenolic compounds and metals to the core are unclear though various models are suggested. It is reviewed that some organic compounds, phenclic acids, derived from humic substances are effective on plant metablism in many cases, although the mechanisms are remained to be clarified.