Fertilizer

A fertilizer is any material of natural or synthetic origin (other than liming materials) that is
applied to soil or to plant tissues to supply one or more plant nutrients essential to the growth
of plants. Many sources of fertilizer exist, both natural and industrially produced.
Classification
 Fertilizers are classified in several ways. They are classified according to whether they
provide a single nutrient (e.g., K, P, or N), in which case they are classified as "straight
fertilizers."
 "Multinutrient fertilizers" (or "complex fertilizers") provide two or more nutrients, for
example N and P. Fertilizers are also sometimes classified as inorganic versus organic.
Inorganic fertilizers exclude carbon-containing materials except ureas.
 Organic fertilizers are usually (recycled) plant- or animal-derived matter.
 Inorganic are sometimes called synthetic fertilizers since various chemical treatments are
required for their manufacture.
Single nutrient ("straight") fertilizers
The main nitrogen-based straight fertilizer is ammonia or its solutions. Ammonium
nitrate (NH4NO3) is also widely used. Urea is another popular source of nitrogen, having the
advantage that it is solid and non-explosive, unlike ammonia and ammonium nitrate,
respectively. A few percent of the nitrogen fertilizer market (4% in 2007) has been met
by calcium ammonium nitrate (Ca(NO3)2 • NH4 • 10H2O).
The main straight phosphate fertilizers are the superphosphates. "Single superphosphate" (SSP)
consists of 14–18% P2O5, again in the form of Ca(H2PO4)2, but
also phosphogypsum (CaSO4 • 2H2O). Triple superphosphate (TSP) typically consists of 44-48%
of P2O5 and no gypsum. A mixture of single superphosphate and triple superphosphate is called
double superphosphate. More than 90% of a typical superphosphate fertilizer is water-soluble.
The main potassium-based straight fertilizer is Muriate of Potash (MOP). Muriate of Potash
consists of 95-99% KCl, and is typically available as 0-0-60 or 0-0-62 fertilizer.
Multinutrient fertilizers
These fertilizers are common. They consist of two or more nutrient components.
Binary (NP, NK, PK) fertilizers
Major two-component fertilizers provide both nitrogen and phosphorus to the plants. These are
called NP fertilizers. The main NP fertilizers are monoammonium phosphate (MAP)
and diammonium phosphate (DAP). The active ingredient in MAP is NH4H2PO4. The active
ingredient in DAP is (NH4)2HPO4. About 85% of MAP and DAP fertilizers are soluble in water.
NPK fertilizers
NPK fertilizers are three-component fertilizers providing nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium.
NPK rating is a rating system describing the amount of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium in a
fertilizer. NPK ratings consist of three numbers separated by dashes (e.g., 10-10-10 or 16-4-8)
describing the chemical content of fertilizers. The first number represents the percentage of
nitrogen in the product; the second number, P2O5; the third, K2O. Fertilizers do not actually
contain P2O5 or K2O, but the system is a conventional shorthand for the amount of the
phosphorus (P) or potassium (K) in a fertilizer. A 50-pound (23 kg) bag of fertilizer labeled 16-
4-8 contains 8 lb (3.6 kg) of nitrogen (16% of the 50 pounds), an amount of phosphorus
equivalent to that in 2 pounds of P2O5 (4% of 50 pounds), and 4 pounds of K2O (8% of 50
pounds). Most fertilizers are labeled according to this N-P-K convention, although Australian
convention, following an N-P-K-S system, adds a fourth number for sulfur, and uses elemental
values for all values including P and K.
Micronutrients]
The main micronutrients are molybdenum, zinc, boron, and copper. These elements are provided
as water-soluble salts. Iron presents special problems because it converts to insoluble (bio-
unavailable) compounds at moderate soil pH and phosphate concentrations. For this reason, iron
is often administered as a chelate complex, e.g., the EDTA derivative. The micronutrient needs
depend on the plant and the environment. For example, sugar beets appear to require boron,
and legumes require cobalt,[1] while environmental conditions such as heat or drought make
boron less available for plants.[23]
Nitrogen fertilizers
Nitrogen fertilizers are made from ammonia (NH3), which is sometimes injected into the ground
directly. The ammonia is produced by the Haber-Bosch process.[19] In this energy-intensive
process, natural gas (CH4) usually supplies the hydrogen, and the nitrogen (N2) is derived from
the air. This ammonia is used as a feedstock for all other nitrogen fertilizers, such as anhydrous
ammonium nitrate (NH4NO3) and urea (CO(NH2)2).

Commercially uses N fertilizer Ammonium Nitrate N34.4

Composition: nitrogen (N) - 34.4 % (ammonia N (N-NH4) - 17.2 %; nitrate N (N-NO3) - 17.2
%).

Fertilizing effect: ammonium nitrate provides plants with required amount of nitrogen, which is
especially important during the period of intensive growth. Fertilization not only ensures
effective growth and ripening, faster root development, rapid nutrient absorption, but also
prevents leave yellowing. Nitrogen stimulates and regulates many vital plant growth processes.
Plants fertilized with ammonium nitrate consume less water, contain more proteins and sugar,
have longer vegetation period.
 Phosphate fertilizers
All phosphate fertilizers are obtained by extraction from minerals containing the anion PO43−. In
rare cases, fields are treated with the crushed mineral, but most often more soluble salts are
produced by chemical treatment of phosphate minerals. The most popular phosphate-containing
minerals are referred to collectively as phosphate rock. The main minerals
are fluorapatite Ca5(PO4)3F (CFA) and hydroxyapatite Ca5(PO4)3OH. These minerals are
converted to water-soluble phosphate salts by treatment with sulfuric (H2SO4) or phosphoric
acids (H3PO4). The large production of sulfuric acid as an industrial chemical is primarily due to
its use as cheap acid in processing phosphate rock into phosphate fertilizer. The global primary
uses for both sulfur and phosphorus compounds relate to this basic process.
DAP is the world’s most widely used phosphorus fertilizer. It is popular due to its relatively high
nutrient content and its excellent physical properties. DAP is an excellent source of phosphorus
(P) and nitrogen (N) for plant nutrition. It provides the correct proportion of phosphorous and
nitrogen for the farming of grains such as wheat, barley, fruits, and vegetables. The global
demand for DAP is about 30 million tons a year.

Potassium fertilizers
Potash is a mixture of potassium minerals used to make potassium (chemical symbol: K)
fertilizers. Potash is soluble in water, so the main effort in producing this nutrient from the ore
involves some purification steps; e.g., to remove sodium chloride (NaCl) (common salt).
Sometimes potash is referred to as K2O, as a matter of convenience to those describing the
potassium content. In fact, potash fertilizers are usually potassium chloride, potassium
sulfate, potassium carbonate, or potassium nitrate.

Placement of the fertilizer in a band approximately 3 inches to the side and 2 inches below the
seed is an effective method of preventing fertilizer injury.

Compound fertilizers[ (NPK)

Compound fertilizers, which contain N, P, and K, can often be produced by mixing straight
fertilizers. In some cases, chemical reactions occur between the two or more components. For
example, monoammonium and diammonium phosphates, which provide plants with both N and
P, are produced by neutralizing phosphoric acid (from phosphate rock) and ammonia :
NH3 + H3PO4 → (NH4)H2PO4
2 NH3 + H3PO4 → (NH4)2HPO4
Advantages:
100% water soluble
Reduces phosphate loss and increase yield
Ideal for all irrigation system, drip, tape, sprinkler and pivot systems

Organic fertilizers

―Organic fertilizers‖ can describe those fertilizers with an organic — biologic — origin—that is,
fertilizers derived from living or formerly living materials. Organic fertilizers can also describe
commercially available and frequently packaged products that strive to follow the expectations
and restrictions adopted by ―organic agriculture‖ and ‖environmentally friendly" gardening —
related systems of food and plant production that significantly limit or strictly avoid the use of
synthetic fertilizers and pesticides. The ―organic fertilizer‖ products typically contain both some
organic materials as well as acceptable additives such as nutritive rock powders, ground sea
shells (crab, oyster, etc.), other prepared products such as seed meal or kelp, and cultivated
microorganisms and derivatives.
Fertilizers of an organic origin (the first definition) include animal wastes, plant wastes from
agriculture, compost, and treated sewage sludge (biosolids). Beyond manures, animal sources
can include products from the slaughter of animals — bloodmeal, bone meal, feather meal, hides,
hoofs, and horns all are typical components.