Fertilizers 4hours

Introduction(need of fertilizers), functions of essential plant nutrients(N,P,K),

Classification of fertilizers with examples. Nitrogeneous, Phosphatic and mixed fertilizers with
suitable examples. Manufacture of urea and Super phosphate of lime, and their uses.
Fertilizer industries in India.

Introduction: Every year population is rapidly increasing by natural laws and when mouths are
multiplying food production of a nation must be increased. An efficient agricultural system of a
nation can supply the food that it needs if the nations soil the manpower engaged on fields and
the means of modern science are properly harnessed. The efficient and proper use of manures
and fertilizers is one of the most important technical factors in food production. Since the object
of employing fertilizers is to improve the nutrition of a plan, it is desirable to consider at the
outset requirements for the growth of a plant and how the deficiencies in the soil, if any, are
made good in the form of fertilizers.

Requirements of a plant: The plant food is entirely of inorganic origin. Of all the elements only
sixteen elements have been found to be necessary for the healthy growth of plant-life. H, O and
C make to the bulk and are very easily available in plenty in the form of water and CO2. The
other elements are nitrogen, phosphorous, potassium, sulphur, calcium, magnesium, iron,
manganese, copper, zinc, molybdenum, boron and chlorine. Out of these thirteen elements
nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium are very important. It is curious to note that some of them
like phosphorous and potassium in the free state are definitely harmful to the plants while some
others like nitrogen in the free state are useless. These elements are useful to plants only in the
combined state. The compounds of these elements are absorbed in the form of their solution from
the soil by roots of the plants. A substance which supplies to the soil the constituents which are
required for the healthy growth of plants is known as a fertilizer.
Normal soil always contains sufficient amount of combined nitrogen as nitrates. It also
contains salts of sodium, potassium, calcium and magnesium in the form of chlorides, sulphates
and phosphates. There are silicates and also free silica in soil however potassium salts, nitrates
and phosphates are required to be added conveniently in the form of nitre, potassium chloride or
sulphate. These salts when added as fertilizers are expressed on the basis of K2O. Combined
nitrogen is supplied in the form of chile nitre, calcium nitrate, ammonium sulphate, blood,
guano, calcium cyanamide, urea nitrogenous animal products and farm yard manure. The
fertilizing value of these is expressed as available quantity of nitrogen in them. Phosphates are
supplied as soluble superphosphate of lime, nitro phosphate, basic slag, bones, bone-meal and
other phosphates which can be dissolved by the carbonic acid evolved from humus (decaying
vegetable matter in the soil). The phosphorus content in these fertilizers is expressed as P2O5.
In addition to nutritive supply, the crop growth also depends upon the conditions such as 10
temperature of air and soil 2) light, including even varying lengths of day 3) soil depth and
structure, 4) soil moisture, air and soil slope 5) plant diseases and insects 6) hazards of floods
and 7) violent winds.
Qualities of a fertilizers: An ideal fertilizer should show the following qualities.1) as the object
of a fertilizer is to increase the fertility i.e. crop yielding capacity of the soil it must provide the
necessary constituents to the plant growth.2) for the proper growth of plants, the soil should be
slightly basic i.e. its PH value should be 7 to 8. A good fertilizer should, therefore, be basic and it
should remove acidity. At least it should not produce acidity. 3) a fertilizer if it is to be really
useful, must be soluble in water and should be assimilated by plants. 4) it should not also
produce extra heat because if quantity of water is not much plants will practically burn. 5) a
fertilizer is also not expected to spoil the texture of the soil which should be loose.6) it should
have good physical form so that it can be distributed uniformly in the soil. It should not be
gummy and compact. 7) Fertilizers must be in such form that elements are not leached away
easily.
Classification of fertilizers: Fertilizers are classified in several ways depending on their sour
ways depending on their sources, composition characteristics and uses. A fertilizing material
should supply to the soil the three basic elements namely nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium
in order of preference.
10 Direct fertilizers: These fertilizers include ammonium compounds, nitrates and
superphosphates as these substances can absorb directly by the plant from the soil.
2) Indirect fertilizers: These are fertilizing materials which help fertilization indirectly by
making the soil loose and neutralizing its acidity. Humus (organic matter in the soil) and lime are
included in this type. These are also known as soil improvers or conditioners.
3) Complete and incomplete fertilizers: