Various types of fertilizers are utilized, each formulated with specific nutrient combinations to cater to the requirements of diverse crops and soil types. In this article, we will discuss in detail the most common fertilizers used in agriculture.
Fast Facts. What: Granular fertilizers are nutrient-rich solid particles that slowly release nutrients over time. Key Nutrients: Nitrogen (N), Phosphorus (P), and Potassium (K), along with secondary nutrients and micronutrients. Types: Slow-release, quick-release, synthetic, and organic granular fertilizers. Benefits: Controlled nutrient release, longer-lasting effects, …
Understanding the common organic fertilizers available is as simple as knowing what organic materials each offers your soil and how "available" (easily accessed) those offerings are for plant growth. To that end, here's a list of common organic fertilizers and what they offer.
Most fertilizers that are commonly used in agriculture contain the three basic plant nutrients: nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. Some fertilizers also contain certain "micronutrients," such as zinc and other metals, that are necessary for plant growth.
Of commercially produced potassium compounds, almost 95 percent of them are used in agriculture as fertilizer. Mixed fertilizers contain more than one of the three major nutrients—nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium.
Fertilizers come in many different forms, from naturally occurring in the soil to commercial or organic products, liquid and dry, and in many different formulations. Here's how to choose what your plants need.
Common commercially packaged organic fertilizers include naturally sourced ingredients, such as bloodmeal, bonemeal, bat guano, fish emulsion, and kelp meal. Some products boost soil acidity or alkalinity, while others add a specific element.
Fertilizers are commonly used for growing all crops, with application rates depending on the soil fertility, usually as measured by a soil test and according to the particular crop. Legumes, for example, fix nitrogen from the atmosphere and generally do not require nitrogen fertilizer.
Urea is the world's most common and widely used nitrogen fertilizer in the agricultural sector for improved plant growth and yield. This chemical fertilizer has been used as a ladder to huge success in agro revolution among farmers.
Many countries overapply fertilizers, leading to the runoff of nutrients into water systems and ecosystems. A problem we need to tackle is using fertilizers efficiently: yielding its benefits to feed a growing population while reducing the environmental damage that they cause.