2 Main Sources of fertilizers
A fertilizer is artificially prepared manure with a variable concentration of plant food. Fertilizers are mostly inorganic preparations although some like urea are organic compounds.
A good farmer knows the importance of a good fertilizer. Recognizing which fertilizer best fits the needs of your specific plants will help you to maximize your productivity and output. Become a fertilizing expert as you learn about the different options and nutrients that can impact your crops. Fertilizers can be purchased in dry (granular) or liquid form.
Dry fertilizers are applied using a broadcast spreader, a planter or drill. When two or more fertilizer sources are mixed, some degree of particle size uniformity of each of the individual sources is essential for uniform placement of the nutrients in the mixture. With the proper equipment, liquid fertilizers are easy to handle.
Chemical compatibility of different liquid fertilizers is important when materials are mixed to prevent precipitation in the mixing tank. Two major sources of fertilizers are the organic and inorganic sources giving rise to organic and inorganic fertilizers.
By the end of this article, you will be able to outline the different sources of fertilizers and discuss the advantage and disadvantage of each of the sources.
2 Main Sources of Fertilizers
1. Organic Fertilizers
2. Inorganic Fertilizers
Organic fertilizers are made from natural and organic materials—mainly manure, compost, or other animal and plant products. These fertilizers are a great source of nutrients, though there isn’t a measurable amount of any specific nutrients—some bags will print estimates.
Organic fertilizers tend to work slowly and over the long-term. It can help to build up your soil over time. One of the best benefits of organic fertilizers is that is can be made at home. Using your own compost can help grow your garden.
Inorganic fertilizers are made of up chemical components that contain necessary nutrients, hence may be referred to as chemical or synthetic fertilizers. If you’re looking to give your garden a quick boost, this is likely the best option for you. For successful short-term growth, determine what nutrient your plant needs and use an inorganic fertilizer with nutrient.
1. Organic Fertilizers
It is necessary to clarify that organic fertilizers, in some countries, are those fertilizers that can be used in organic farming, and are derived from animal matter, animal excreta, human excreta and vegetable matter, according to some international standards.
European Commissions working groups gave a more generic definition of organic fertilizers as those whose nutrients are contained in organic materials of animal, vegetable or other natural organic origin constituted by compounds/materials, in which the main nutrients are chemically linked or are part of these organic matrices.
The nutrients contained in organic fertilizers must be transformed in the soil by microorganisms before they are assimilated by the plants. Their incorporation into the crops is, however, more gradual than those of inorganic or mineral fertilizers.
Importance of organic fertilizers in agriculture
Organic fertilizer, when available, can and should be part and parcel of soil fertility management strategies. Organic fertilizer alone will, however, not be sufficient to support the sustained high levels of production and productivity necessary to feed Africa’s rapidly growing population. This is due to space–time variability in production and utilization.
Application of organic fertilizers, as a component of sustainable agriculture apart from soil mineral provision, contribute to soil quality by improving the chemistry, biological and structural levels of soil. These shape the general agricultural soils‟ health.
Its nutrients are also gradually released and reused. Because it is based, mostly on locally sourced materials with little or no dependence on external inputs, it is one of the eco-friendly infrastructures for sustainable rural development.
Benefits of using organic fertilizers
There is an array of advantages in using organic fertilizers for crops production. Some examples of such advantages are as stated below:
1. Improves soil Structure
Because of the organic matter present in organic fertilizer, soil structure is improved and as a result, the soil water and nutrients holding capacity increases.
2. More microorganisms’ activity
Organic fertilizer is rich in organic matter, which assists microbes to favourably perform decomposition activity. Organic fertilizer also contains carbon as part of its chemical structure; and it is the C, along with N, P and K that nourishes microorganisms and enables them to make nutrients available for plants in a naturally occurring biological process.
3. More environmentally
Friendly Chemical fertilizers run off into waterways thereby harming aquatic life and water quality. Organic fertilizers, on the other hand, do not run off as easily, even if at all, and are associated with soil structure.
According to the Organic Trade Association, organic fertilizers also increase species biodiversity by up to 30 % compared with artificial fertilizers.
4. Reduce Fertilizers and Pesticides
Although organic fertilizers can be costlier than synthetic, depending on certain factors and conditions, it can reduce the need for pesticides and the overall N, P and K requirements. This is due to reductions; organic fertilizer can be cost neutral and sometimes a cost savings.
5. Plant Damage Threat Avoided
Some synthetic fertilizers can cause plant damage to leaves and roots, due to their burning effects. This is a situation less likely with organic fertilizers.
Shortcomings of using organic fertilizers
1. Not all Products are created
Equally Not all products are created equally and many organic products produce inconsistent results. Make sure you are selecting a product that is industry vetted by reviewing any university studies or case studies.
2. Low Nutrient Levels
The level of nutrients present in organic fertilizer is usually low. Additionally, the nutrients are often complex in organic chemical structure. Using an organic fertilizer is, therefore a process, not an event.
3. Making compost may be a Complicated
Procedure While one can produce one’s own compost; it’s sometimes a messy and complicated process that may lead to an inconsistent product and end-result. Another disadvantage is that, when organic matter decomposition is rapid, more nutrients are released but release of soil organic matter, on the other hand, is favoured by a slow decomposition process. Decomposition of organic matter, therefore, operates with moisture and temperature.
These two vital factors can, however, not be controlled and hence nutrient may be released when the plants do not need them.
4. Potentially pathogenic
In addition, an organic fertilizer or incomplete/badly formed compost can leave some types of pathogens in organic matter. The pathogens can later enter water or food chains, thereby causing environmental and health problems.
2. Inorganic Fertilizers
Inorganic fertilizers are available in the form of single fertilizers, incomplete fertilizers and complete fertilizers. Single element fertilizers contain only one fertilizer element. Examples are ammonium sulphate (N2), Urea (N), super phosphate (P205), Mariate of potash (K2O). Incomplete fertilizers contain two fertilizer elements; a typical example is Ammonium Phosphate (N + P205).
Compound fertilizers containing three elements are designated complete fertilizers. Ammonium phosphate which has an analysis of 11-45-0 is also called a compound two element fertilizer while an example of a complete fertilizer is compound 15-15-15.
The use of inorganic fertilizer is one of the crucial land management practices that has reduced nutrient problem in cropland and considerably increased soil fertility and consequent crop yields over the past century.
Chemical P fertilizer production was also enhanced along with the P acid. On the one hand, as a crucial constituent of the green revolution, the histrionic increase in fertilizer production and application has markedly contributed in global rise in agricultural productivity and, hence, reduced hunger. Disproportionate use of inorganic fertilizer, on the other hand, is proven to be causing a number of environmental and ecological menaces, within and outside of farmlands, as eutrophication of water bodies, air pollution, soil acidification and degradation, reduction in crop yield, and attenuation of food and energy production sustainability from agricultural fields.
Increase in world total fertilizer use is derived from both cropland expansion and elevated fertilizer application rate per unit cropping area.
Benefits of using Inorganic fertilizers
There are various advantages of inorganic fertilizers to crop plants. Some examples of such benefits are given below for reference purpose, as follows:
1. Support to crop growth
Generally, chemical fertilizers contain the primary plant nutrients (N, P and K) in specifically predetermined ratios tailored towards specific growth needs of specific crop plants. These fertilizer’s nutrients allow crops to grow even in depleted soils, as the basic nutritional requirements of the crop plants are met.
2. Provision of a predictable and efficient nutrients’ source
Manufactured fertilizers contain a predictable ratio of N, P and K. These nutrients are dissolved in the soil water before quickly reaching plants‟ cells, where they are required. The nutrients consistency allow for efficient production of crop products.
3. Allow crops to grow faster and bigger
Crops are capable of growing faster and bigger, due to the nutrients being applied to them through fertilizer application, than those crops living in infertile and/or unproductive soils.
4. Allow for an increased harvest
A quick and efficient production increases harvest yields thereby making food relatively more available and, hence even, affordable through a reduced cost of production.
5. Their nature of easy transport
Chemical fertilizers are easier to transport than such organic soil amendments as animal manure. They are also cheap to produce, and hence cheap to purchase, depending of course upon the country.
Shortcomings of Using Inorganic Fertilizers
1. Possible burning effect
Synthetic fertilizers are composed of high amounts of acidic chemicals and can, therefore, have negative impact on soil quality and burning effect on crop plants and can even affect human skin negatively.
2. Fertilizers are potential pollutants
Nitrogenous fertilizers, through surface runoff from farmlands can enter into water bodies after rains, thereby causing toxic algal blooms in such water bodies as rivers, lakes, ponds, et cetera due eutrophication. Chemical fertilizers, depending on type and concentration, usually contain toxins that can be destructive to the soil, especially under poor management system. The chemicals can also be poisonous to humans, wildlife and aquatic lives. Fertilizers can also leach through soil into groundwater, making it very harmful to the surrounding environment.
3. Results in depleted soils
Synthetic fertilizers typically only supply N, P and K, but do not supply most other nutrients to the soil. Consequently, the soil that is continuously used for growing crops with given chemical fertilizers is being depleted, over time, and the food crops may also be nutritionally deficient.
This explains why, over the last century, some soils in many parts of the world, become so depleted that many food items became significantly deficient in many such vital nutrients as Mg, as the soil is mostly not been replenished any nutrient other than the N, P and K.
4. Interfering with natural soil ecology
In addition to the role of heavy tillage practice of agriculture in disrupting the delicately balanced soil ecosystem, consistent application of chemical fertilizers to crops can also retard the growth of many beneficial soil organisms and even kill others. Without a healthy soil ecology having appropriate texture and structure, soil moisture will not be well retained and this will lead to a reduced resilience to drought. Crop health will also be at stake as unhealthy soil always leads to plants to be more exposed to more pests and diseases.
5. Chemical fertilizers are like steroids for plants
Fertilizers provide plant-available nutrients for crops‟ growth; as a consequence, however, the crops can over grow to an extent that their roots cannot sustain. This can result in weaker plants that are further more vulnerable on their own to pests and diseases organisms.
Organic fertilizers are made from natural and organic materials—mainly manure, compost, or other animal and plant products. Organic fertilizers tend to work slowly and over the long-term. It can help to build up your soil over time.
One of the best benefits of organic fertilizers is that is can be made at home using compost. Inorganic fertilizers are made of up chemical components that contain necessary nutrients, hence may be referred to as chemical or synthetic fertilizers.
Inorganic fertilizers work faster because it is already in a mineralized for which make it easy for plants to pick it up.
Organic fertilizers are those fertilizers that can be used in organic farming, and are derived from animal matter, animal excreta, human excreta and vegetable matter, according to some international standards.
Inorganic fertilizers are made of up chemical components that contain necessary nutrients, hence may be referred to as chemical or synthetic fertilizers.
