Fertilizers: what is in fertilizers, Types, Uses, Advantages

30 Sep.,2024

 

Fertilizers: what is in fertilizers, Types, Uses, Advantages

Fertilizers are chemicals substances that farmers use daily to improve the growth and productivity of crops. Fertilizers provide beneficial nutrients that plants need to grow. Furthermore, families may also use them for flowers and plants to help them grow in a garden. Many fertilizers examples are suitable to be used on a large farm. Such farms may involve thousands of acres of crops.

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The development of a large range of fertilizers examples has taken place to assist the growth of different crops. Consequently, these crops can grow under different weather conditions and under different types of soil. Chemical ingredients present in fertilizer are a cost-effective way to promote plant growth. Also, there is a strict regulation of fertilizer by both federal governments and state governments. This ensures the safety of the environments as well as of the people who use them.

Fertilizers Definition

Fertilizers refer to chemical substances whose application takes place to the crops to boost their productivity. Furthermore, farmers use them on a daily basis to enhance crop yield.

The composition of fertilizers involves the necessary nutrients needed by the plants. Moreover, such essential nutrients are phosphorus, potassium, and nitrogen. Consequently,  an enhancement takes place in the water retention capacity of the soil, which in turn, increases fertility.

The composition of fertilizers makes them suitable food for plants.  Furthermore, various chemical fertilizers examples provide beneficial nutrients that plants need to grow.

In addition to carbon, hydrogen and oxygen, which they get from the atmosphere and water, plants need 14 essential nutrients for their growth and health, which fertilizer provides.

Most chemical fertilizers examples consist of 14 essential nutrients to assist plant growth. Most noteworthy, these nutrients are nickel (Ni), manganese (Mn), nitrogen (N), zinc (Zn), phosphorus (P), molybdenum (Mo), potassium (K), chlorine (Cl), sulphur (S), magnesium (Mg), calcium (Ca), copper (Cu), iron (Fe), and boron (B).

Types of Fertilizers

There are six different fertilizers examples. These types are mentioned below:

Inorganic Fertilizers

Inorganic fertilizers are one of the chemical fertilizers examples that involve various essential nutrient elements.  Furthermore, they are made not by natural means but rather by chemical means. Moreover, these examples assist in the growth of crops. The inorganic fertilizers are of the following two types:

Nitrogen Fertilizer- It contains nitrogen that crops require for their development. Furthermore, chlorophyll&#;s main constituent is Nitrogen that maintains a balance in photosynthesis. Moreover, they are also a part of amino acids that constitutes protein.

Phosphorus Fertilizer- The main nutrient in it is phosphorus. Furthermore, Phosphorus plays a key role in the growth and development of the plant cell. Moreover, this type of fertilizer is beneficial for the growth of roots.

Organic Fertilizers

Organic fertilizers are the second main type. Furthermore, experts obtain this type of fertilizer from living beings. Here, the composition of fertilizers is such that soil enrichment takes place.

The soil enrichment takes place due to the carbonic compounds that play an important role in the growth of plants. The increase of the organic matter content of the soil takes place with the organic type. Moreover, this type of fertilizer also facilitates the reproduction of microorganisms and improves soil characteristics.

On can obtain organic fertilizer from the following products:

  • Municipal Sludge
  • Agricultural Waste
  • Livestock Manure
  • Industrial Waste

Advantages of Fertilizers

Below is a description of the advantages of a fertilizer:

  • A fertilizer facilitates easy storage, transportation, and application.
  • For supplying a particular nutrient, one can choose a particular fertilizer because of its nutrient particular nature.
  • It is of a water-soluble nature that can dissolve in the soil in an easy manner. Consequently, this facilitates plant absorption.
  • Their effect on the crops and plants is rapid.
  • They enhance the crop yield
  • Fertilizers facilitate sufficient food production that helps in feeding a large population.
  • They are safe, reliable, and are of a predictable nature.

Disadvantages of Fertilizers

Fertilizers involve the following disadvantages:

  • They are expensive due to which many farmers cannot afford them.
  • The ingredients in the fertilizers sometimes can be toxic to the respiratory system and to the skin.
  • Excessive use of fertilizer harms the plants and diminishes the fertility of the soil.
  • Leaching can occur due to fertilizer
  • Fertilizers can make their way to the river thereby causes eutrophication.
  • Long term use of these substances over time can diminish microbial activity.
  • The pH of the soil can be disturbed by these substances.

Uses of Fertilizers

The use of fertilizers can take place for various purposes. Furthermore, such uses are mentioned below:

  • Their use takes place to provide much-needed nutrients to the plants.
  • Their addition takes place for the improvement of the yield of the crops.
  • Nitrogen-rich fertilizer is used by people for the greening of lawns.
  • The improvement of the fertility and texture of the soil can take place by using organic fertilizer.
  • The use of these substances takes place by gardeners to fulfil the nutritional need of plants.
  • The addition of these substances takes place in potted plants that replace the lost nutrients.

The population of the world continued to increase which puts significant pressure on the food resources. Furthermore, it is a huge challenge for governments to feed the growing demands of such populations.

In such a case, agricultural production decline is highly undesirable. This happens due to a lack of nutrients, pests, and soil fertility loss. Consequently, this points to the immense importance of fertilizer in agriculture.

A fertilizer can benefit the plants in the following ways:

  • The tolerance of plants towards pests enhances due to fertilizer, thereby causing healthier crops. Due to this, there has been a reduction of reliance of plants on harmful insecticides and herbicides, thereby, producing healthier crops. Consequently, diseases have reduced.
  • The water holding capacity of a plant can improve due to fertilizer.
  • The potassium content is present in these chemical substances.  Furthermore, the strength of the stalks and straws of the plants increases due to these chemical substances.
  • The fast development of roots becomes possible by the phosphorus content of these chemical substances.
  • This substance facilitates the fast formation of seeds in the plants.
  • An enhancement of the growth of the plants takes place by the fertilizer.

FAQs on Fertilizers

Question 1: What is meant by NPK in a fertilizer?

Answer 1: The value of the three macro-nutrients that the plants use is shown by way of the three numbers on fertilizer. Furthermore, these are the three macro-nutrients, which are as follows:

  •  Nitrogen (N)
  •  Phosphorus (P)
  • Potassium (K)

For short-form, use of NPK takes place.
Question 2: Is urea a form of fertilizer?

Answer 2: Urea is a type of nitrogenous fertilizer that one purchase from the market. Furthermore, this particular fertilizer has the highest Nitrogen content, which is approximately 46 percent.

The main function of urea is to provide the plants with nitrogen. This way, green leafy growth takes place. The aiding of the photosynthesis process also takes place by urea.

Question 3: Which fertilizer makes leaves grow faster?

Answer 3: The Nitrates (the leaf makers) fertilizer is the one that makes laves grow faster. That is why this fertilizer is also known as the leaf maker. Furthermore, these types of fertilizers have high nitrogen content.

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Understanding Fertilisers

All plants require nutrients for their growth and other functions. Fertilisers are applied to the soil to increase fertility so that the plants can grow vigorously and reproduce.

Get to know the different type of fertilisers, their advantages and disadvantages and when to apply them in your home garden.  


Macro and Micronutrients 

Macronutrients and micronutrients are essential for plant growth. Macronutrients such as Nitrogen (N), Phosphorus (P) and Potassium (K) are required by the plant in relatively large amounts while micronutrients like Iron (Fe), Copper (Cu), Zinc (Zn), Boron (B), Molybdenum (Mo) and Manganese (Mn) are needed in smaller amounts.

Nitrogen

Promotes growth of leaves of the plant

Phosphorus

Promotes the formation of lateral and fibrous roots

Promotes flowering

Increases the strength of plant stems

Potassium


Promotes formation and enlargement of fruits

Increases disease resistance


If such nutrients are not adequate, adding fertilisers in the soil or growing media will help the plants to obtain them. 


Types of Fertilisers

Fertilisers are classified as complete and incomplete and usually distinguished by the series of three numbers on the labels on their packs, like 14-14-14 or 16-20-0. These three numbers represent the value of the Nitrogen (N), Phosphorus (P) and Potassium (K) ratio of each pack, in which the higher the number the more concentration of nutrients in the fertiliser.





Complete fertiliser contains these three primary nutrients of NPK and usually comes in the form of granules or pellets. Incomplete fertilisers supply only one or two of the primary nutrients and is available often in the form of soluble crystals.


How to Identify Fertilisers?

Organic fertilisers come from only plant or animal products or by-products such as chicken manures, leaves and compost. Generally, most organic fertiliser will be darker coloured and in the form of powders, granules or of uneven texture.


Inorganic or synthetic fertilisers are produced artificially and come from sources other than animals or plants. They usually contain mineral and chemical products. Since they are manufactured, they are available in various forms such as granular white crystalline, granular colourless or coloured crystalline.


Advantages and Disadvantages

Organic fertiliser

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Advantages

Disadvantages


Release nutrients gradually (Prevents over fertilisation which is harmful to plants)


Improves the structure of the soil and increases its ability to hold water and nutrients


Little to no risk of toxic build-ups of chemicals and salts that can harm the plants


Renewable, biodegradable, sustainable, and environmentally friendly


Nutrient ratios are often unknown, and the overall nutrient percentage is lower than chemical fertilisers


May attract pests and diseases


It takes time for the nutrients to be supplied to the plants and improvements to the plant may take more time

Inorganic fertiliser

Advantages

Disadvantages

 

Nutrients are available to the plants immediately and improvements can occur in days


Highly analysed to produce the exact ratio of nutrients desired


Standardised labelling makes ratios and chemical sources easy to understand


Relatively inexpensive


Chemical fertilisers are made from non-renewable resources such as fossil fuels


They help plants grow but do nothing to improve soil structure


Chance of over fertilisation if used wrongly. This can not only kill the plants but upset the entire ecosystem.


Chemical fertilisers tend to leach or filter away from the plants, requiring additional applications.


Toxic build-up of chemicals and salt


Before you apply fertiliser, you should have your soil tested to determine what type of fertiliser your soil needs. Your plants may also show visual clues (symptoms) that aid in determining the nutrient deficiency. 


Common Symptoms of Nutrient Deficiency

Nitrogen (N)

Phosphorus (P)

Potassium (K)

  • Leaves turn pale yellow (chlorotic)

 

 

  • Poor, stunted growth



  • Stems, petioles and underside of leaves turn purple, orange or red.

  • Occur first in lower leaves



  • Tips of older leaves turn brown, or the plant has a burnt appearance on leaf tips and margins

Magnesium (Mg)

Iron (Fe)

Boron (B)



  • Paleness between veins on older leaves.

  • As symptoms progress, leaves shrivel and die


  • Yellowing (Chlorosis) between veins on younger leaves



  • Tips of leaves become hook in appearance


Learn how to make your own fertiliser and pesticide here.

Gardeners&#; Day Out Is Back!

Participate from the comfort of your home with online activities such as talks and demonstrations, video tutorials of activities and promotions offered. Free guided tours will also be offered on site (with safe management measures). Enjoy Gardeners&#; Day Out online at www.nparks.gov.sg/GDO.

You can also enjoy our Gardening With Edibles Masterclass Series from your home. They are conducted by NParks horticulturists, focusing on unique and challenging edibles across different plant families.

CIB Awards
The Community in Bloom (CIB) Awards recognises excellence in gardening efforts by community groups and aims to encourage community gardeners to improve the standards of their gardens while continuing to enjoy gardening as a fun and healthy activity.

This year, the CIB Award focuses on community gardens in schools and organisations, as well as a new category of indoor gardens. Click here for more information.


Gardening with Edibles
The City in Nature vision seeks to bring greenery closer to all residents. The community plays a key role in the ownership and stewardship for nature which will benefit our health and well-being.

NParks is partnering residents to make Singapore our City in Nature and spark a love for community gardening through the Gardening with Edibles initiative launched in June . Under this programme, some 400,000 free seed packets have been distributed to interested members of the public. Relevant resources are also available online, to guide gardeners along the way.

Also, NParks is expanding the allotment gardening scheme and the Community in Bloom programme, to welcome even more residents into the gardening family.

The Gardening with Edibles initiative is aligned with Singapore&#;s national strategy to strengthen our food resilience. The &#;30 by 30&#; goal, led by the Singapore Food Agency, aims to produce 30% of Singapore&#;s nutritional needs locally by the year . The programme is jointly funded by founding partners DBS Bank and Tote Board through the Garden City Fund.


Learning More
If you are a gardening newbie, visit NParksSG, our refreshed YouTube Channel that serves as a one-stop repository for close to 300 video resources. It covers topics ranging from types of soil needed for your garden and how to plant, harvest and even cook your edibles. 


How can you make your garden more welcoming to bees? Learn more here.


Keep your garden safe from attack by insect pests. Learn more about five such common pests of edible plants here. 


How can you make your garden more welcoming to bees? Learn more here.


Learn more NParks&#; Plant Health Services whose work helps keep Singapore safe from the incursion of exotic plant pests.

For more information about the flora and fauna found in Singapore, please visit Flora and Fauna Web.


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Text from Plant Science and Health Branch


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