INTRODUCTION

Fertilizer is
any organic or
inorganic
material of
natural or
synthetic origin
(other than
liming materials)
that is added to
a soil to supply
one or more plant nutrients essential to the growth of
plants. Conservative estimates report 30 to 50% of crop
yields are attributed to natural or synthetic commercial
fertilizer. European fertilizer market is expected to grow
to €15.3 billion by 2018.

Mined inorganic fertilizers have been used for many

centuries, whereas chemically synthesized inorganic
fertilizers were only widely developed during
the industrial revolution. Increased understanding and
use of fertilizers were important parts of the pre-
industrial British Agricultural Revolution and the
industrial Green Revolution of the 20th century.

Inorganic fertilizer use has also significantly supported

global population growth — it has been estimated that
almost half the people on the Earth are currently fed as a
result of synthetic nitrogen fertilizer use.

Fertilizers typically provide, in varying proportions:

 six
macronutrients: nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassiu
m (K), calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), and sulfur (S);
 eight
micronutrients: boron (B), chlorine (Cl), copper (Cu), iro
n (Fe), manganese (Mn), molybdenum (Mo), zinc (Zn)
and nickel (Ni) (1987).

The macronutrients are consumed in larger quantities

and are present in plant tissue in quantities from 0.15%
to 6.0% on a dry matter (0% moisture) basis (DM).
Micronutri ents are consumed in smaller quantities and
are present in plant tissue on the order of parts per
million (ppm), ranging from 0.15 to 400 ppm DM, or less
than 0.04% DM.
Only three other macronutrients are required by all
plants: carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen. These nutrients
are supplied by water and carbon dioxide.

Labeling of chemical fertilizer

The labeling of fertilizers varies. In most countries the

macronutrients are labeled with an NPK analysis (in
Australia, "N-P-K-S" adding sulfur).

The three numbers on the fertilizer label represent an

analysis of the composition by weight. These three
numbers correspond to nitrogen, phosphorus, and
potassium (N-P-K) and always appear in that specific
order. When a 4th number is included, it indicates the
sulfur content (N-P-K-S).

While the number for "N" represents the percentage

weight of nitrogen, in some European countries, the other
two components are not for the analysis of the element,
but rather, the analysis of the "available" or "soluble"
form of the element. In traditional chemical analysis, the
tests used treated the sample so as to measure the
equivalent P2O5 and K2O. For instance, some potassium-
bearing rocks do not count as having available potassium.

History

Founded in
1812, Mirat, producer
ofmanures and
fertilizers, is claimed
to be the oldest
industrial business
inSalamanca (Spain).
Management of soil fertility has been the pre-occupation
of farmers for thousands of years. The start of the
modern science of plant nutrition dates to the 19th
century and the work of German chemist Justus von
Liebig, among others.

John Bennet Lawes, an English entrepreneur, began to

experiment on the effects of various manures on plants
growing in pots in 1837, and a year or two later the
experiments were extended to crops in the field. One
immediate consequence was that in 1842 he patented a
manure formed by treating phosphates with sulphuric
acid, and thus was the first to create the artificial manure
industry. In the succeeding year he enlisted the services
of Joseph Henry Gilbert, with whom he carried on for
more than half a century on experiments in raising crops
at the Rothamsted Experimental Station.

The Birkeland–Eyde process was one of the competing

industrial processes in the beginning of nitrogen based
fertilizer production. It was developed by Norwegian
industrialist and scientist Kristian Birkeland along with his
business partner Sam Eyde in 1903, based on a method
used by Henry Cavendish in 1784.This process was used
to fix atmospheric nitrogen (N2) into nitric acid (HNO3),
one of several chemical processes generally referred to
as nitrogen fixation. The resultant nitric acid was then
used as a source of nitrate (NO3-) in the reaction

HNO3 → H+ + NO3-

which may take place in the presence of water or

another proton acceptor. Nitrate is an ion which plants
can absorb.

A factory based on the process was built

in Rjukan and Notodden in Norway, combined with the
building of large hydroelectric power facilities.

The Birkeland-Eyde process is relatively inefficient in

terms of energy consumption. Therefore, in the 1910s
and 1920s, it was gradually replaced in Norway by a
combination of the Haber process and theOstwald
process.

Inorganic
commercial
fertilizer

Fertilizers are
broadly divided
into organic fer
tilizers (composed of organic plant or animal matter),
or inorganic or commercial fertilizers. Plants can only
absorb their required nutrients if they are present in
easily dissolved chemical compounds. Both organic and
inorganic fertilizers provide the same needed chemical
compounds. Organic fertilizers provided other macro and
micro plant nutrients and are released as the organic
matter decays—this may take months or years. Organic
fertilizers nearly always have much lower concentrations
of plant nutrients and have the usual problems of
economical collection, treatment, transportation and
distribution.

Inorganic fertilizers nearly always are readily dissolved

and unless added have few other macro and micro plant
nutrients. Nearly all nitrogen that plants use is in the form
of NH3 or NO3 compounds. The usable phosphorus
compounds are usually in the form of phosphoric acid
(H3PO4) and the potassium (K) is typically in the form of
potassium chloride (KCl). In organic fertilizers nitrogen,
phosphorus and potassium compounds are released from
the complex organic compounds as the animal or plant
matter decays. In commercial fertilizers the same
required compounds are available in easily dissolved
compounds that require no decay—they can be used
almost immediately after water is applied. Inorganic
fertilizers are usually much more concentrated with up to
64% (18-46-0) of their weight being a given plant
nutrient, compared to organic fertilizers that only provide
0.4% or less of their weight as a given plant nutrient.[11]

Nitrogen fertilizers are often made using the Haber-Bosch

process (invented about 1915) which uses natural gas
(CH4+) for the hydrogen and nitrogen gas (N 2) from the air
at an elevated temperature and pressure in the presence
of a catalyst to form ammonia (NH3) as the end product.
This ammonia is used as a feedstock for other nitrogen
fertilizers, such as anhydrous ammonium nitrate (NH4NO3)
and urea(CO(NH2)2). These concentrated products may be
diluted with water to form a concentrated liquid fertilizer
(e.g. UAN). Deposits of sodium nitrate (NaNO3) (saltpeter)
are also found the Atacama desert in Chileand was one of
the original (1830) nitrogen rich inorganic fertilizers used.
It is still mined for fertilizer.

Types of Fertilizers
Most fertilizers are made of synthetic ingredients. The
plants use these
ingredients just as they do
the elements found in
nature. Most modern
fertilizers release elements
slowly, over a long period
of time. Slow release
fertilizers are less likely to
burn plants, but your
should still try to keep
them off leaves and stems
and apply them only as directed.
Some quick-release fertilizers are still available that make
the nutrients all available at once. This means a quick
green up but less margin for error in applying before the
plants suffer chemical burns. These fertilizers must also
be applied more frequently than slow-release fertilizers.
Liquid fertilizers also give plants nutrients immediately.
Liquid fertilizers must be mixed and applied frequently.
They're good for container plants but difficult to use on
large gardens and lawns.
There are fertilizers formulated for certain plants, such as
tomatoes or roses. These contain the major ingredients
found in all fertilizers along with certain trace elements
those plants are known to need. If you have problems
with a certain type of plant, these may help, but only
after a soil test shows a specific nutrient deficiency.
Organic fertilizers are things like bone meal, blood meal
and manure. Bagged varieties sold in stores will carry the
same labels found on other fertilizers. Most organic
fertilizers are high in one nutrient only, and you may need
to buy a combination of them to meet plant needs. New
organic fertilizers with more balanced ingredients are also
on the market.
Some people also fertilize with fresh manure or compost.
Both are great for adding organic matter to the soil, but
used as a fertilizer they have drawbacks. Manure and
compost vary greatly in nutrient content from batch to
batch. You need a great volume of manure or compost,
six or more inches, to equal a sprinkling of slow-release
fertilizer. Fresh manure can burn plants. Manure may also
bring weed seeds to the garden and is hard to spread on
lawns.
Manure can't be used with vegetables shortly before
harvest due to the danger of bacterial illnesses spreading
into the plants. Organic fertilizers can also put your plants
at risk, as their odors encourage wildlife to investigate
your yard, which can lead to seeds and plants being dug
up or devoured.

Choosing and Using Fertilizer

Most fertilizers
are labeled
garden fertilizer,
lawn fertilizer,
flower fertilizer,
etc. The main
difference
between them is
the ratio of the major ingredients. These are the easiest
fertilizers for gardeners to use. Just choose the fertilizer
for the type of plants you are growing and follow
directions. Flowers and vegetables can generally use the
same fertilizer, but lawn fertilizer is too high in nitrogen
for vegetables and flowers.
It is possible to buy fertilizer ingredients like potassium
separately at farm supply stores, but they are sold in
large bags that would take home gardeners many years
to use. Buy only the amount of fertilizer you can use in
one year, because the nutrient value will break down
quickly.

Contamination with impurities

Common agricultural grade phosphate fertilizers usually

contain impurities such as fluorides, cadmium and
uranium, although concentrations of the latter two heavy
metals are
dependent
on the
source of the
phosphate
and the
production
process.
These potentially harmful impurities can be removed;
however, this significantly increases cost. Highly pure
fertilizers are widely available and perhaps best known as
the highly water soluble fertilizers containing blue dyes
used around households. These highly water soluble
fertilizers are used in the plant nursery business and are
available in larger packages at significantly less cost than
retail quantities. There are also some inexpensive retail
granular garden fertilizers made with high purity
ingredients.

Oregon and Washington in U. S. have fertilizer

registration programs with on-line databases listing
chemical analyses of fertilizers.[23][24]

The most widely used inorganic fertilizer is super-

phosphate and its double and triple strengthed
derivatives double super and triple super. Super
phosphate was first developed by Lawes at the
Rothamstead Agricultural Research Institute in England in
the early 19th Century.[25] Lawes added sulfuric acid to
conventional rock phosphate containing the mineral
apatite, a calcium fluoro-phosphate. The resulting water
soluble phosphorus was able to significantly improve
yields on a variety of crops at the Rothamstead Centre
and the Superphosphate industry was born. Unfortunately
over decades of subsequent usage - it became clear that
the solubilisation of fluorine also occurred in the process
and this had the same effect as the other halogen
sterilants(chlorine, bromine, iodine) over time - soil
sterilization.

Fertilizer dependency

Effectively farmers unknowingly became 100%

dependent on
'bought in'
water soluble,
inorganic
fertilizers
since the sterilization of soil microflora including its
mycorrhiza, reduced the availability of other natural and
trace minerals within the soil. This to some extent
explains the resurgence of interest in organic and
particularly 'biodynamic' farming systems since these
systems replace the essential soil organisms so essential
to converting soil minerals into plant available (but rarely
water soluble) nutrients.[27] They do this by a variety of
processes including chelation wher eby essential minerals
become plant available - as measured by weak citric acid
extraction techniques. Hence the citric acid solubility of
phosphate rocks has emerged as a measure of plant
availability and enabled so-called 'reactive' phosphate
rocks to be used as fertilizer minerals. These should not
be confused with high fluorine apatite rocks in which the
fluoride content performs a similar function to its role in
hardening teeth enamel, i.e. immobilizing phosphorus.
Soil acidification

Also regular use of acidulated fertilizers generally

contribute to the accumulation of soil acidity in soils
which
progressively
increases
aluminium
availability
and hence
toxicity. The
use of such
acidulated fertilizers in t he tropical and semi-tropical
regions of Indonesia and Malaysia has contributed to soil
degradation on a large scale from aluminium toxicity,
which can only be countered by applications of limestone
or preferably magnesian dolomite, which neutralises acid
soil pH and also provides essential magnesium.

Trace mineral depletion

Many inorganic fertilizers, particularly those based on

superphosphate, may not replace trace mineral elements
in the soil which become gradually depleted by crops.
This depletion has been linked to studies which have
shown a marked fall (up to 75%) in the quantities of such
minerals present in fruit and vegetables. [28] Explanations
for this include the early encouragement of so-called
"luxury consumption" of trace elements as a result of
their acidulation and subsequent dissolution in soil water,
by free sulphuric acid sourced from superphosphate. This
mechanism has also been identified as a possible causal
agent for take-up of the heavy metal cadmium from
superphosphate based fertilizers. In Western Australia
deficiencies of zinc, copper, manganese, iron
and molybdenum were identified as limiting the growth of
broad-acre crops and pastures in the 1940s and
1950s. Such nutrients are described as 'rate limiting'
nutrients. Soils in Western Australia are very old, highly
weathered and deficient in many of the major nutrients
and trace elements.[29] Since this time these trace
elements are routinely added to inorganic fertilizers used
in agriculture in this state.[29]

Many soils around the world are deficient in zinc, leading

to deficiency in plants and humans
Overfertilization

Fertilizer burn

Over-fertilization of a vital nutrient can be as detrimental

as underfertilization. "Fertilizer burn" can occur when too
much fertilizer is
applied, resulting in
drying out of the
leaves and damage
or even death of
the plant.

Fertilizers vary in
their tendency to burn roughly in accordance with their
salt index.
Lack of long-term sustainability

Inorganic fertilizers are now produced in ways which

theoretically cannot be continued indefinitely by
definition as the resources used in their production
are non-renewable. Potassium and phosphorus come from
mines (or saline lakes such as the Dead Sea) and such
resources are limited. However, more effective fertilizer
utilization practices may decrease present usage from
mines. Improved knowledge of crop production practices
can potentially decrease fertilizer usage of P and K
without reducing the critical need to improve and
increase crop yields. Atmospheric (unfixed) nitrogen is
effectively unlimited (forming over 70% of
the atmospheric gases), but this is not in a form useful to
plants. To make nitrogen accessible to plants
requires nitrogen fixation (conversion of atmospheric
nitrogen to a plant-accessible form).

Artificial nitrogen fertilizers are typically synthesized

using fossil fuels such as natural gas and coal, which are
limited resources. In lieu of converting natural gas
to syngas for use in the Haber process, it is also possible
to convert renewable biomass to syngas (or wood gas) to
supply the necessary energy for the process, though the
amount of land and resources (ironically often including
fertilizer) necessary for such a project may be prohibitive.

Organic fertilizer

Organic
fertilizers
include
naturally
occurring
organic
materials,
(e.g. chicken
litter, manure,
worm casti ngs, compost, seaweed, guano, bone meal) or
naturally occurring mineral deposits
(e.g. saltpeter). Poultry litter and cattle manure often
create environmental and disposal problems, making
their use as fertilizer beneficial. Bones can be processed
into phosphate-rich bone meal; however, most are simply
buried in landfills.

Even if all bones, human, animal and plant wastes were

recovered to the extent practical and used for fertilizer,
mineral fertilizers and synthetic nitrogen would still be
required to make for losses to leaching, to the
atmosphere, runoff and the losses impractical to recover

Comparison with inorganic fertilizer

Organic fertilizer
nutrient content,
solubility, and
nutrient release
rates are typically
all lower than
inorganic
fertilizers. One
study[which?] found
that over a 140-day
period, after
7 leachings:
 Organic fertilizers had released between 25% and
60% of their nitrogen content
 Controlled releas e fertilizers (CRFs) had a relatively
constant rate of release

 Soluble fertilizer released most of its nitrogen

content at the first leaching

In general, the nutrients in organic fertilizer are both

more dilute and also much less readily available to plants.
According to the University of California's integrated pest
management program, all organic fertilizers are classified
as 'slow-release' fertilizers, and therefore cannot cause
nitrogen burn.[52]

Organic fertilizers from composts and other sources can

be quite variable from one batch to the next. [53] Without
batch testing, amounts of applied nutrient cannot be
precisely known. Nevertheless, one or more studies have
shown they are at least as effective as chemical fertilizers
over longer periods of use.

Examples of organic fertilizer

Chicken litter, which consists of chicken manure mixed

with sawdust, is an organic fertilizer that has been shown
to better condition soil for harvest than synthesized
fertilizer. Researchers at the Agricultural Research
Service (ARS) studied the effects of using chicken litter,
an organic fertilizer, versus synthetic fertilizers on cotton
fields, and found that fields fertilized with chicken litter
had a 12% increase in cotton yields over fields fertilized
with synthetic fertilizer. In addition to higher yields,
researchers valued commercially sold chicken litter at a
$17/ton premium (to a total valuation of $78/ton) over
the traditional valuations of $61/ton due to value added
as a soil conditioner.[55]

Other ARS studies have found that algae used to capture

nitrogen and phosphorus runoff from agricultural fields
can not only prevent water contamination of these
nutrients, but also can be used as an organic fertilizer.
ARS scientists originally developed the "algal turf
scrubber" to reduce nutrient runoff and increase quality
of water flowing into streams, rivers, and lakes. They
found that this nutrient-rich algae, once dried, can be
applied to cucumber and corn seedlings and result in
growth comparable to that seen using synthetic
fertilizers.

Examples
 Compost
 Rock phosphate

 Bone meal

 Manure

 Alfalfa

 Wood chips

 Raw Langbeinite

 Cover crops

 Unprocessed natural potassium sulfate

 Rock powder

 Ash[59]

 Blood meal

 Fish meal

 Fish emulsion
 BIBILIOGRAPHY

 www.google.co.in
 www.wikipeida.com
 www.cbse.co.in
 www.studymaterial.com
 Some material collected from books and
library