A fertilizer is any material of natural or synthetic origin that is applied to a plant or to plant tissues (usually leaves) to supply one or more Fertilizers enhance the
growth of plants. This goal is met in two ways, the traditional one being additives that
provide nutrients. The second mode by which some fertilizers act is to enhance the
effectiveness of the soil by modifying its water retention and aeration.
Fertilizers are classified depending on the nature of the essential element/elements that a fertilizer can supply to the soil, the fertilizer has been classified into the following types.
i) Nitrogenous fertilizers (N-type fertilizers)
These fertilizers supply only nitrogen to the plants or soil.(NH 4 ) 2 SO 4 ,calcium ammonium
nitrate(CAN),basic calcium nitrate, calcium Cyanamid, urea ,etc. are the examples of
nitrogenous fertilizers. They are essential to the plant for their growth, particularly of
leaves. Nitrogen fertilizers are necessary for the plant for the early growth to promote
stem and leaves. Nitrogen is abundant amount in air which can be fixed commercially
with the low cost by hydrogen to give ammonia produced in low cost can be used for
the production of nitrogen fertilizer in the form of liquid ammonia and aqueous solution
of ammonium, ammonia sulphate, ammonium nitrate and urea most of the nitrogen
containing chemical compounds. Almost majority of ammonia is used to make
fertilizers.
ii) Phosphatic or phosphorus fertilizers (P-type fertilizers)
These fertilizers provide phosphorus to the soil. Super phosphate, triple
superphosphate, phosphate slag, natural organic phosphate fertilizers, phosphate rocks,
nitro phosphate, diammonium phosphate, monoammonium phosphate, etc are the
examples of phosphorus fertilizers. Phosphorus fertilizers stimulate early growth and
accelerate seeding or fruit formation in the later stages or growth. They stimulate root
formation and rapid growth of root. They also help in the formation of high-yielding
seeds. They are easily soluble in water. Like nitrogen phosphorus, phosphorus fertilizers
are also important for the plants as phosphorus is one of the major primary nutrients
for the plant. Phosphorus fertilizers are produced but the phosphorus industries. The
rock phosphates are used for the manufacture of superphosphate fertilizer, elemental
phosphorus production in fertilizer mixtures, some phosphate rocks are directly applied
to the soil as fertilizers.
iii) Potash fertilizers (K-type fertilizers)
These fertilizers supply potassium to the plant. All the potash fertilizers occur in nature.
Potassium chloride (KCl), potassium sulphate (K 2 SO 4 ), salt petro (KNO 3 ),Sylvinite
(mixture of KCl and NaCl),potassium magnesium minerals, kainite, lomgnite, carnalite,
etc are some of the common potash fertilizers. Potassium ions for flowering. It retains
water in the plant cell by osmotic pressure. They provide healthy root system to the
plants. With the help of these fertilizers, plants become able of getting a regular supply
of nutrients from the soil. They are essential for the development of starch in potatoes
and grains, the sugar of fruits and vegetables, fibrous material for plants, help to
prevent disease and minimize the effect of excessive nitrogen application.
iv) Mixed Fertilizers
Mixed fertilizers are those fertilizers which can supply more than one essential element
to the plant or soil. Depending on the nature of the essential elements supplied by the
fertilizers, mixed fertilizers can be supplied into the following types:
a)Nitrogen-phosphorus fertilizers(NP type fertilizers)
Examples are ammonium dihydrogen phosphate (NH 4 H 2 PO 4 ),diammonium
monohydrogen phosphate NH 4 HPO 4 ,calcium superphosphate nitrate
Ca(H 2 PO 4 ) 2 .2Ca(NO 3 ) 2 ,ammoniumdihydrogen phosphate sulphate NH 4 (H 2 PO 4 )(NH 4 ) 2 SO 4 .
b)Phosphorus-Potassium fertilizers(PK type fertilizers)
Examples are mixture of triple superphosphate and potassium sulphate.
c)Potassium-nitrogen fertilizers(KN-type fertilizers)
Example:KNO 3
d) Nitrogen-Phosphorus-Potassium type fertilizers or NPK type or complete
fertilizers
NatalieR answered the question on May 23, 2022 at 06:54