FERTILIZERS, IMPORTANCE

AND TYPES

SSZ

Fertilizers

What is a fertilizer?
Definition - a material added
to the soil that supplies
essential nutrients plants
need for vegetative and
reproductive growth.

Fertilizers

Fertilizer (or fertiliser) 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.

Importance of Fertilizers

Why fertilizers are important?

increasing population increases food
demand
Increase production per unit area.
Key inputs contributing about 30 to 70
percent increase in crop yield
Build-up - increasing the level of minerals
and OM in the soil.

Importance of Fertilizers

Maintenance - replenishing nutrients lost

through leaching, removal during plant
growth, and harvest.
Increase plant resistance to diseases, insect
and weather injury.

Importance of Fertilizers

Improve water holding capacity of soil.

Aid in balancing soil pH.
Aid in reducing soil erosion.
Improve seed germination.

Types of Fertilizers

Complete
Incomplete
Organic
Inorganic
Soluble
Insoluble
Straight
Compound

Complete vs. Incomplete

Complete has all three primary nutrientsnitrogen phosphorous & potassium

Examples: 10-20-20, 15-15-15
Incomplete DOES NOT have all three primary
nutrients
Examples: 46-0-0, 18-46-0, 0-0-50

Organic Fertilizers

Comes from plant or animal matter and

contains carbon compounds
Examples: urea,compost,green manures etc.

Advantages of Organic

Slow release of nutrients

Not easily leached from the soil
Add organic components to growing media

Disadvantages of Organic

No release at right plant growth stages

Hard to get
Not sterile
Low nutrient content
Voluminous
Expensive

Inorganic Fertilizers

Comes from sources other than animals or

plants
Chemical products

Advantages of Inorganic

Can make the desired ratio of nutrients

easy to get
lower cost

Disadvantages of Inorganic

No organic material
possible chemical building up in growing
media
High energy consumption
Long-Term Sustainability
Over fertilization

Soluble Fertilizer
Dissolve in water and are applied as a liquid
solution
Fertigation
fertilizing through irrigation water
big advantage

Insoluble Fertilizer

Includes granular and slow release applied to

the growing media

Granular vs. Slow Release

Granular
relatively inexpensive
easy to find

Slow Release
more expensive because it is coated
more uniform release of nutrients over time
period

Straight vs Compound

Straight:
Examples: Urea, MOP, SSP and CAN etc

Compound fertilizers:
Examples: DAP, Nitrophos, NPK etc

Fertilizers available in Pakistan

Common name

Nitrogenous fertilizers
Urea
Ammonium sulphate
Calcium ammonium Nitrate (CAN)
Phosphatic fertilizers
Single Superphosphate (SSP)
Triple superphosphate (TSP)
Diammonium phosphate (DAP)
Monoammonium Phosphate (MAP)

Grade or Analysis (%)

N P2O5 K2O Sulphur

46
21
26

0
0
0

0
0
0

0
24
0

0
0
18
11

18
46
46
52

0
0
0
0

12
1.5
0
2

Continue . . . .
Potassic fertilizers
Sulphate of potash (SOP)
Muriate of potash (MOP)
Complex fertilizers
Nitrophosphate (Nitrophos)
Complete NPKs

0
0

0
0

50
60

18
0

23
15
10
13

23
15
20
13

0
15
20
21

0
5
6.8
6.0

17.8

Micronutrients
Zinc sulphate (Zn 36.0 %)

Any Question About the

Topic?