Lecture: Fertilizers - Classifications, Types, Applications in Agriculture

Fertilizer is any material of natural or synthetic origin added to the soil to supply one
or more plant nutrients.

CLASSIFICATION OF FERTILISERS

1. Straight fertilizers

Straight fertilizers are those which supply only one primary plant nutrient, namely
nitrogen or phosphorus or potassium.

eg. Urea, ammonium sulphate, potassium chloride and potassium sulphate.

2. Complex fertilizers

Complex fertilizers contain two or three primary plant nutrients of which two primary
nutrients are in chemical combination. These fertilisers areusually produced in granular form.

eg. Diammonium Phosphate, Nitrophosphates And Ammonium Phosphate.

3. Mixed fertilizers

They are physical mixtures of straight fertilisers. They contain two or three primary
plant nutrients. Mixed fertilisers are made by thoroughly mixing theingredients either
mechanically or manually.

Fertilisers can also be classified based on physical form:

1. Solid
2. Liquid fertilizers

A. Solid fertilizers are in several forms viz

1. Powder (single superphosphate),

2. Crystals (ammonium sulphate),
3. Prills (urea, diammonium phosphate, superphosphate),
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4. Granules (Holland granules),
5. Supergranules (urea supergranules) and
6. Briquettes (urea briquettes).

Liquid fertilizers:

Liquid form fertilizers are applied with irrigation water or for direct application. Ease
of handling, less labour requirement and possibility of mixing with herbicides have made the
liquid fertilisers more acceptable to farmers.

TYPES OF FERTILIZERS

Nitrogenous Fertilizers

1. Nitrogenous fertilizers take the foremost place among fertilizerssince the deficiency of
nitrogen in the soil is the foremost and crops respond to nitrogen better than to other
nutrients.

2. More than 80 per cent of the fertilizers used in this country are made up of nitrogenous
fertilizers, particularly urea.

3. It is extremely efficient in increasing the production of crops and the possibilities of its
economic production are unlimited.

The nitrogenous fertilizers can be further classified as given below:

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1. Ammoniacal fertilizers

1. Ammoniacal fertilizers contain the nutrient nitrogen in the form of ammonium or

ammonia.

2. Ammoniacal fertilizers are readily soluble in water and therefore readily available to crops.

3. Except rice, all crops absorb nitrogen in nitrate form. These fertilizers are resistant to
leaching loss, as the ammonium ions get readily absorbed on the colloidalcomplex of the soil.

a) Ammonium sulphate [(NH4)2 SO4]

1. It is a white salt completely soluble in water containing 20.6 .per cent of nitrogen and 24.0
per cent of sulphur.

2. It is used advantageously in rice and jute cultivation.

3. It is easy to handle and it stores well under dry conditions. But during rainy season, it
sometimes forms lumps.

4. It can be applied before sowing, at the time of sowing or as a top-dressing to the growing
crop.

b) Ammonium chloride (NH4Cl)

1. It is a white salt contains 26.0 per cent of nitrogen.

2. It is usually not recommended for tomato, tobacco and such other crops as may be injured
by chlorine.

c) Anhydrous ammonia (NH4)

1. It is a colourless and pungent gas containing 82.0 per cent nitrogen.

2. It is the cheapest and can be applied directly to soil by injection using blade type applicator
having tubes.

3. It becomes liquid (anhydrous ammonia) under suitable conditions of temperature and

pressure.
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2. Nitrate Fertilizers

1. Nitrate fertilizers contain the nitrogen in the form of NO3

2. These ions are easily lost by leaching because of the greater mobility of nitrate ions in the
soil.
3. Continuous use of these fertilizers may reduce the soil acidity as these nitrogenous
fertilizers are basic in their residual effect on soils.
a) Sodium nitrate (NaNO3)
1. Sodium nitrate is a white salt containing about 15.6 per cent of nitrogen.
2. It is completely soluble in water and readily available for the use of plants as such, without
any chemical change in the soil.
3. It is easily lost by leaching and denitrification.
4. When large quantities of sodium nitrate are added year after year, the nitrate ions are
absorbed by crops and sodium ions accumulate and affect the structure ofthe soil. Sodium
nitrate is also known as chile salt peter or chilean nitrate.
5. Sodium nitrate is particularly useful for acidic soils
b) Calcium nitrate [Ca (NO3)2]
1. It is a white crystalline hygroscopic solid soluble in water containing 15.5 per cent nitrogen
and 19.5 per cent calcium.

2. The calcium is useful for maintaining a desirable soil pH.

c) Potassium nitrate (KNO3)

1. The purified salt contains 13.0 per cent nitrogen and 36.4 per cent potassium.

2. The nitrogen of the potassium nitrate has the same properties and value as that of the
sodium nitrate.

3. Ammoniacal and nitrate fertilizers

These fertilizers contain nitrogen in both ammonium and nitrate forms. The nitrates are useful
for rapid utilization by crops and the ammonical is gradually available.

a) Ammonium nitrate (NH4N03)

1. It is white, water soluble and hygroscopic crystalline salt containing 35 per cent nitrogen
half as nitrate nitrogen and half in the ammonium form.

2. In the ammonium form, it cannot be easily leached from the soil.

3. This fertilizer is quick-acting, but highly hygroscopic and not fit for storage.
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4. It has an acidulating effect on the soil.

5. It is dangerous in pure form because of explosion hazard.

b) Calcium ammonium nitrate (CAN)

1. Calcium ammonium nitrate is a fine free-flowing, light brown or grey granular fertilizer,
containing 26 per cent of nitrogen.

2. It is almost neutral and can be safely applied even to acid soils.

3. Half of its total nitrogen is in the ammoniacal form and half is in nitrate form.

4. It is made harmless by adding lime.

c) Ammonium sulphate nitrate [(NH4)2S04 NH4NO3]

1. It contains 26 per cent nitrogen, three fourths of it in the ammoniacal form and the rest (6.5
per cent) as nitrate nitrogen.
2. In addition to nitrogen it contains 12.1percent sulphur.
3. It is a mixture of ammonium nitrate and ammonium sulphate.
4. It is available in a white crystalline form or as dirty-white granules.
5. It is readily soluble in water and is very quick-acting.
6. Its keeping quality is good and it is useful for all crops.
7. Its acid effect on the soils is only one-half of that of ammonium sulphate.

4. Amide fertilizers
1. Amide fertilizers are readily soluble in water and easily decomposable in the soil.
2. The amide form of nitrogen is easily changed to ammoniacal and then to nitrate form in the
soil.
a) Urea [CO (NH2)2]
1. It is the most concentrated solid nitrogenous fertilizer, containing 46 per cent nitrogen.
2. It is a white crystalline substance readily soluble in water.
3. It absorbs moisture from the atmosphere and has to be kept in moisture proof containers. It
is readily converted to ammoniacal and nitrate forms in the soil.
4. The nitrogen in urea is readily fixed in the soil in an ammoniacal form and is not lost in
drainage.
5. Urea sprays are readily absorbed by plants.
6. It may be applied at sowing or as, a top-dressing.
7. It is suitable for most crops and can be applied to all soils.

b) Calcium cyanamide (CaCN2)

1. Calcium cyanamide or nitrolime contains 20.6 per cent of nitrogen.

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2. It is a greyish white powdery material that decomposed in moist soil giving rise to
ammonia.

B. Phosphatic fertilizers
1. Phosphatic fertilizers are chemical substances that contain the nutrient phosphorus in
absorbable form (Phosphate anions) or that yield after conversion in the soil.

Super phosphate [Ca (H2PO4)2)

1. This is the most important phosphatic fertilizer in use.
2. It contains 16 Per cent P2O5 in available form.
3. It is a grey ash like powder with good keeping or storage qualities.
4. Phosphatic fertilizer hardly moves in the soil and hence they are placed in the, root zone.

Triple super phosphate:

1. The concentrated super phosphate is called as Triple super phosphate and it contains 46 per
cent P2O5.
2. This fertilizer is suitable for all crops and all soils.
3. In acid soils, it should be used in conjunction with organic manure.
4. It can be applied before or at sowing or transplanting.

C. Potassic fertilizers
1. Potassic fertilizers are chemical substances containing potassium in absorbed form (K+).
2. There are two potassium fertilizers viz., muriate of potash (KCI) and sulphate of potash
(K2S04).
3. They are water soluble and so are readily available to plants.

a) Potassium chloride (KCI)

1. Potassium chloride or muriate of potash is a white or red, crystal containing 60.0 per cent
K2O.
2. It is completely soluble in water and therefore readily available to the crops.
3. It is not lost from the soil, as it is absorbed on the colloidal surfaces.
4. It can be applied at sowing or before or after sowing.
5. The chlorine content is about 47.0 per cent.
6. Its chlorine content is objectionable to some crops like tobacco, potato, etc where quality is
the consideration.

b) Potassium sulphate (K2S04)

1. Potassium sulphate or sulphate of potash is a white salt and contains 48 per cent K2O.
2. It is soluble in water and therefore readily available to the crop.
3. It does not produce any acidity or alkalinity in the soil.
4. It is prefered for fertilization of crops like tobacco, potato etc., where quality is of prime
importance.
5. It is costly because it is made by treating potassium chloride with magnesium sulphate. .
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E. Secondary major-nutrient fertilizers
a. Magnesium fertilizers These are chemical substances containing the nutrient magnesium
in the form of magnesium cations (Mg2+).

Magnesium Sulphate (MgSO4)

The utilization rate of magnesium fertilizers decreases with increasing potassium supplies.
b. Calcium fertilizers
1. These are the chemical substances containing the nutrient calcium in absorbable calcium
cations ('Ca2+) form.
2. The raw material of calcium fertilizers is lime found in nature.
Calcium Chloride (CaCl2.6H2O)
1.It contains at least 15 per cent calcium.
2. It is highly water soluble and can, therefore, be dissolved for application as a foliar
nutrient.

c. Sulphate Fertilizers
1. These are chemical substances containing the nutrient sulphur in the form of absorbable
sulphate anions (SO42-).
2. The sulphur requirements of plants are about two third of their phosphorus requirements.
3. Substantial sulphur supplies occur as minor constituents of various N, P and K fertilizers.
4. Fertilization with sulphur becomes necessary with increasing removal from the soil with
rising agricultural production especially in plants with high sulphurrequirements. e.g.
mustard.

D. Micronutrient Fertilizers
1. The importance of fertilization of crops with micro-nutrients is increasing mainly because
of greater removal from the soil, intensive liming of soil, intensivedrainage of soil, higher use
of nitrogenous, phosphatic and potassic fertilizers etc.
2. There are seven essential micronutrients required by plants.
These are iron, manganese, zinc, copper, chlorine, boron and molybdenum.

a. lron fertilizers
1. These are generally water soluble substances, predominantly sprayed as foliar nutrients on
the crops.
2. Plants absorb iron in the form of Fe2+.
Commonly used iron fertilizers are as follows.

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FERTILISER GRADE

1. Fertiliser grade refers to the guaranteed minimum percentage of nitrogen (N), phosphorus
(P) and potash (K) contained in fertiliser material.
2. The numbers representing the grade are separated by hyphens and are always stated in the
sequence of N, P, and
For example, label on the fertilizer bag with a grade 28-28-0 indicates that 100 kg of fertiliser
material contains 28 kg of N, 28 kg of
P and no potash.
1.Different grades of fertilisers are available in India.
Some of them are:
28-28-0
20-20-0
14-35-14
17-17-17
14-28-14 etc.

FERTILIZER RATIO

It refers to the ratio of the percentage of N, P 2O5 and K2O in the fertilizer mixture e.g.,
the fertilizer grade 12-6-6 has a fertilizer ratio of 2:1:1.

SUPPLIERS OF PLANT NUTRIENTS

These are straight fertilizers added to supply the plant nutrient mentioned in the grade.

CONDITIONERS

These are low grade organic materials like peat soil, paddy husk, groundnut hulls etc.,
which are added to fertilizer mixtures during their preparation for reducinghygroscopicity and
to improve their physical condition.

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 Lecture: Manures - Classifications, Types, Applications in Agriculture

Manures are plant and animal wastes that are used as sources of plant nutrients. They
release nutrients after their decomposition. The art of collecting and using wastes from
animal, human and vegetable sources for improving crop productivity is as old as agriculture.
Manures are the organic materials derived from animal, human and plant residues which
contain plant nutrients in complex organic forms. Naturally occurring or synthetic chemicals
containing plant nutrients are called fertilizers. Manures with low nutrient, content per unit
quantity have longer residual effect besides improving soil physical properties compared to
fertilizer with high nutrient content. Major sources of manures are:
1. Cattle shed wastes-dung, urine and slurry from biogas plants
2. Human habitation wastes-night soil, human urine, town refuse, sewage, sludge and
sullage
3. Poultry Jitter, droppings of sheep and goat
4. Slaughterhouse wastes-bone meal, meat meal, blood meal, horn and hoof meal, Fish
wastes
5. Byproducts of agro industries-oil cakes, bagasse and press mud, fruit and vegetable
processing wastes etc
6. Crop wastes-sugarcane trash, stubbles and other related material
7. Water hyacinth, weeds and tank silt, and
8. Green manure crops and green leaf manuring material
Manures can also be grouped, into bulky organic manures and concentrated organic
manures based on concentration of the nutrients.
Bulky organic manures
Bulky organic manures contain small percentage of nutrients and they are applied in
large quantities. Farmyard manure (FYM), compost and green-manure are the most important
and widely used bulky organic manures. Use of bulky organic manures has several
advantages:
 They supply plant nutrients including micronutrients
 They improve soil physical properties like structure, water holding capacity etc.,
 They increase the availability of nutrients
 Carbon dioxide released during decomposition acts as a CO2 fertilizer and

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  Plant parasitic nematodes and fungi are controlled to some extent by altering the
balance of microorganisms in the soil.
Farmyard manure
Farmyard manure refers to the decomposed mixture of dung and urine of farm
animals along with litter and left over material from roughages or fodder fed to the cattle. On
an average well decomposed farmyard manure contains 0.5 per cent N, 0.2 per cent
P2O5and .0.5 per cent K2O.The present method of preparing farmyard manure by the
farmers is defective. Urine, which is wasted, contains one per cent nitrogen and 1.35 per cent
potassium. Nitrogen present in urine is mostly in the form of urea which is subjected to
volatilization losses. Even during storage, nutrients are lost due to leaching and volatilization.
However, it is practically impossible to avoid losses altogether, but can be reduced by
following improved method of preparation of farmyard manure. Trenches of size 6 m to 7.5
m length, 1.5 m to 2.0 m width and 1.0 m deep are dug.
All available litter and refuse is mixed with soil and spread in the shed so as to absorb
urine. The next morning, urine soaked refuse along with dung is collected and placed in the
trench. A section of the trench from one end should be taken up for filling with daily
collection. When the section is filled up to a height of 45 cm to 60 cm above the ground level,
the top of the heap is made into a dome and plastered with cow dung earth slurry. The
process is continued and when the first trench is completely filled, second trench is prepared.
The manure becomes ready for use in about four to five months after plastering. If
urine is not collected in the bedding, it can be collected along with washings of the cattle shed
in a cemented pit from which it is later added to the farmyard manure pit. Chemical
preservatives can also be used to reduce losses and enrich farmyard manure. The commonly
used chemicals are gypsum and superphosphate. Gypsum is spread in the cattle shed which
absorbs urine and prevents volatilization loss of urea present in the urine and also adds
calcium and sulphur. Superphosphate also acts similarly in reducing losses and also increases
phosphorus content.
Partially rotten farmyard manure has to be applied three to four weeks before sowing
while well rotten manure can be applied immediately before sowing. Generally 10 to 20 t/ha
is applied, but more than 20 t/ha is applied to fodder grasses and vegetables. In such cases
farmyard manure should be applied at least 15 days in advance to avoid immobilization of
nitrogen. The existing practice of leaving manure in small heaps scattered in the field for a

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very long period leads toloss of nutrients. These losses can be reduced by spreading the
manure and incorporating by ploughing immediately after application.
Vegetable crops like potato, tomato, sweet-potato, carrot, raddish, onion etc., respond
well to the farmyard manure. The other responsive crops are sugarcane, rice, napier grass and
orchard crops like oranges, banana, mango and plantation crop like coconut.
The entire amount of nutrients present in farmyard manure is not available
immediately. About 30 per cent of nitrogen, 60 to 70 per cent of phosphorus and 70 per cent
of potassium are available to the first crop.

Sheep and Goat Manure

The droppings of sheep and goats contain higher nutrients than farmyard manure and
compost. On an average, the manure contains 3 per cent N, 1 per cent P2O5 and 2 per cent
K2O.It is applied to the field in two ways. The sweeping of sheep or goat sheds are placed in
pits for decomposition and it is applied later to the field. The nutrients present in the urine
are wasted in this method. The second method is sheep penning, wherein sheep and goats are
kept overnight in the field and urine and fecal matter added to the soil is incorporated to a
shallow depth by working blade harrow or cultivator or cultivator.

Poultry Manure

The excreta of birds ferment very quickly. If left exposed, 50 percent of its nitrogen is
lost within 30 days. Poultry manure contains higher nitrogen and phosphorus compared to
other bulky organic manures. The average nutrient content is 3.03 per cent N; 2.63 per cent
P2O5 and 1.4 per cent K2O.

Concentrated organic manures

Concentrated organic manures have higher nutrient content than bulky organic
manure. The important concentrated organic manures are oilcakes, blood meal, fish manure
etc. These are also known as organic nitrogen fertilizer. Before their organic nitrogen is used
by the crops, it is converted through bacterial action into readily usable ammoniacal nitrogen
and nitrate nitrogen. These organic fertilizers are, therefore, relatively slow acting, but they
supply available nitrogen for a longer period.

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Oil cakes

After oil is extracted from oilseeds, the remaining solid portion is dried as cake which
can, be used as manure. The oil cakes are of two types:

 Edible oil cakes which can be safely fed to livestock; e.g.: Groundnut cake, Coconut
cake etc., and
 Non edible oil cakes which are not fit for feeding livestock; e.g.: Castor cake, Neem
cake, Mahua cake etc.,

Both edible and non-edible oil cakes can be used as manures. However, edible oil cakes are
fed to cattle and non-edible oil cakes are used as manures especially for horticultural crops.
Nutrients present in oil cakes, after mineralization, are made available to crops 7 to 10 days
after application. Oilcakes need to be well powdered before application for even distribution
and quicker decomposition.

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 Lecture: Methods of fertilizer application
An important item in efficient use of fertilizer is that of placement in relation to
plant.
(1) Solid fertilizers
Broadcasting is the method of application of fertilizer uniformly over the entire
field. It may be at planting or in standing crop as top dressing.
(i) Broadcasting at planting is adopted under certain condition

1. Soils highly deficient, especially in nitrogen,

2. Where fertilizers like basic slag, dicalcium phosphate, bone meal and rock phosphate are to
be applied to acid soils, and
3. When potassic fertilizers are to be applied to potash deficient soils.

(ii) Top dressing is application of fertilizer to the standing crop. Usually, nitrate
nitrogen fertilizers are top dressed. Depending on the duration of the crop and soil
type, top dressing may be more than one to meet the crop needs at times of
greatest need of the crop.
(iii) Placement: Fertilizers are placed in the soil either before sowing or after sowing the
crop.
(a) Plough-sole placement consists of placing the fertilizer in a continuous band at the
bottom of the furrow during the process of ploughing, which is usually covered by the
next furrow adjacent to it.
(b) Deep placement is application of fertilizers, especially nitrogen, in the reduced zone
to avoid nitrogen losses in low land rice.
(c) Localized placement: In this method fertilizer are applied close to the seed or plant. It
is usually adopted when relatively small quantizes of fertilizers are be applied.
(d) Contact placement or drill placement refers to drilling seeds and fertilizer
simultaneously at sowing. Care must be taken to place the seed and fertilizer at different
depths to avoid salt injury to the germinating seed.
(e) Band placement consists of applying the fertilizer in continuous bands, close to the
seed or plant. This method is ideal for crops grown in wide space i.e., cotton, castor,
sugarcane, tobacco, maize etc.

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 (f) Pellet placement is application of fertilizer, especially nitrogen in pellet from in the
low land rice avoid nitrogen loss from applied fertilizer.

(2) Liquid Fertilizers.

(i) Starter solution: These are solutions of fertilizers prepared in low concentrations
used for soaking seed, dipping roots or spraying on seedlings for early establishment and
growth.
(ii) Foliar application: This method, nutrients are applied are to the standing crops in the
form of spray for quick recovery from the deficiency. It avoids fixation of nutrients in the
soil

In the case of calcium, transport from roots to fruit is limited, so foliar applications are the
best method we know of go get more calcium into fruit tissue to reduce post harvest
disorders. The expense of the calcium sprays is more than justified by the potential post-
harvest losses. If soil pH limits nutrient availability, and ground applied fertilizes are not
taken up, foliar fertilizers may be a valid option. In this case, a soil sample should be taken to
determine pH, and a leaf tissue sample taken to determine the need for addition foliar
fertilization. In some cases poor root health from compaction, replant disease, crown rot,
mouse damage, water logging or other problem may warrant foliar feeding of trees. However,
the fertilizer in the required amount cannot be phototoxic as a foliar spray, and uptake must
have been demonstrated with the product under consideration. Zinc uptake deserves special
attention. In our soils zine is largely immobile and it is difficult to supply roots with adequate
amounts of available Zn. As a result of limited soil availability, zine is applied as a foliar
spray. Research has shown that only a small amount of Zn can be taken up by leaves,
however foliar application are still more successful than soil applied Zn.

(iii) Soil application: Liquid fertilizer such as anhydrous ammonia are applied directly
to the soil with special injecting equipment. Liquid manures such as urine, sewage
water and shed washing are directly let into the field.
(iv) Fertigation:
This is the application of fertilizer in irrigation water in either open or closed
system. The open system includes lined and unlined open ditches and gated pipes
that are used for furrow and flood irrigation. Sprinkler and trickle systems are
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 main closed systems. Nitrogen and sulphur are the principal nutrients applied by
fertigation. The fertigation allows to apply the nutrients exactly and uniformly
only to the wetted root volume, where the active roots are concentrated. This
remarkably increases the efficiency in the application of the fertilizer, which
allows reducing the amount of applied fertilizer. This not only reduces the
production costs but also lessens the potential of groundwater pollution caused by
the fertilizer leaching.
Other advantage of the fertigation are:
(1) the saving of energy and labor,
(2) the flexibility of the moment of the application (nutrients can be applied to the soil when
crop of soil conditions would otherwise prohibit entry into the field with conventional
equipment),
(3) convenient use of compound and ready-mix nutrient.

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