Fertilizer is material that is applied to the soil or sprayed on crops aboveground directly or indirectly in order to supply nutrients, increase crop yields and improve product quality. Direct fertilizer supplies essential nutrients to crops, including NPK fertilizer, compound fertilizer and micro-element fertilizer, etc. Indirect fertilizer is used for improving soil physical and chemical properties, thereby making growth condition of crops better, such as lime, gypsum and bacterial fertilizers. Fertilizer is in a variety of classification method and types, while having great difference in ingredient and chemical property. What are different types of fertilizer? How to classify the fertilizer? This question is explained in further detail below.
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Inorganic fertilizer
Inorganic fertilizer or chemical fertilizer contains one or more nutrient elements for crops growth, which is made by chemical means. It includes nitrogen fertilizer, phosphate fertilizer, potash fertilizer, micronutrient fertilizer and compound fertilizer, etc. The fertilizer is characterized by simple component, high nutrients and long fatty effect.
Nitrogen fertilizers
Nitrogen fertilizers contain nitrogen that crops need during development. Nitrogen plays a very important role for crops growth, which is part of amino acids in plants and is a component constituting the protein. Meanwhile, it is constituent part of chlorophyll that tips the balance in the process of photosynthesis. Nitrogen can also help crops sub-colonization. Nitrogen fertilizer can not only increase production of agricultural products, but also improve the quality of agricultural products.
1.Ammonium nitrogen fertilizer
Ammonium nitrogen fertilizer contains ammonium bicarbonate (NH4HCO3), ammonium sulfate {(NH4) 2SO4}, ammonium chloride (NH4Cl), ammonia (NH3.H2O), ammonia (NH3) and so on. Ammonium nitrogen is easy to be adsorbed by soil colloids, partially into the clay mineral crystal layer. Ammonium nitrogen becomes nitrate easily by oxidation. Ammonia losses volatilizes in an alkaline environment. When crops absorb excess ammonium calcium, magnesium and potassium, it cuases a certain inhibiting effect. Ammonia has a strong irritating odor, corrosiveness and volatileness. Therefore, it can not be directly used for fertilizing. It is available after configured to dilute ammonia.
'Ammonium bicarbonate
Ammonium bicarbonate is white compound and crystal in granularity, clintheriform and columnar. Aqueous solution is alkaline. Because of unstable nature, it is decomposing into carbon dioxide, ammonia and water above 36'.Decomposition is finished at the temperature of 60'. Nitrogen is used for a variety of soil. It can provide ammonium and carbon dioxide for crops growth. Because of low nitrogen content, it is easy to agglomerate. It not only promotes crop growth and photosynthesis, but also helps crops come into leaf.
'Ammonium sulfate fertilizer
Ammonium sulfate fertilizer is white orthorhombic crystal, which is soluble in water and insoluble in alcohol. Ammonium sulfate is mainly used as fertilizer in agriculture. The advantage of the fertilizer is relatively small hygroscopicity, not easy to agglomerate. Compared with ammonium nitrate and ammonium bicarbonate. Ammonium sulfate has good physical properties and chemical stability. Ammonium sulfate fertilizer is readily available fertilizer and good biological fertilizer. The reaction in the soil is acidic so that the fertilizer is fit for alkaline soils and carbonaceous soils. The disadvantage is that nitrogen content is low.
'Ammonium chloride
Ammonium chloride is white crystal or colorless crystal powder. Hygroscopicity is small, but it can absorb moisture being caking in wet rainy weather. Powdered ammonium chloride is easily deliquescent, qualified products even worse. Moisture absorption point is generally about 76%. Therefore, the fertilizer should be kept in dry place. It can be used as fertilizer. Avoid using ammonia fertilizer with alkaline fertilizer. It is better not to apply the fertilizer in saline-alkali soil as it may reduce fertility.
2.Nitrate nitrogen fertilizer
Nitrate nitrogen fertilizer includes nitrate fertilizer sodium nitrate (NaNO3), calcium nitrate {Ca (NO3) 2} and ammonium nitrate (NH4NO3), etc. Nitrate nitrogen dissolve easily in water and moves fast in soil. It not only promotes cation absorption, but also facilitates the synthesis of organic anion. For instance, corn and wheat prefer nitrate nitrogen fertilizer. Under the condition of equal nitrogen amount, yield-increasing effect of nitrate nitrogen fertilizer is more prominent than other nitrogen fertilizers. Vegetables have strong preference for nitrate nitrogen. In hydroponic experiment, as long as the nutrient solution is added nitrate, vegetables grow normally without ammonium or urea nitrogen. Simultaneously, tobacco responds to nitrate well. Applying nitrate nitrogen fertilizer increases output of tobacco and improves its quality.
'Sodium nitrate
Sodium nitrate is colorless transparent or white rhombohedral crystal. It is easy to deliquescent. Under the condition of small amounts of sodium chloride with impurities, deliquescence of sodium nitrate would greatly increase. Sodium nitrate helps combust, so it should be stored in a cool well ventilated place. It is used as readily available fertilizer, especially pertinent in beets, radishes and so on.
'Calcium nitrate
Calcium nitrate is a typical fast-acting foliar fertilizer. It can successfully act on acidic soil because calcium can neutralize soil acidity. It is convenient for regeneration fertilizing of winter crops, additional fertilization and excessive consumption of alfalfa growth. In addition, it is widely used for sugar beet, fodder beet, poppy and corn, supplying calcium for crops.
3.Amide nitrogen fertilizer
Urea, also known as carbamide, is a white crystal and one of the simplest organic compounds. The nitrogen content of urea is 46%, which is the highest in solid nitrogen fertilizer. It is the final product of protein metabolism in mammals and some fish. As a neutral fertilizer, urea is suitable for a variety of soil and plants. It is easy to save and use. Because of small destructive effect to soil, it is the chemical fertilizer with heavy usage. Urea is the most common nitrogen fertilizer. Urea is suitable for all crops and soils, which is used for base fertilizer and additional fertilizer.
Urea is used as base fertilizer and topdressing, sometimes as seed fertilizer. Under normal circumstances, urea conversion needs 7-10 days at the temperature of 10''4-5 days at 20', and only two days at 30'. When urea is converted to ammonium in the soil, it can be absorbed by seedlings in quantity. Therefore, the utility of urea fertilizer should be a few days earlier than the other administration.
Phosphorus fertilizer
Phosphorus is the the main nutrient in phosphorus fertilizer. Fertilizer efficiency depends on effective phosphorus pentoxide content, soil properties, fertilizing method and crop strains, etc. Phosphorus is a component of the cell protoplasm in plants. It plays an important role in cell growth and proliferation. Phosphorus is also involved in photosynthesis, the use of sugar and starch and energy transfer. Phosphate fertilizer also promotes the growth of plant root systems, making the plant ripe early. In the fruit stage, massive phosphorus transfers to the grain, making seed full.
1.Water soluble phosphorous fertilizer
This kind of fertilizer is soluble in water, having high fertilizer efficiency.
The main products are calcium superphosphate and triple superphosphate.
'Calcium superphosphate
Calcium superphosphate, also called ordinary superphosphate, is obtained by decomposing phosphate rock with sulfuric acid. Calcium phosphate contains effective 14% ~ 20% P2O5(of which 80% to 95% soluble in water), being a part of water-soluble phosphorous fertilizer. It is gray or white powder (or particles), which can be used as phosphatic fertilizer directly or compound fertilizer ingredients. To mix with nitrogen fertilizer is conductive to nitrogen fixation, reducing nitrogen loss.
'Triple superphosphate
Triple superphosphate is small granular solids, slightly acidic, which has gray or dark brown colour in appearance. It is suitable for long-distance transport and storage. It is soluble in hydrochloric acid, nitric acid and water, practically insoluble in ethanol. Triple superphosphate fertilizer is suitable for a variety of soil and crops. It can be used as base fertilizer, topdressing and compound (mixed) fertilizer. It is widely used in rice, wheat, corn, sorghum, cotton, fruits and vegetables, etc.
2.Mixing soluble phosphate fertilizer
Nitrophosphate is the fertilizer that obtained by decomposition nitric acid, while N/P ratio is 2:1. The use of the fertilizer can supply trace elements in the soil. It can also significantly improve the quality of agricultural products. Nitrophosphate applies not only to wheat, corn, rice and other food crops, but also for rape, tea, cotton, garlic, banana, litchi, apple, watermelon, grapes and other industrial crops. It should be deep placement, casingsoil, deep application of base fertilizer, to avoid contacting with the seeds or roots directly. It is generally used as base fertilizer for common field crops and top application for industrial crops. It is better to apply frequent, small amounts of fertilizer, which aims to improve the utilization of fertilizer.
3.Citrate-soluble phosphatic fertilizer
This kind of fertilizer is insoluble in water. It mainly contains precipitated phosphate, steel slag phosphate fertilizer, calcium magnesium phosphate and defluorinated phosphate fertilizer. Generally, it is applicable to the acidic soil, so it should be used for base fertilizer. It can be dissolved by organic acids that are secreted by soil and plant roots , and then it is gradually absorbed by crops.
Potassium fertilizer
Potassium is the primary nutrient in potash fertilizer. Potassium in plants usually accounts for 0.2% ~ 4.1% of dry matter, second only to nitrogen. In plant growth and development, potassium is involved in the activation of more than 60 kinds of enzymes, photosynthesis, assimilate transportation, carbohydrate metabolism and protein synthesis.
1.Muriate of potash
Potassium chloride is chemically neutral and fast-acting fertilizer, which is well suited for rice, wheat, cotton, corn, sorghum and other field crops. Because of physiological acidity, potassium can be used in neutral calcareous soils. It can be used as base fertilizer or topdressing. Because potassium chloride fertilizer contains a large amounts of chloride, it will affect the growth of seed germination and seedling.
When it is used as base fertilizer, it should be applied to arable soil 10-15 days before sowing. It should be used early in order to leach chlorine ion to lower soil by rain or irrigation water, removing or reducing damage to crops.
2.Potassium sulphate
Potassium sulphate is one kind of potash fertilizer. Potassium sulphate consumption is far less than potassium chloride, which is less than 10% in international potash fertilizer market. It is suitable for a variety of crops, especially for tobacco, sugarcane, potato, sweet potato, grapes, tea and cruciferous crops (such as rape, beans, etc.). It is generally used for dry land rather than paddy field.
Organic fertilizer
Organic fertilizer is commonly known as farmyard manure or natural fertilizer, mainly from animals and plants. When it is applied to soil, it can supply carbonic materials for plants growth. It includes a variety of organic acid and rich nutrient elements. It not only provides complete balance of nutrients, but also has high manurial effect. Organic fertilizer can increase the content of organic matter, promote microorganism reproduction and change soil physical and chemical properties. Therefore, it is the main nutrient for green food.
1.Agricultural waste
Some agricultural wastes are good materials for organic fertilizer, such as straws, bean pulp, and cottonseed meal and so on. The wastes play an unique role in increasing soil nutrient and improving soil structure.
The main manure ways are used directly to field. The technology is simple to operate, while saving time and labor. Related experiments have shown that the soil porosity increases 2.1% to 4.1% after straw using to field for 2 to 3 years, organic material increasing 0.5 ~ 1.7g / kg, rapidly available potassium increasing 15.0 ~ 18.7mg / kg.
2.Livestock manure
These materials include pig manure, chicken manure and rabbit manure, etc. Livestock manure is one of natural fertilizer in agriculture.see more at: Chicken Manure Fertilizer Granulation Technology
Untreated livestock manure contains hazardous substance, such as escherichia coli, nematode and eggs. The application of untreated excrement rises temperature after fermentation, causing seedling burnt. To improve efficiency and reduce harm to crops and the environment, animal dung should be applied to field after complete composting.
3.Industrial waste
Some industrial waste are good materials for organic fertilizer, such as distilers' grains, vinegar residue and sugar-free grains. On the one hand, the use of wastes in agriculture increases resource utilization rate and reduces environment pollution. On the other hand, it reduces the burden on industry and changes waste material into things of value.
4.Municipal sludge
Because of growing sewage treatment works, the production of municipal sludge is increasing year by year. Many people pay more attention to how to use it reasonably. Applying municipal sludge into agriculture is a good choice for urban construction.
River muck and sewage can be made into organic fertilizer. Because of complete component of the sludge, it just meets the requirements of nutrients in plants growth. Therefore, processed sludge can be used as fertilizer. It contributes to soil amelioration as well as reducing pollution. Not only solving the problem of waste treatment, but also is good for plants growth.
Last updated: 03.05.
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Fertilizers play a crucial role in ensuring that plants receive the nutrients they require for optimal growth and development. Different types of plant fertilizers are accessible to farmers, but the two most common are organic and inorganic. Nutrients in organic products are gradually released while the substance decomposes over time, while artificially synthesized inorganic products allow for the rapid uptake of nutrients by plants. However, the organic type of fertilizer is better for the soil and the ecosystem in the long run. Precision farming platforms simplify fertilizing at varying rates, maximizing the benefits of each fertilizer type.
To thrive, plants require a variety of nutrients, which they get from the soil through their roots. Each harvest reduces the soil's potential productivity unless soil nutrients are restored. The correct type of fertilizer for plants can fix nutrient deficiencies.
Fertilizers supply plants with the three essential nutrients they need to grow: nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K), as well as other needed micronutrients. The key parameters of different types of fertilizers used in agriculture are these nutrients and how they are obtained. Many factors, including soil quality, crop type, and application method, can influence fertilizer type decisions. There is a wide variety of fertilizing products available today, allowing farmers to create a nutrient-rich environment for their crops.
Inorganic, or synthetic, fertilizers are chemical substances manufactured from natural-origin elements. Their main goal is to fulfill plant macronutrient requirements. Inorganic fertilizer type has the advantages of being economical, simple to use, and readily accessible to plants. Unfortunately, its natural acidity often kills off helpful microorganisms and makes the environment hostile to other forms of life. Moreover, overfertilizing with synthetics contributes to environmental pollution and global warming. Now, let's delve deeper into different types of synthetic fertilizers.
N-fertilizers are especially useful in the middle phases of a plant's life cycle, when the plant needs the most support to keep growing and leafing out. The two most popular types of chemical nitrogen-based fertilizer in European fields are ammonium nitrate (AN), aka nitric acid, and calcium ammonium nitrate (CAN). With its dual-form nitrogen content, AN works well for crops that need fast nitrogen release. Outside of Europe, urea, along with urea ammonium nitrate (UAN) solution in water, is frequently applied. Urea's versatility and high nitrogen concentration (minimum 44%) make it a common N-based product Karagöz, I. (, April 12). Fertilization and Fertilizer Types. Department of Polymer Materials Engineering, Yalova University. https://doi.org/10./.ch7..
Although most plants need the nitrogen type of fertilizer to thrive, too much of it can cause fertilizer burn, which might result in discolored leaves and even plant death. To prevent this, only apply nitrogen-rich feeding to your plants when they are actively growing and at a rate smaller than suggested on the label.
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In some environments, nitrogen can be lost through volatilization, leaching, denitrification, and immobilization. This makes fertilization less effective and adds to global warming. As a solution, specific types of chemical fertilizers and additives appeared to lessen the impacts. Foliar, slow-release, and controlled-release nutrient products, as well as urease and nitrification inhibitors, are all examples of these.
Nitrogen fertilizer type must be applied at the start of the season and sometimes throughout, depending on the crop. To apply N-fertilizer at a variable rate, farmers need to be aware of the current field's condition and vegetation density. For this purpose, EOSDA Crop Monitoring builds vegetation maps by using the most recent cloud-free images and segmenting the field into zones based on a specified vegetation index. The NDRE index should be used to build a fertilizing map in the middle and late phases of the growing season, whereas the MSAVI index should be used at the beginning of the season (when the soil is still somewhat bare). The normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) is applicable year-round.
VRA map facilitates variable rate application of inputs.Phosphorus feeding, which serves to reinforce roots and stems, is crucial at all stages of the plant's growth cycle. The phosphorus type of fertilizer also boosts reproductive success, including flowering, seed production, and fruit set. Phosphorus-based feeding, in contrast to nitrogen-based feeding, has difficulty penetrating plant tissues beyond the root zone. To maintain a constant P supply throughout the season, many farmers opt for a slow-release method. Because of its delayed action and lengthy duration, phosphorus fertilization is best applied before planting.
P-fertilizers come in a wide variety of chemical and physical forms. Single superphosphate (SSP), triple superphosphate (TSP), diammonium phosphate (DAP), ammonium dihydrogen phosphate (ADP), and ammonium polyphosphate (APP) liquid are the most widely used types of P-fertilizer.
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try nowPotassium-based fertilizer will promote robust root development in your plants. This type of synthetic fertilizer can serve as a buffer for your plants if they are deficient in other nutrients. Fertilizing with potassium-based products also helps plants maintain healthy photosynthesis and limits the spread of diseases. Apply this type of chemical as close to the plant's roots as you can.
Leaves may become yellow or brown around the edges if your plants are lacking in potassium. If you don't add potassium type of fertilizer on time, the leaves will wither and fall off.
Some examples of potash type fertilizers are potassium chloride (KCl), potassium sulfate/sulfate of potash (K2SO4), and potassium nitrate (KNO3). These products may also include additional minerals.
Using the EOSDA Crop Monitoring platform's productivity maps, you can precisely apply phosphorus and potassium fertilizers. Since they tend to stay in the soil for longer, you can apply them less frequently than N-fertilizers (depending on crop type, soil composition, and climatic conditions).
Due to the long-lasting nature of these fertilizing substances, it is also important to perform field analysis over a longer time frame. By evaluating satellite imagery captured over several years, our algorithm determines which areas of a field have higher and lower productivity. Leverage this data to maximize the cost-effectiveness of soil testing by locating sampling zones, estimate the potential savings from VRA (variable rate application) vs. an even rate application, and apply phosphorus and potassium types of fertilizers in a targeted manner.
The productivity map allows for targeted fertilizing with phosphorus and potassium.Fertilizers that contain varying levels of N, P, and K are known as compound ones. There are different types of NPK fertilizers used in agriculture, depending on nutrient formulations, and each is typically designed to fulfill the needs of a particular crop grown in a particular soil type. Most plants and soil types can benefit from a fertilizing product with an NPK ratio of 10-10-10. Soil types that don't keep nutrients well, like sandy or clay, may call for fertilizing with a higher NPK level, like 15-15-15.
Secondary nutrients like sulfur (S), magnesium (Mg), and calcium (Ca) are rarely used separately but rather mixed with the essential-nutrient fertilizing products. Sulfur is commonly included in N-fertilizers like nitric acid and urea. Additional types of sulfur fertilizers include single superphosphate (SSP), sulfate of potash (SOP), and potassium magnesium sulfate (PMS). Kieserite (magnesium sulfate monohydrate) is a popular Mg-based fertilizer. Calcium nitrate is a widely accessible calcium-based plant nutrition. Lime (calcium carbonate) and gypsum (calcium sulfate) can also be used to amend the soil with calcium.
A micronutrient type of fertilizer includes nutrients crucial for plant growth but only needed in trace amounts: iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), molybdenum (Mo), boron (B), zinc (Zn), chlorine (Cl), and copper (Cu). Since micronutrients are required in trace amounts, foliar fertilization is typically the most effective way to address a micronutrient shortage. Micronutrients are often blended with fertilizing products of N, P, and/or K.
The following table summarizes the function of each nutrient that can be found in various types of fertilizers used in agriculture.
Nutrient functions in plants Nutrient Role for plants Nitrogen (N) Protein formation Phosphorus (P) Photosynthesis and other cellular processes Potassium (K) Production of higher-quality crops Calcium (Ca) Strengthening plant structures Magnesium (Mg) Chlorophyll formation Sulfur (S) Production of amino acids Boron (B) Healthy cell growth and pollen formation Chlorine (CI) Managing water stress Copper (Cu) Catalyst for chemical reactions within plant cells Iron (Fe) Catalyst for chemical reactions within plant cells Manganese (Mn) Chlorophyll formation and enzyme regulation Molybdenum (Mb) More efficient N and P assimilation Nickel (Ni) Regulating biochemical processes Zinc (Zn) Proteins, starch, and growth hormone formationWhether in synthetic or organic fertilizer types, the right nutrients applied at the right stage of plant growth are essential for a healthy crop, which in turn leads to improved crop yields.
Organic fertilizing products often consist of a single component, making them easy to tailor to a plant's unique nutrient requirements. You can side-dress or incorporate into the soil different types of natural fertilizers derived from plants, minerals, and animal sources. The two main types of organic fertilizers are:
When used appropriately, these products provide the crops with an abundance of macro-, micro-, and trace nutrients. Beyond that, they help create an environment where beneficial bacteria, fungi, and insects can thrive. This could be the earthworms responsible for aerating the soil, increasing its drainage capacity, and bringing organic matter down to the subsurface, where most plants' roots can reach it.
Farmers employing natural types of fertilizers for plants should be aware that they take longer to decompose but yield better results in the long run. For crops that require a rapid boost, natural liquid feedings can be helpful, but they don't last very long.
Natural fertilizing products contribute to soil organic matter (SOM), which is important to soil health and, particularly, soil carbon sequestration . Additionally, they have a lower potential for nitrogen loss thanks to releasing their nutrients more slowly and steadily. All this results in fewer emissions of greenhouse gases.
Basically, by slow-release type of farm fertilizers, we mean a nutrient core with a synthetic resin or sulfur-containing polymer coating that degrades over time when exposed to moisture, heat, light, and/or soil microorganisms. Most of these fertilizing products feature controlled- or sustained-release components. The purpose of the slow-release fertilizer type is to nourish plants with nutrients over a longer period. For instance, studies have shown that even in poor climatic conditions like drought, it makes sense to supplement larger N dosages using some slow-release fertilizing products Wesołowska, M. (). New slow-release fertilizers ' economic, legal and practical aspects: a Review. International Agrophysics, 35(1), 11-24. https://doi.org/10./intagr/..
Fertilizer of slow-release type combined with organic mulches is ideal for fruit tree cultivation, for example in growing avocados
Fertilizing products are available in three main forms: liquid, soluble powder, and granular. Liquid-form feeding is frequently watered down, and, like irrigating a field, spreading it may take a hose attachment. For the best result, it's recommended to employ fertigation systems. Powdered dry fertilizer type also requires water to work. In most cases, the feeding product is broadcast and watered thoroughly until it is absorbed. Granular types of fertilizers are very practical for top-dressing fields. As the soil is moistened, the granules will progressively break down.
Each form has its own nuances of application. Liquid type of fertilizer is fast-acting, but it may come with a heavy price tag and can be tricky to apply uniformly. Granular nourishment is simpler to apply uniformly, but plants won't absorb its nutrients as quickly.
Choosing the right type of plant fertilizer depends on several factors, including the type of cultivated crops, the soil condition, and the specific nutrient needs at different environmental conditions and plant growth stages. Here are some steps to help you determine the best type of commercial fertilizer:
Finally, remember that, even with the right type of fertilizer for your crops, the right dosage is essential. By applying just the proper amount, you can prevent soil salinization, leaching, and other detrimental effects of overfertilizing. Today's agricultural technology makes precise fertilization a breeze. In the long run, yields and the environment will both gain from this.
Published: 28.11.Vasyl Cherlinka
Scientist at EOS Data Analytics
Vasyl Cherlinka is a Doctor of Biosciences specializing in pedology (soil science), with 30 years of experience in the field. He attended the engineering college in Ukraine and received his degree in agrochemistry, agronomy and soil science in the Chernivtsi National University. Since , Dr. Cherlinka has been advising EOSDA on problems in soil science, agronomy, and agrochemistry.
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