Just like all living organisms, plants also require certain elements to grow properly. These elements include water, sunlight, and nutrients. Plants get water and sunlight from the environment, but a proper nutrient dose is provided to the plants through the use of fertilizers.
Fertilizers are basically chemical substances that are either present in natural form or synthetic form used to enhance the quality and growth of plants.
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Here you can read all about the types and uses of fertilizers to improve the life of different plants.
Plants and nutrition
Even if the soil that plants are growing in is great, there is still a need for proper nutrition that can’t be provided by the soil it is growing in. Soil alone is not capable of fulfilling all the nutrient needs of a plant.
Just as nutrition is important for human beings, it is important for plants as well. For better growth and quality of plant life, we provide the plants with the nutrients it needs from sources that include fertilizers.
The amount of nutrients being given to the plant is also important because too few nutrients and too many nutrients; both can have an adverse or even fatal effect on the plant’s health.
There are some specific nutrients required by the plants. They are classified by the importance of nutrients for the plant. Based on the importance, there are two main categories of
nutrients for plants, i.e., primary and secondary.
Primary nutrients
Primary nutrients are required by the body in larger quantities; hence they are known as macronutrients. These are the main nutrients required by the crops, which ensures the optimal growth of plants by nourishing them with all essential nutrients. There are mainly six primary nutrients required by the plants, including:
- Carbon
- Oxygen
- Nitrogen
- Potassium
- Hydrogen
- Phosphorus
Carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen
These nutrients are provided to the plant through the environment. The plant gets the required carbon and oxygen from the air and the required hydrogen from moisture and water.
Nitrogen
Nitrogen is required in larger quantities by the plants because it is essential for the formation of amino acids and proteins in the plant, and other than this, nitrogen is an essential component of the chlorophyll present in the plant. The chlorophyll is important for the plant so that it can absorb the light energy from the sun, and the green color of plants is also attributed to chlorophyll.
Nitrogen is not available in the environment for the plant to take in; hence it is provided to the plant through the soil in the form of natural or artificial fertilizer.
Potassium
Potassium is an essential nutrient for a plant to facilitate the movement of certain other nutrients, including water and carbohydrates. To some extent, potassium is present in the soil, but the rest is added to the soil to ensure that the plant is receiving enough potassium.
Phosphorus
Phosphorus is an essential nutrient for the plant to help it absorb and utilize other nutrients for growth. Phosphorus helps the plant to transfer nutrients and energy from one area of the plant to the other.
Phosphorus is also added to the soil through the use of fertilizer so that the plant can utilize it for growth.
Secondary nutrients
There are some other nutrients as well that are required in lesser quantities than the primary or macronutrients. The secondary nutrients include magnesium, calcium, and sulfur. Let’s discuss their role in plant growth.
Magnesium
Magnesium is mainly required for the process of photosynthesis in plants. Without magnesium, the plant’s chlorophyll will not be able to absorb the light energy from sunlight that it needs for the process of photosynthesis, and the plant would turn pale yellow, and eventually, it will die. Magnesium is added to the soil for the plants to utilize.
Calcium
Other than facilitating the pathway of nutrients in the plants, calcium is responsible for strengthening the cell wall of the plant for optimal growth and structure support. Calcium is not required in a very large quantity by the plants, but the required amount is added to the soil in the form of fertilizers.
Sulfur
Sulfur is mainly required by the plants for the formation of amino acids that are required for the process of photosynthesis. In this way, sulfur is essential for plant growth, although not in as large quantities as the macronutrients.
Nutrients in fertilizers
Commonly the three main macronutrients are added to the fertilizers, including nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorus, to maintain the NKP balance in the plants. Some fertilizers also have a certain amount of micronutrients added to them.
Based on the composition of the fertilizer, there have been a few types of fertilizers made that is used for the optimal growth of plants. Before adding the fertilizer to the soil, one must know about the requirement of particular nutrients in the plant.
These are two types of fertilizers with further subtypes that are commonly used
- Inorganic fertilizers
- Organic fertilizers
Inorganic fertilizers
Inorganic fertilizers are a type of chemical-based fertilizers that are made artificially with added nutrients for the plant to take in and benefit from. Macronutrients and sometimes micronutrients are artificially added to the fertilizer, which is to be placed in the soil. This way, a plant can consume the number of nutrients it requires.
There are a few different types of inorganic fertilizers, as mentioned below:
Nitrogen fertilizers
They are nitrogen-based chemical fertilizers that provide the plant with the adequate amount of nitrogen it requires for growth. Since nitrogen is essential for the production of amino acids and proteins, adding this fertilizer to the soil in the right amount is essential.
Nitrogen is present in the fertilizer in three different forms, including nitrate, ammonia, and urea.
Nitrate
Nitrate (NO3), when added to the soil through the fertilizer, mixes with the water and travels across the soil in the form of soil water.
Urea
Urea is converted to the ammonia or ammonium form when added to the soil. This also mixes up with the water present in the soil, and it needs to be absorbed by the plant before it gets wasted away with the water.
Ammonia or ammonium
The ammonia form (NH3) of nitrogen present in the fertilizer is usually converted into ammonium form (NH4). The ammonia form of nitrogen can flee from the air, so it is made sure that it is added within the depth of soil so that no waste occurs.
Phosphorus fertilizers
Phosphorus fertilizers are added to the soil depending on the targeted plant’s requirement and after checking the quality of the soil. Phosphate rocks are used as raw materials during the production of phosphate fertilizers.
Usually, the phosphorus-based fertilizer is added to the soil before setting up the plant. This way, the soil gets prepared with phosphate supply, and the plant is then ready to take up the phosphorus.
Potassium fertilizers
Potassium makes sure that your plant stays healthy and green, and for this, we need to make sure that an adequate amount of potassium fertilizers is added to the soil.
When added to the soil, potassium fertilizer should be added close to the roots so that the plant can effectively absorb the amount of potassium it requires. If not enough potassium is provided, the plants will begin to turn yellow towards death. In order to avoid such conditions associated with crops, we add potassium fertilizers to the soil so that it grows to its maximum extent.
Organic fertilizers
Organic fertilizers are the ones that are obtained from natural sources, mainly including plants and animals. Organic fertilizers are rich in nutrients and organic acids. This makes it easy for plants to receive the nutrients they need from an organic and natural source.
Animal-based fertilizers are those that we receive from different animal sources such as animal dung, blood, or bones. Some of the animal-based organic fertilizers include
Animal manure
For quite a long time now, animal manure has been in use as a form of organic fertilizer. Manure is obtained from different animals, including cows, horses, sheep, goats, and chickens. Animal manure is enriched with the nutrients required for the growth of plants. It is embedded in the soil a few months before the setting up of the plants so that the soil is ready by then.
Animal manure is added either as it is or after some processing. Applying it without any processing can be less efficient in comparison to its efficiency after it has been processed.
Blood meal
This is the dried-up powdered form of animal blood that is used as a form of organic fertilizers to improve the life and growth of plants. A blood meal is enriched with nitrogen. It becomes one of the richest nitrogen sources for plants which comes from a natural source. Usually, cattle blood obtained from the slaughterhouse byproducts is used as a source of blood meal for plants.
Bone meal
This is the mixture of finely crushed animal bones and other end products obtained from the slaughterhouse. Bone meal is quite rich in potassium and calcium, and a small amount of nitrogen. To provide these nutrients naturally, bone meal is added to the soil before the plant is added.
Shellfish
Bones of sea animals, especially shellfish, are used as an organic form of fertilizer. Shellfish contains mainly calcium and phosphorus, which makes it a good source of nutrients for plants.
Plant bases fertilizers are those that we receive from different plants already present in nature. Some of the plant-based organic fertilizers include:
Compost
Compost is obtained by mixing up the plant waste, including waste from rotten vegetables or grains, etc. this form of fertilizer is added to soil to provide the plants with an enriched dose of nutrients it requires.
Seaweed
Seaweed is widely used as a plant-based organic fertilizer. It is added directly to the soil where the crop is to be grown. As it is enriched with essential minerals, it provides a booster for the plants to grow.
The benefits of using fertilizers
Fertilizers are used widely all over the world to enhance the quality and growth of crops in order to provide abundant amounts of nutrient-rich food to people. There are several benefits associated with the usage of fertilizers, as discussed below:
Enhancing the soil quality
Although there are already several nutrients present in the soil, the optimal growth of the crop planted there need more vital nutrients. This is done by adding those nutrients to either from natural and organic sources or chemical and
inorganic sources.
Adding fertilizers to the soil in which the crop is grown can enhance the nutritional quality of the soil, and a nutrition-filled food will be grown on it, flowers and plants would bloom more beautifully.
Increasing the crop yield and nutritional quantity
Fertilizers provide a better quality soil for the crop to grow in. this environment makes the plant able to keep its yield high with an increased quantity of essential nutrients that is not only important for the plant’s growth but for the consumer as well.
Speedy growth
Fertilizers which are mainly rich in phosphorus, offer a speedy growth and maturation process to the crops. With speedy and better growth, more and more crops can be harvested in a lesser time frame. When fertilizers are not added to the soil, plants will show a slower growth rate in comparison to the plants that are growing in fertilizer-based soil.
Absence of fertilizers
Plants can still grow even without the presence of fertilizers, but there are certain deficiency situations that can arise as a result of the absence of the fertilizers.
Some of the deficiency situations that can arise as a result of the absence of fertilizers include
Growth delay
There will be a delay in the growth of plants. They will mature late, and eventually, there will be much less yield at the end. In order to add the next batch of crops, the first one needs to be matured. Slow maturation will lead to fewer crops.
Early death
The plants growing without the use of fertilizers in the soil can be experiencing early death because they won’t be provided with enough nutrient-rich environment to grow in that they require.
Leaf yellowing or chlorosis
The yellowing of leaves or more commonly known as chlorosis occurs when the plant does not have enough amount of chlorophyll present to capture the light energy from the sun and to carry out the process of photosynthesis. The green color and fresh look of the plant are attributed to the presence of chlorophyll. A soil lacking enough nutrients for plant growth can result in a lack of chlorophyll which will eventually lead to early yellowing of the plants.
Tissue death or necrosis
Not receiving enough nutrients for optimal growth can lead to the death of specific tissues or more commonly known as necrosis. This happens when there is no proper supply of blood and oxygen provided to the tissues.
The disadvantages of using fertilizers
Although fertilizers provide the crops with almost all the nutrients it needs to survive and grow, at the same time, there are some disadvantages that are associated with the use of fertilizers. Some of these disadvantages have been discussed below:
Nitrogen-based gases in the atmosphere
When nitrogen-containing fertilizers are added to the soil, the plants take up the required nitrogen and leave the remaining in the soil. That remnant of nitrogen forms up nitrogen-based gases and gets released into the environment. These gases are harmful to the environment as it promotes smog and acid rain, which adds to the issue of global warming.
Eutrophication
Eutrophication is a situation that arises when there is an excess of nutrients in the soil, including nitrogen and phosphorus. This nutrient then gets mixed with the soil water and forms algae and other toxins that are harmful to many living organisms.
Water contamination
The nitrogen present in the fertilizers is responsible for the contamination of drinking water that comes from groundwater. Nitrate gets deposited in the water by leaching in from the soil. When humans consume nitrate-contaminated water, it exhibits many adverse effects on their health if consumed for a longer time period.
Overfertilization can occur
If not added carefully, over-fertilization can occur due to the use of fertilizers. This can lead to the destruction of crops to which the fertilizer is added. There are several signs that indicate the overuse of fertilizers on the soil, including the discoloration of plants, burnt leaf parts, and eventually the death of plants.
Conclusion
For a long time, fertilizers have been used to enhance the growth and nutritional quality of plants and crops all over the world. These fertilizers are either natural or synthetic.
If you wish to learn more about the detailed aspects of fertilizers and their chemical nature, our private
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