EXERCISE 10 FERTILIZERS AND FERTILIZER USAGE Fertilizer any organic or inorganic material or compound which can supply one

e or more of the essential nutrients needed by plants for normal growth The effectivity of any fertilizer depends on its nature and properties which include solubility, rate of decomposition, acidity and nutrient content The application of fertilizer can also influence soil chemical properties particularly soil pH. Proper use of fertilizers involves: a) applying the right amount for the particular soil, crop and condition b) applying at the right time c) applying by the right method or technique Properties of a fertilizer material considered to be a good choice a) It contains the needed nutrients b) It releases them at the right time c) It can be obtained at the right price d) It is convenient to use e) Its side effects are acceptable Methods of fertilizer application a) Broadcast application broadcast application is common, cheap, fast and convenient, but unsuitable for volatile fertilizers such as ammonia fertilizer can be spread onto the ground surface, either by hand or by machines ranging from hand-operated spreaders to aircraft nutrient uptake is improved if the broadcast fertilizer is mixed into the soil by tillage, or by watering if the nutrient will move freely in the soil b) Application in irrigation water soluble fertilizers can be injected as a concentrated solution at a controlled rate into irrigation water also a cheap method and can be used frequently and safely during crop growth

c) Drilling and injection placement below ground surface often improves fertilizer efficiency, especially when the fertilizer is banded at a close but safe distance from young plants d) Foliar spray foliar spray gives quick response, accurate timing and no immobilization in the soil however, only limited amounts can be applied because the leaf surfaces hold little water before the surplus drips off, and concentrated solutions damage the plants micronutrients, such as Fe and Zn are commonly applied by foliar spray A. INORGANIC FERTILIZERS Manufactured or synthetic fertilizers Most inorganic fertilizers release nutrient ions almost immediately, but some inorganic fertilizers dissolve slowly in the soil Common Fertilizer Materials 1. Nitrogen Nitrogen is the nutrient added as fertilizer most extensively and in the greatest amount, hence, it is the most commonly deficient nutrient, followed by phosphorus, sulfur, potassium and zinc. Most fertilizer elements are mined from non-renewable sources, but N is obtained from the atmosphere through fixation. Industrial fixation of atmospheric N2 is done for fertilizer manufacture. 2. Phosphorus The main industrial source of P is phosphate rock. Most deposits of phosphate rock were lime-rich sedimentary rocks that became enriched in P under shallow marine conditions. Sulfuric acid treatment of phosphate rock produces ordinary (or single) superphosphate, an impure mixture of calcium phosphate and sulfate. Phosphoric acid treatment produces concentrated (or triple) superphosphate, and the reaction of phosphoric acid with ammonia produces ammonium phosphate.

3. Potassium Potassium is mined from deep sedimentary deposits or from salt-lake deposits of KCl and K2SO4. 4. Sulfur The most abundant source of sulfur is gypsum (calcium sulfate), a major constituent of extensive sedimentary rocks. Gypsum is soluble enough to be a good S and Ca fertilizer with no treatment except grinding. Elemental sulfur, another source, is extracted from deposits associated with petroleum.

B. ORGANIC AND BIO-ORGANIC FERTILIZERS Organic fertilizer materials derived from plants or animals, usually processed through composting to reduce bulk, eliminate unpleasant odor, kill weed seeds and disease organisms (if the composting process generates highenough temperatures) Most organic fertilizers release nutrients slowly as they decay. Decay is especially slow if the soil is cold or the material is coarse, woody, fibrous or low in nutrients. Biofertilizers microbial inoculants or groups of micro-organisms which in one way or another, render nutrients available to plants from sources which the plants cannot tap themselves Nitrogen fixation conversion of N2 from air to forms usable by plants, for example, nitrate, or, more commonly, ammonia. Biological nitrogen fixation biological assimilation of N2 (dinitrogen), the gaseous form of N, and reduction of N2 to NH3 (ammonia).

Two General Kinds of Symbiotic Associations Between Plants and Microorganisms 1. Nitrogen-fixing association with bacteria, which supply the plant host with nitrogen from air. 2. Mycorrhizae, involving fungi, which help the plant get nutrients such as phosphate and zinc from the soil. Nitrogen-Fixing Symbioses 1. Blue-green bacteria colonize specialized cavities in the shoot system of certain cycads and ferns. An important example is the association of a bluegreen bacterium, Anabaena, with Azolla, a tiny floating fern cultivated throughout Southeast Asia to provide nitrogen for rice fields. 2. Frankia spp, a group of actinomycetes, infect roots of shrubs and trees of many genera, forming nitrogen-fixing root nodules. In some respects, this symbiosis resembles the Rhizobium-legume symbiosis. 3. Rhizobium and Bradyrhizobium spp (rhizobia) are bacteria that infect roots of plants of the legume family, forming nitrogen-fixing root nodules. The legume-Rhizobium symbiosis is important in nature, and it has been exploited for centuries in agriculture to get nitrogen directly into valuable high-protein foods and indirectly into non-legume crops via the soil through residue incorporation, animal feed and crop rotation. Fixation rates up to 500 to 600 kg/ha/yr have been estimated. Rates up to 50 kg/ha/yr are common but various constraints frequently slow fixation or stop it. Constraints to Nitrogen Fixation 1. if the soil already provides ample N 2. if the legume grows poorly