Why fertilizer works

This means that we need to keep our soils healthy and full of nutrients in order to feed the growing population. To explore more about fertilizer use, sustainability and food security, visit our sister blog Sustainable, Secure Food Blog. To receive notices about future blogs, be sure to subscribe to Soils Matter by clicking on the Follow button on the upper right! Explore more on our webpage About Soils. This article is well written and easy to follow. It would be even better if the statement below is revised.

Plants do not have the ability to fix atmospheric dinitrogen, but microbes. This is a very good article. The idea of green agriculture has been put forward for many years but now the application is poor. We are a team graduate from biological and environmental science. We hope to communicate with more farmers about the fertilizer using status and environment change relations in their country.

So if any interest please contact us: danielkaifeng Thanks for the info! Great info, however please note that in long run there are no use of fertilizers since the fertility of soil wont be much productive. Organic farming is best. Awesome article. Btw, I shared this on Facebook and my followers loved it. Bags of garden fertilizer are labeled with three numbers, such as These numbers indicate the percent of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium in the product.

The remainder of the bag is filler that helps the fertilizer disperse. Plant growth is directly related to the nitrogen content in their leaves. The nutrients in superphosphate promote the growth of clover. The clover then converts nitrogen gas in the atmosphere to the essential plant-available nitrogen.

Farming has become increasingly more intensive more is produced from the same size piece of land due to the cost and availability of land and demand for produce. Compared to clover, manufactured nitrogen fertiliser was found to be more productive because it could be applied at just the right time to increase production. Urea CO NH 2 2 became the main nitrogen fertiliser, particularly on dairy farms.

Fertiliser companies now often blend superphosphate with potash and add forms of nitrogen such as ammonium sulfate if needed. Other elements may be added in. Different nutrient combinations are made depending on the needs of the soil and plants. Water quality is a concern and focus of research.

Run-off from farms can carry nutrients from fertilisers and animal effluent into waterways. The nutrients stimulate plant growth in streams, rivers and lakes, which can upset the balance of natural flora and fauna and affect water quality. Farmers try to balance their fertiliser use to manage production while minimising nutrient loss through leaching to surface and groundwater.

The application of science has certain impacts on the environment and on society. Sometimes, there are impacts that were not intended and could be harmful. In a pound bag, therefore, 12 pounds is nitrogen, 8 pounds is phosphorous and 10 pounds is potassium. The other 70 pounds is known as ballast and has no value to the plants. So why don't people need fertilizer to grow?

Because we get everything we need from the plants we eat or from the meat of animals that ate plants. Plants are factories that do all of the work to process the basic elements of life and make them available to us. To get more information on fertilizer and other related topics, check out the links on the next page. Sign up for our Newsletter! Mobile Newsletter banner close. Mobile Newsletter chat close.