INORGANIC

FERTILIZER
 INORGANIC FERTILIZER
1. History
2. Terminology
3. Production and properties of fertilizers
4. Fertilizer usage
a. Methods of application
b. Computations
5. Fertilizers and the environment
I. INTRODUCTION
A. HISTORICAL BACKGROUND ON FERTILIZER
USE
• Use of fertilizers (manures) started as
early as 800 BC
 First fertilizers used:
animal manure, ground bones, wood
ashes, guano
• Use of chemical fertilizers started in 1660
Digby’s claim: “By the help of plain
saltpeter, I have made the barrenest
ground outgo the richest in giving
prodigious bountiful harvest.”
• Through centuries of ancient and medieval
times, men have been deeply interested in
improving crop yield by the addition of various
organic and mineral substances.
• The foundation for the modern fertilizer
industry was laid by Liebig, in 1840.
B.RATIONALE FOR THE NEED OF FERTILIZERS
• Amount of available nutrients in the soil is not
enough to meet crop management for high
yield.
• The nutrient in the soil is not present in readily
available form.
• Nutrient depletion or loss is continuous
• Increased production
• Increased farm income
C.DEFINITION OF FERTILIZER TERMS
1. Fertilizer
 Any substance that is applied to the soil or
to the plant to supply the elements
required for the nutrition and growth of
plants.
2. Single nutrient fertilizers – fertilizers that
supply one primary nutrient
 Also called straight fertilizers
 Examples: urea , ammonium
sulfate
3. Multinutrient fertilizers – fertilizers
containing two or three primary nutrients
 Also known as: complex, compound and
mixed fertilizers
 Examples: Ammonium phosphate (16-20-0)
4. Complete fertilizer – contains the 3
primary nutrients which are historically known
to be deficient in most soils.
5.Fertilizer grade – weight percentage of the
nutrients contained in a fertilizer.
 Guaranteed minimum analysis of the plant
nutrient in terms of % total N, % available
Phosphoric acid (%P2O5) and % soluble
potash (%K2O)
6. Fertilizer ratio – relative proportion of each
of the primary nutrients N, P2O5 and K2O in a
fertilizer material.
Example: 14-14-14 => 1:1:1
12-24-12 =>
6-24-24
20-10-10
D. CLASSIFICATION OF FERTILIZERS
1. Inorganic fertilizer – any fertilizer product
whose properties are determined primarily by
its content of mineral mater or synthetic
chemical compounds.
2. Organic fertilizers – any fertilizer product of
plant and/or animal origin that has undergone
decomposition through biological, chemical and
or any other process as long as the original
materials are no longer recognizable, soil-like
in texture and free from plant or animal
pathogens.
 Pure organic fertilizer – no chemical has
been added to the finished product to
increase nutrient content.
 Fortified or enriched – has be enriched
with microbial inoculants, hormones or
chemical additives to increase nutrient
content.
 PROPERTIES OF COMMONLY USED
FERTILIZER
A. NITROGEN FERTILIZER
The basic reaction developed in 1913 in
Germany is called Haber-Bosch process:
N2 + 3H2 heat (500ºC) 2NH3

catalyst
high pressure (14,700 psi)
Table 1. Nitrogen fertilizer and their composition
FERTILIZER FORMULA %N
Urea CO(NH2)2 45 – 46

Ammonium sulfate (NH4)2 SO4 20 – 21

Ammonium nitrate NH4 NO3 33

Calcium cyanamide Ca CN3 22

Anhydrous ammonia NH3 82

Ammonium phosphate NH4 H2PO4 11

Ammonium chloride NH4 Cl 26

B. P FERTILIZERS
MANUFACTURE:
Ca10(PO4)6F2 + 7 H2SO4 3 CaH4(PO4)2·H2O
OSP

+ 7 CaSO4 + 2 HF
OSP contains:
20% P2O5, 19-22 % Ca, 10-12% S and
traces of Mg, Fe, Cu, Zn, Mn, Cl, Al
Solubility: 85%
Ca10(PO4)6F2 + 14 H3PO4 10 Ca(H2PO4)2 + 2 HF
ROCK PHOSPHATE TSP*
C. Potassium fertilizers
Potassium fertilizers primarily come from
mining K mineral deposits so that the main
production processes involved are refining of the
extracted minerals. Examples of these minerals
deposits are sylvinite (KCl·NaCL) and
langbeinite(K2SO4·2MgSO4).
 FERTILIZER FORMULA % K2O
Muriate of potash KCl 60

Potassium nitrate KNO3 45

Potassium sulfate K2SO4 50

Potassium magnesium K2SO4·2MgSO4 21

sulfate

Potassium carbonate K2CO3 63

The common sources of calcium other than the
NPK fertilizers are:
MATERIAL FORMULA % Ca
Calcitic lime CaCO3 34

Dolomitic lime CaCO3·MgCO3 17

Burned lime CaO 70

Hydrated lime Ca(OH)2 50

Gypsum CaSO4·2H2O 22

Calcium chloride CaCl2 36

 Magnesium is also contained in such
materials as dolomitic limestone which is also a
liming material. However, there are other sources
of magnesium namely:
MATERIAL FORMULA % Mg
Kieserite MgSO4·H2O 18.2

Epsom MgSO4·7 H2O 91.0

Langbeinite K2SO4·2 MgSO4 11.2

Magnesium oxide MgO 45

dolomite CaCO3·MgCO3 12
 Chelate is derived from a Greek word meaning
“claw”. Simply, the micronutrient is held by an organic
molecule by multiple bonds as if by a claw and shields it
from chemical reactions but retains the availability of the
micronutrient to plans. Shown below is the chemical
structure of an Fe chelate, FeEDTA (Brandy, 1984).3
FERTILIZER APPLICATION

1. BROADCAST – spread uniformly over the soil

surface.
2. BAND – fertilizer is spread on a narrow strip
along the side of the row of plants.
3. IN-THE-ROW – fertilizer is applied along the
bottom of furrow.
4. RING – fertilizer is applied around the base of
the plant or tree.
5. HOLE – fertilizer is dropped in holes around the
tree.
6. SPOT – fertilizer is dropped in small amount
on the side of each hill or plant.

7. BASAL – first of fertilizer applied at planting

time.

8. TOPDRESS – application sometime after

plants have emerged.

9. FOLIAR – spraying of fertilizer on leaves.

10. FERTIGATION – application of fertilizer

dissolved in irrigation water.
Fertilizer management that increases
efficiency of recovery

 Proper rates / doses

 Right timing of application
 Proper method of application
 Right kind of fertilizer
 FERTILIZER COMPUTATION

General Formulas:
WN
WF =
FC
Where:
WF = weight of fertilizer
WN = weight of nutrient (N, P2O5, K2O, etc)
FC = % composition / 100
or: WN = WF x FC
Sample Problem 1:
Recommendation: 90-0-0
How many kg/ha Ammonium sulfate, AS (20-0-0)
must be applied?
90
Kg AS/ha = = 450
.20

If urea (45-0-0) is used instead of AS?

90
Kg urea/ha = = 200
.45
How many bags AS or urea are needed?

450 kg
Bags AS/ha = = 9
50 kg/bag

200 kg
Bags urea/ha = = 4
50 kg/bag
Sample Problem 2
Recommendation: 90-30-0
Fertilizers to be used:
Ammonium sulfate (20-0-0)
Ammonium phosphate (16-20-0)
Solve first for P:

30
Kg AP/ha = = 150
.20
150 kg AP contains 30 kg P2O5 and 24 kg N
150 x 0.16 = 24 kg N

N still needed will come from AS:

90 – 24 = 66 kg N

66
Kg AS/ha = = 330
.20
Sample Problem 3
The fertilizer recommendation for tomato
was given at 120-120-120. How many grams of
complete fertilizer CF (14% N, 14% P2O5, 14%
K2O) are needed per hill? The plants were spaced
40 cm x 40 cm.
Solution:
First calculate the amount of fertilizer needed
per hectare:
120 kg N, P2O5, K2O
Kf CF/ha = = 857
0.14
 Next compute the number of hills or plants
per hectare (1 ha measures 10,000 sq. M)

10,000 m2
No. of hills/ha = = 62,500
.40 m x 0.40 m

Then,

857 kg/ha
Kg CF/hill = = 137 gm/hill
62,500
Sample Problem 4
Recommendation: 120-0-0
Which is cheaper to use, urea (P 680/bag) or AS
(P 450/bag)?
120
Bags urea = = 267 kg
0.45

267 kg
= 5.3 bags
50 kg/bag

5.3 bags x P 680 = P 3,627

 120
Bags AS = = 600 kg
0.20

600 kg
= 12 bags
50 kg/bag

12 bags x P 450 = P 5,400

 Agronomic Efficiency of Nutrient Use (AE)
AE is the incremental efficiency in producing
grain from applied nutrient.

Grain yield in fertilized Grain yield in unfertilized

plot (kg/ha) plot (kg/ha)
AE =
N rate, in kg/ha

AE of N = 50%
P = 10%
K = 20 – 40%
Average AE of N in rice = 18 kg grain/kg N
Summary of Environmental Problems Associated
with Nitrogen.
Environmental Issue Causative mechanism
and impacts
Human and Animal Consumption of high
health nitrate drinking waters
and food; particularly
important for infants
because it disrupts
oxygen transport system
blood.
Cont…..

Environmental Issue Causative mechanism and

impacts
Cancer Exposure to nitrosoamines
formed from reaction of
amines with nitrosating
agents; skin cancer
increased by greater
exposure to ultraviolet
radiation due to destruction
of ozone layer.
 Environmental Issue Causative mechanism and
impacts
Nitrate poisoning Livestock ingestion of high
nitrate feed or waters

Ecosystem damage Nitrate leaching from

ground water fertilizers, manures,
contamination sludges, waste waters,
septic tanks; can impact
both human and animal,
and tropic state of surface
waters.
Environmental Issue Causative mechanism and
impacts
Eutrophication of Soluble or sediment-bound N
surface from erosion, waters surface
run-off, or ground water
discharge enters surface
waters; direct discharge of N
from municipal and industrial
wastewater treatment plants
into surface water;
atmospheric disposition of
ammonia and nitric acid;
general degradation of water
quality and biological diversity
of fresh waters.
Environmental Issue Causative mechanism and
impacts
Acid rain Nitric acid originating from
reaction of N oxides with
moisture in atmosphere is
returned to terrestrial
ecosystem as acidic rainfall,
snow, mists, or fogs (wet
deposition) or as particulates
(dry deposition); damages
sensitive vegetation, acidifies
surface waters, and --- as
eutrophication --- can
favorably alter biodeversity in
lakes, streams and bays.
Environmental Issue Causative mechanism and
impacts
Stratospheric ozone Nitrous oxides from burning of
depletion fossil fuels by climatic change
industry and automobiles and
from denitrification of nitrate
in soils are transported to
stratosphere where ozone
destruction occurs; ultraviolet
radiation incident on earth’s
surface increases as does
global warming.
 Excess P in bodies of water may lead to
algal blooms which reduce the aesthetic or
recreational value of these waters.
Excess K may cause Mg deficiency and
cause grass tetany in grazing animals.
Excess fertilizers may increase salt in
soils, cause nutrient imbalance and make the soil
unfit for plant growth.
Excess application of sewage sludge
may build up heavy metal concentration in soils
which are passed on to the food chain.
THE END