Why are agricultural fertilizers used?
The production and growth of agricultural crops requires attention to all factors that help in the correct cultivation; To ensure the availability of high quality in agricultural crops and high nutritional value, this desirable quality in agricultural crops and nutritional value requires one of the most important factors, which is ensuring soil fertility and the presence of important nutrients, which are achieved through the use of agricultural fertilizers. It is one of the most important factors affecting soil fertility, which supplies all the soil’s lack of elements required for the growth of agricultural crops.
Why is the use of fertilizers important in agriculture?
Agricultural fertilizers are one of the most important elements used in agriculture, and their importance lies in feeding agricultural crops with the important elements and nutrients essential for their growth, and in order to increase their nutritional value. They provide all the food the plant needs, as agricultural crops consume many nutrients and minerals found in the soil, so fertilizers compensate for this deficiency of soil elements, as the decrease in agricultural fertilizers reduces crops, and some of them may not grow, while others May be of lower nutritional quality due to nutrient deficiency; That is why it is preferable to add fertilizers every year to increase productivity, and to achieve quality in the production of the crop, in addition to the quality of the soil.
What are the important nutrients contained in agricultural fertilizers?
In the past, the main source of agricultural fertilizers was crop residues and animal dung; Because it contains organic materials of high nutritional value and useful for plants, as it provides both phosphorous, nitrogen, and potassium, which are among the most important nutrients absorbed by the roots of the plant from the soil, and the content of these sources of nutritional values varies from one type to another depending on Livestock and crop types, and not all sources give the same nutritional value to plants; Rather, they vary in the nutritional value that the soil needs.
What are the most important types of agricultural fertilizers?
Agricultural fertilizers include the following types:
Chemical fertilizers
Chemical fertilizers, which contain chemicals that help nourish the soil, are divided into several types, namely:
Nitrogen fertilizer: This type of fertilizer provides nitrogen, which is one of the most important sources of plant food, as nitrogen is the main component of chlorophyll, which maintains a balance in the photosynthesis process, which is the basic process of plant growth, and also contributes to improving the quality of agricultural crops. .
Phosphorous fertilizers: Phosphorous is the main and most effective element in this type of fertilizer. Phosphorous fertilizer is useful for the roots of the plant, and important in the cell’s protoplasm. It also stimulates its growth and reproduction, and helps improve the growth of the stems, leaves, and fruits of the plant.
Potassium-containing fertilizers: Potassium is one of the most important nutrients beneficial to the plant, which strengthens the roots, stems and leaves for the photosynthesis process, and also contributes to protecting the plant’s health from diseases and their complications that may affect it. Potassium helps keep the leaves of the plant green, while its deficiency leads to to yellowing of plant leaves.
organic fertilizers
It is one of the types of natural fertilizers that help increase organic matter in the soil and stimulate the growth of microorganisms in it. The organic fertilizer consists of crop residues, livestock manure, and some industrial waste. The organic fertilizer also provides the soil with carbon materials important for growth, and changes the chemical and physical properties. Soil is one of the main elements for the growth of green plants.
dry fertilizer
This type of fertilizer is used to feed agricultural crops in farms. It is placed on the roots of plants when they are dry. It is preferable to stay away from its use when the leaves are wet with water. It is placed at a depth of 7.5 cm from the root of the plant. For better results; Put a small amount or a small amount of concentrations of them.
water soluble fertilizer
This type of fertilizer is used to provide the plants that are grown in pots with the appropriate nutrients; By spraying it using spray cans that help to give the plants planted in tubs what they lack in nutrients or some nutritional supplements useful for the plant, such as iron, manganese, or zinc, and some types of it mixed with water are used once a week.
What are the disadvantages of agricultural fertilizers?
There are some harms that accompany the excessive use of agricultural fertilizers and in the wrong way, including the following:
Some types of fertilizers are too expensive for some farmers; This may make the purchase of fertilizers an obstacle for farmers.
Some types of fertilizers are harmful to the human body when the plant that was planted in them is eaten, and may be harmful to the skin and respiratory system.
Excessive use of fertilizers negatively affects the soil; It is counterproductive, reduces soil fertility, and harms plants.
Some types of fertilizer residues sometimes reach the banks of rivers; This causes the phenomenon of eutrophication of fresh and potable water.
Constant and excessively abundant application of fertilizers to the soil reduces the activity of beneficial microorganisms.
