Substance added to soils to supply plant nutrients for a better growth
"Plant food" redirects here. For the drug term, see Bath salts (drug). For other uses, see Plant food (disambiguation).
A fertilizer (American English) or fertiliser (British English) is any material of natural or synthetic origin that is applied to soil or to plant tissues to supply plant nutrients. Fertilizers may be distinct from liming materials or other non-nutrient soil amendments. Many sources of fertilizer exist, both natural and industrially produced.[1] For most modern agricultural practices, fertilization focuses on three main macro nutrients: nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) with occasional addition of supplements like rock flour for micronutrients. Farmers apply these fertilizers in a variety of ways: through dry or pelletized or liquid application processes, using large agricultural equipment or hand-tool methods.
Historically fertilization came from natural or organic sources: compost, animal manure, human manure, harvested minerals, crop rotations and byproducts of human-nature industries (i.e. fish processing waste, or bloodmeal from animal slaughter). However, starting in the 19th century, after innovations in plant nutrition, an agricultural industry developed around synthetically created fertilizers. This transition was important in transforming the global food system, allowing for larger-scale industrial agriculture with large crop yields.
Nitrogen-fixing chemical processes, such as the Haber process invented at the beginning of the 20th century, and amplified by production capacity created during World War II, led to a boom in using nitrogen fertilizers.[2] In the latter half of the 20th century, increased use of nitrogen fertilizers (800% increase between 1961 and 2019) has been a crucial component of the increased productivity of conventional food systems (more than 30% per capita) as part of the so-called "Green Revolution".[3]
The use of artificial and industrially-applied fertilizers has caused environmental consequences such as water pollution and eutrophication due to nutritional runoff; carbon and other emissions from fertilizer production and mining; and contamination and pollution of soil. Various sustainable-agriculture practices can be implemented to reduce the adverse environmental effects of fertilizer and pesticide use as well as other environmental damage caused by industrial agriculture.
^Cite error: The named reference Ullmann1 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^"Fritz Haber". Science History Institute. 1 June 2016. Retrieved 16 December 2022.
A fertilizer (American English) or fertiliser (British English) is any material of natural or synthetic origin that is applied to soil or to plant tissues...
Organic fertilizers are fertilizers that are naturally produced. Fertilizers are materials that can be added to soil or plants, in order to provide nutrients...
with Canada being the largest producer, mostly for use in fertilizer. Various kinds of fertilizer-potash constitute the single greatest industrial use of...
On April 17, 2013, an ammonium nitrate explosion occurred at the West Fertilizer Company storage and distribution facility in West, Texas, United States...
Many countries have standardized the labeling of fertilizers to indicate their contents of major nutrients. The most common labeling convention, the NPK...
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hydrates. It is predominantly used in agriculture as a high-nitrogen fertilizer. Its other major use is as a component of explosive mixtures used in mining...
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operations and from surface runoff that may be contaminated by chemicals in fertilizer, pesticides, animal slurry, crop residues or irrigation water. Agricultural...
world with an annual production capacity of over 4.9 million tons of fertilizers. SABIC owns 42.99% with 57.01% being held by the private sector and the...
Ericaceous fertilizer is a type of fertilizer that is high in acidity. It is used on plants from the plant family Ericaceae (Azaleas and Blueberries for...
soil and thus helps plants to grow. Therefore, urine can be used as a fertilizer. Some animals use it to mark their territories. Historically, aged or...
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a key substance in the chemical industry. It is most commonly used in fertilizer manufacture but is also important in mineral processing, oil refining...
range from animal management and housing to the spread of pesticides and fertilizers in global agricultural practices, which can have major environmental...
Fauji Group) is a Pakistani conglomerates company which is active in fertilizer, cement, food, power generation, gas exploration, LPG marketing and distribution...