Fertilizers: Definition, Types, Application & Benefits

Fertilizers: Fertilizers are natural or synthetic substances produced to supply nutrients to the plants. It is used to increase the productivity of crops in agricultural fields. Farmers involved in agricultural practices or farming use fertilizer in their day-to-day life to increase the yield of crops. Fertilizers are products that are required for the enhancement of soil and retention of water for the growth of the plants. It supplies nutrients such as nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus to the plants for their effective growth.

Fertilizers are available in different concentrations and formulations for different crops. This is one of the most important topics in elementary and primary school so that students get detailed knowledge about using fertilizers and their impact on agriculture. Students can also check NCERT Solutions for Class 9 Science Chapter 15 – Improvement in Food Resources for a better understanding. Read on to find out about its definition, types, benefits and examples.

What are Fertilizers?

Fertilizers are the substances used to enhance the growth of plants. These are generally used by farmers in their day-to-day life. They comprise nutrients such as nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus that are provided to the crops to enhance the soil and improve retention of water. Fertilizers are of two types: (i) organic and (ii) inorganic.

Fertilizers are used in small gardens and acres of agricultural land. Different types of fertilizers are used depending on the soil and weather conditions. With the drastic increase in population, there has been the need of increased production of crops to provide food and other agricultural products.

Types of Fertilizers

There are different types of fertilizers used in agricultural fields. They are as follows:

Organic Fertilizers

They are prepared from plant and animal waste materials. They include agricultural, livestock, vegetables waste, etc. Organic fertilizers help in enriching the soil along with promoting the reproduction of microorganisms and changing the physical and chemical properties of the soil for high productivity.

Inorganic Fertilizers

Inorganic fertilizers are the chemical substances that consist of nutrients used for plant growth. They are as follows:

Types of Inorganic Fertilizers

Nitrogenous Fertilizers: They are source of nitrogen to the crops. They help in increasing the yield and promote the growth of plants. Urea, ammonium sulphate, calcium ammonium nitrate, etc. are examples of nitrogenous fertilizers.
Phosphorus Fertilizers: The ones that are used as the main source of phosphorus are called phosphorus fertilizers. These are used for the growth of plant root. Few of the commercially available phosphorus fertilizers are single superphosphate, triple super phosphate, dicalcium phosphate, etc.
Potassium Fertilizers: These are used as the single source of potassium for crops. These include muriate of potash and potassium sulphate.

Application of Fertilizers

It is important to understand the application of fertilizers based on the requirement of phosphorus, nitrogen and potassium.

Basal Application: Applied to the soil before planting.
Top Dressing: Applied to the standing crop.
Foliar Application: Applied through foliar spray. In such cases, urea is used because of its easy and quick absorption by the plant tissues.

Benefits of Fertilizers

Fertilizers are used by the farmers to increase the productivity of crops. Some of their benefits in agricultural practices are mentioned below:

Easy to carry and store
Used as supplement for any particular nutrients
Soluble in water
Calculated amount of nutrients can be used for the plants
Easily available in different formulations and concentration
Cost-effective
Used as nutritional supplements for the plants
Helps in improving the growth of the plant
Increases the yield of the crops
Improves fertility of the soil
Improves the retention of water in the soil

Frequently Asked Questions

The following are some commonly asked questions on the topic:

Q. What are fertilizers?
A. Fertilizers are the natural or synthetic substances used to improve the productivity and growth of crops.

Q. What is the source of nutrients in inorganic fertilizers?
A. The inorganic fertilizers include nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus.

Q. What are the different methods used to apply fertilizers?
A. The different methods used to apply fertilizers are basal application, top dressing and foliar application.

Q. What are the advantages and disadvantages of using fertilizers?
A. Fertilizers supply the required nutrients to the crops or plants and helps them grow well. They also help in increased crop yields. However, excess use of fertilizers will result in infertility of the soil.

Q. What are the different types of fertilizers?
A. Fertilizers are of two types: organic and inorganic. Example of organic fertilizers include agricultural waste and livestock manure. Example of inorganic fertilizers include nitrogen fertilizer and phosphorus fertilizer.