'@ Farmers should provide good seed storage conditions if storing their own seed, especially ensuring that seed is below 10+12% moisture, © They should buy sced from agents that are reputed to sell quality seed. They should buy certified and labelled seed as'mueh as possible. © Farmers should test their own seed before planting to ensure its physical and genetic purity, and © Farmers should mechanically plant seed and fertilizers rather than broadcast them. fertilizer andl Nutrients In this scetion, the commercial fertilizers available to farmers in Pakistan are described with their nutrient content. Farmers are guided how to determine the amounts of these fertilizers to apply to theif crops as well as the adjustments needed {o suit dilTerent crop rotations and conditions..Finally farmers are shown how to ‘manage fertilizers in order to increase the efficiencies of their use. a “an Integrated Nutrient Supply Approach: ‘Farmers should supply the nutrients that their crops require through mixing organie manures and chemical fertilizers to sustain increased crop production and main il fertility. Orsanic, manures include Farm Yard Manure trom thir livestock biological nitrogen fixation through including leyunes in their crop rotation (sce Figure), ploughing under crop residues and green mianure crops (see Figures 5). Chemical fertilizers are supplied to augment the of anic manures, Chemical fertilizers arid manures contain the main nuttients that crops require for growth and development, "These ruthients are described as: chance of ~ Major nutrients: Nitrogen (N). phosphorus (P) and:potassium (K). They are required in relatively large amounts Calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), sulphur (S). They are lability is adequate in soils. Secondary nutrients: required in large mounts bat usually theit a ~ Micronutrients: Boron (B), manganese (Ma) copper (Cu), zine (Zn). iron (Fe), ‘molybdenum (Mo) and chlorine (Cl). They are essential for plants but are needed in very small amounts. Most soils supply enough of these but occasionally they need tobe added as fertilizers. The fertilizers that supply the major nutrients (N, P, K) are available in several forms in Pakistan as described in Appendix A. Some micronutrient fertilizers are also available (see below). Fertilizers are supplied to farmers in bags, normally of 50kg weight. Bags are labelled with the name of the fertilizer and the nutrient contents. Figure 20 shows how a typical fertilizer bag is labelled. Most commercial fertilizers contain only the “4 ;major nutrients, Nitrogen (N), available Phosphorus (P0,) and Potassium (KO). Fertilizer recommendations for each crop are usually given in terms of the kg per ha or kg per acre of these major nutrients. These are given for each crop in the crop ‘guides in the Section 4 of this manual. FIGURE 20: Supply of Fertilizer in 50kg bags Example: Nitrophos NITROPHOS| Percentage Nitrogen (N) 23-23-0-——|— Percentage Potassium (K,0) Percentage Phosporus (E 0,) [Name of Compans| Labels show name of fertilizer, nutrient contents and name of manufacturer. Converting recommendations of nutrients in kg/ha or kg/ac for a erop to number of bags of commercial fertilizer to apply is shown in Appendix A. Ifa farmer practises good crop management (recommended variety, optimum planting & date, adequate water and weed control), then for every rupee he spends on chemical fertilizer, he will probably have a return of least three or four rupees. In most irrigated ‘conditions provided crop management is good, farmers should always apply balanced ‘amounts of chemical fertilizer along with added organic manures. ~ Plant Signs Showing Nutrient Deficiencies (see Plates 2-6) Farmers can identify when their crops are short of a nutrient by hunger signs on the plants. However, itis often difficult to distinguish clearly the symptoms of nutrient deficiencies, particularly in their later stages. In addition, damage caused by disease, insects or other factors may resemble deficiency symptoms. aJient oe wt we colour Farmers should compare deficiency symptoms they see in thin erops wi i ion officers. photographs piven i rd books available with seientists or exte ‘A description of deficiency symptoms is gi the sympioms of nutrient deficiency are shown to help recognise nutrient deficiencies in the fiele Nutrient Defieicney Symptoms in Crops This Section describes conimon symptoms (or plant signs) of nutrient deficiencies in crops. If farmers see these plant signs in their Grops, then they can correet them by wing the right Kind and sic of research scienti signs in their crops. its OF fertilizer, Parincty should always seek the advice n agents when they interpret the particular plant is and exten: ns Nitrogen Deficiency (Plate 4) _ © Sal! leaves pat © Drying up and firing’ of leaves starting atthe bottom while the top of the plants remains green (sometimes mistaken for lack of moisture). ¢ oF yellowish greet © Slow and stunted growth © Low yield, Phosphorus Deficiency (Plate 4) 6 Slow and stunted growth 0 Purplish teaves, stems and branches. Leaves of some crops like rice darker green, especially if much nitrogen is present Small slender stalks in case of maize, lack of stooling or tillering in jce anid wheat. 0 Delayed flowering. © Plents stow to ripen, remaining green. © Grain poorly filled; poor fruiting, © Low yield. Potassium Deficieney © Stunted growth, © Leaves may have stall whitish, yellowish or reddish spots on the leaf blade starting from the margins (mottled or streaked plant leaves). © In maize’and grain crops, seorching or burning of the lower leaves starting at the tip of the leaf and proceeding down trom the edge, usually leaving the midrib green, © Premature loss of Jeaves, and small, knotty, poorly opened bolls on plants like cotton, © Tice leaves yellowish, reddish, eupped or curved. © Weak stalk; breaks easily and lodge. ‘en below and some coloured photos of© Fruit small and shrivelled, may have lesions or injured spots; low sugar content, poor keeping qualities. © _Lowyields. ~ Calcium Deficiency (Thisis rare in Pakistan) © Leaves of young plants are affected first, often distorted, small and abnormally dark green. © Leaves may be cupshaped and crinkled, terminal buds deteriorate with some breakdown of petigles. © Root growth is markedly impaired; rotting of roots occurs. ° Drying of growth points (terminal buds) of plants under severe deficiency, © Buds and blossoms shed prematurely. © Stem structure weakened. Magnesium Deficiency © _Interveinal chlorosis, mainly of older leaves, producing a streaked or patchy effect; with acute deficiency, affected tissue may dry up and die, © Leaves usually small, brittle in final stages and curve upwards at margin, die prematurely. © Incereals, parallel stripes between the veins. © In-some vegetable plants, chlorotic (not green) spots between veins, and marbling with tints of orange, red and purple. © Twigs weak and prone to fungus attack, usually premature leaf drop. YGulphur Deficiency © Younger leaves tur uniformly yellowish green or chlorotic. © Shoot growth is restricted, flower production often indeterminate. * Micronutrient Deficiencies (Plate 5 & 6) Zine: Zine is deficient in many soils and crops of Pakistan, Deficiency of zinc reduces yields of crops by 50%. Soil conditions most often deficient in zinc are flooded rice soils and subsoils exposed by levelling or erosion. Zine deficiency rice is more likely in IRRI varieties than basmati varieties. Zine deficiency in Pakistan is widespread, upto 70% of soils are deficient, Maize, beans, rice and citrus are the most sensitive crops to Zinc deficiency. Deficiency symptoms of Zine appear first in old leaves and have been particularly noticed in rice as well as in fruits (apples and citrus) in Pakistan as given below:Rice: Reduced tillering; stunted growth; lower leaves are yellow with chlorosis between veins, brown, spots usually start near tip: of leaf blade as_ yellowing develops, Howering delayed, and higher percentage of unfilled prains. Deficiency becomes severe where high rates of N and P are applied, and appears in the first year of rice cultivation following reclamation. Cittus: Leaves have irregular, yellowish areas between veins. ‘As new foliage develops, leaves become progressively smaller (sometimes called "little leaf disease"). Apples Leaves become crinkled, narrow and characteristic rosettes are formed at the shoot tip. Young leaves become chlorotic berween veins. ron Iron is deficient in many soils in Pakistan, especially on newly levelled land where top soil has been removed and sandy soils and other soils Jow in organic matter. Plants short of iron -annot grow properly. Young leaves become pale-yellowish in colour with veins remaining green even though farmers may have added adequate amounts of nitrogen particularly on soils that are high in lime or manganese. Symptoms appear in new eaves and are particularly seen in fruit orchards (citrus, apple, peach, and plum) and Jegumes such as chickpea and groundnuts, rotof suparbeets, heart rot of s. Ofien crops that are deficient Boron: Brown rot of cauliflower turnips and corky core of app in boron donot show any signs How to Determine the Amount of Fertilizer.t0 Appl Fertilizer recommendations for crops are given as a range of application rates. The lowest amount corresponds 10 the soils that'are:high in fertility nel. the highest amount to those low in fertility. The rates of fettilizers for each crop are given inthe individual crop guides in Section 4 of this manual. The fertilizer recommendations need to be adjusted according to the local conditions: ani the erop ro the farmer is growing his crops: ‘These conditions are'deseribed below. Nitrogen (N) © Directly after exhaustive crops (wheat, riee, maize, millet, sugarcane) apply ‘n high range of recommendation. © After fallow or pulses, apply in lower range of recommendation.© If well rotted Farm Yard Manure is added, reduce N rate by 20 kg/ha (8kg/ac).. Phosphorus (P) © Recommended rate of phosphorus is adjusted according to amount of phosphorus (P) available in the soil. This can be tested in a soil and water testing laboratory. LT fe ; Pis low (less than 8 mg/kg) Full recommended rate, P is medium (8 - 1Smg/kg) Cotton; % recommended rate Other crops; recommended full rate a teen entneaiiniaa ih mate ciel Pishigh (more than ISmg/kg) Cotton; no P Other crops; 4 - % recommended rate. =e . Phosphorus fertilizer leaves a residual effect on the following crop. If a good. dose of P has been applied to the rabi crop, such as wheat, the rate of P on rice, maize or cotton can be reduced. Potassium (K) © Apply full recommended rate of Potassium on sandy, light textured soils. ee @ Apply the full recommended rate of Potassium on tubewell irrigated area after exhaustive crops. ‘© Apply the full recommended rate of Potassium to sugarcane, banana, tomato, tobacco and potato. © Ifa farmer is growing two crops per year and aiming for high yields, then he should apply Potassium in at least one of the seasons. Zinc (Zn) " Zine sulphate should be applied to all rice varieties at 25 kg/ha (10 kp/ac). ‘The effect of zine in the soil lasts for two years. It should therefore be applied every third year. Dipping the roots of rice seedlings into 1% ZnO or 0.5% ZnSO, solutions before transplanting is enough to prevent zinc deficiency affecting yields. Zinc fertilizer is also needed for fruit orchards. Foliar sprays of 6 kg ZnSO,/100 litres of water are effective for dormant citrus orchards.PLATE 2: A Guide to Nutrient Defic HEALTHY leaves shine with a rich dark green ‘color when adequately fed PHOSPHATE shortage marks leaves with reddish-purple, particularly on young plants. PHOTASH deficiency appears as @ firing or cps seer nee ~ —™—ae starts at tip and moves along midle of lest. MAGNESIUM deficiency causes whitish strips along the veins and often a purpl ‘color on the underside of the lower leaves. DROUGHT causes the com to have a fgrayish-green colur and the leaves roll up early tothe size of a pencil, DISEASE, helminthosporium blight, starts in small spots, gradually spreads across let CHEMICALS. may sometimes burn tips, z tcige of leaves and at other contacts, Tac Ghee leat Becomes white Sourch: Compendium of Corn Diseases, The American Phytopathological Society, Minnesota, USA aPLATE 3: Sourch: An Illustration of Nutrient Deficiency Symptoms in Various Plants Fertilizers and their use in Pakistan, National Fertilizer Development Centre, Planning & Development Division, Government of Pakistan 48STE 4: Signs of Nitrogen (N), Phosphorus (P) and Potassium (K) Deficiency in Wheat N Deficiency: P Deficiency: ) Old leaf symptoms (above}: 4) Growth depression due to P yellow merging into green deficiency in plants (right). P 2) Growth depression (right) sufficient in plants on lef due to N deficiency. Old leat symptoms of P deficiency 3) N- deficiency in wheat Healthy loaf above. Test plots in P-deficlent soil. The effects of applied P at right showing a general paling, K Deticiency 7) Degrees of K deficiency on ol leaves of wheat showing green-yello blotches, drying at the tip and green arrow. Healthy leat on lft. 8) Close-up of green arrow effect on an Sourch: International Maize and wheat Improvement Centre, Mexico. a9PLATE 5: Zine (Zn) Deficiency in Plants. Zn deficiency signs are generally interveinal yellowing in older leaves with seen for example in rice (1) and soyabean (2). Signs in maize yellow bands in the leaves. Cotton (4) shows typical interveinal yellowing. Sourch: _ Dr A Rashid, Principal Scientific Officer, Land Resources Reseai institute, National Agricultural Research Centre, Islamabad. 50MATE 6A: Iron (Fe) Deficiency in Plants Leaves deficient in iron are the new leaves and they = show interveinal yellowing. Sal Fe 4 Fa CHLOROSISI QR ag Note the difference between the old and new leaves of the iron (Fe) deficient leaves in citrus (J), chickpea (2), groundnut (3) and wheat (4&5). In wheat (4), the healthy plant is left and the deficient plant is right. In wheat (5), healthy leaf is left and Fe deficient leaf is rigt, v 5 : Dr A. Rashid, PSO, Land Resources Research Institute, National Agricultural Research Centre, Islamabad. 51PLATE 6B: Natrient Deficiencies in maize and Fruit Phosphorous (P) deficiency in maize. Iron (Fe) and Magnesium (Mg) deficis Tips and margins of young plant turn in maize. Bright yellow interveinal reddish-purple chlorosis and striping in leaves. Zine (Zn) deficiency in citrus. Yellow Iron (Fe) and Zinch (Zn) deficiency i interveinal boltches. guava. Interveinal chlorosis of young: leaves with light green or bleached sp Sources: “Fertilizers and Their Use in Pakistan”, National Fertilizer Development Ce March 1996, Pasistan 82Boron (B) Boron fertilizer should be applied each year to the soil when there are deficiencies. ‘This should be applied particularly to crops such as apple, rape and mustard, lucerne and sugarbeet that are sensitive to boron deficiency. For these crops when there is a deficiency 800 g of boron per acte (2 kg/ha) should be applied either as boron (11%B, 7 kg pet acre) boric acid (17%B, 3 ke/ac) or Solubor (20%B, 4kp/ac), Because such small quantities of boron are nceded, itis very important to apply it uniformly over the field. To do this, farmers can mix the boron fertilizer with soil of the same consistency and then broadcast it as uniformly as possible over the field. If too much boron is added, it can cause toxicity. Therefore, the farmer should seek advice from sts before applying boron. research sciey Iron (Fe) The farmer can ensure that iron will be sufficient in his fields by rotating his crops (see Hi 3.2) in order to build up organic matter, by ploughing under green manures (see Figure 5) and adding Farm yard Manure. Spraying. leaves with iron compounds also corrects deficiencies but these are expensive. Before farmers spray iron compounds they should get advice from research scientists and extension workers, 6, Saline Soils. ‘The farmer should apply the full recommended rate of N P and K fertilizers unless a serious yield reduction is likely due to the salinity. In this ease, the nitrogen amount should be reduced. If the farmer applies gypsum to correct the salinity or if waterlogeing is controlled and drainage is provided to prevent salinity, he should apply the required rate of N. ini In addition. farmers should grow Dhaincha on saline soils and plough it under as a green manure crop. Dhaincha (see Section 4.10.1 and Figure 5) can grow in saline soils ‘nd is an important crop for gradually reclaiming these soils. In saline soils phosphatic fertilizers should be applied preferably in the form of SSP (Single Super Phosphate) which contains 16% of P.O. and 48% gypsum. This plays an important role in reclamation of saline and alkaline soils. Waterlogged Soils If the farmer expects his crops to be seriously affected by water-logying, he should reduce the rates of all chemical fertilizers by %4. Ifno yield reduction is expected, he should apply the recommended rates, 53Lack of Cash or Credit Ifthe farmer has not enough money to buy fertilizer, he should by all means borrow some because the return on using chemical fertilizer is high and relatively risk free as long as other requirements for good crop growth are met (good variety, deep soil, adequate water, weed control, timely planting). Use of fertilizer, even % the recommended rate, is a way to escape poverty. The farmer short of cash should therefore try and apply % the recommended fertilizer rate. The rupees eamed for every rupee spent in fertilizers are often more when ‘4 the recommended dose is applied than with the full dose. ‘ If the farmer uses less than the recommended rate of fertilizer for lack of money, he should make sure he applies it in the most efficient way (see below for the management of fertilizer). Management of Chemical Fertilizers: “When farmers understand how major nutrients are used by the plant and how they are {ost in the soil or atmosphere then they will understand how best to manage fertilizers. ‘The management of fertilizer stems from the behaviour of the major nutrients in the soil. This is described in Figure 21. Nitrogen: The sources of nitrogen are plant residues (roots, stems, leaves of crops), organic manures as well as chemical fertilizers, the most common of which is urea. Nitrogen is quickly converted into salts and gases that are quite mobile in the soil. These salts are washed down beyond the root zone with irrigation water. As gases, ammonia and nitrogen are lost through the soil surface. The conversion of nitrogen into salts and gases which quickly move beyond the roots of plants determine how best to manage it in the soil. © Farmers should plough crop residues into the soil after harvest, add Farm Yard Manure from time to time and supplement these with chemical fertilizers, such as urea. Farmers should not only rely on chemical fertilizers as the only source of nutrients. - © Farmers should place nitrogen in one of these forms into the soil rather than scatter it on the surface. Organic material should be ploughed under the soil and nitrogen fertilizers should be placed in a band 2-5 cm to the side and below the seed at the time of planting (see Figure 19). If seed and fertilizer are too close, the seed will bum and will not germinate. Band placing nitrogen and the seed with the correct distance between them will require a drill machine.Je FIGURE 21: What Happens to N,P,K in Soil. i - | (1) Nitogen (0) Losses Additions Removed at . Barve Organic Manure Chemical Fertilizer Organic Nin | cree ecuct —N Added to Soft | | Its Lost. N Absorbed by Roots, N is very mobile in soil (2) Phosphorous (P) Losses Additions P Removed at Hirvents P Ferttizers and [PPP Organte: Matter P ATRis nigh ealetom SMfh oreanic Pin |) pie Relatively immobite Tontent a foal | (9) Potassiam (0) | Losses Additions | K Removed at | Harvest i K in chemical fertser tnd organic matter fixed ta a F fostcten omy —~AUN 8 Added tn K te tally fmmotite in "eallabe hop Reridue "sot! i ee Some K readily available j * heap teint -+ Deep placement of nitrogen is particularly important for the rice paddy in order to avoid losses. The most practical way of doing this is to place the nitrogen fertilizer with a drill or scatter the fertilizer and immediately incorporate it by cultivating before flooding the field for transplanting, In established crops, chemical fertilizers can be placed in a band 30 cm from the roots or scattered on the surface and immediately irrigated or cultivated to incorporate it into the soil. Planting crops in rows allows the farmer to band place his fertilizer for more efficient use. © Farmers should split the application of nitrogen fertilizer into two or three separate applications so that less will be available at a time to be converted to salts and gases and lost into the air or washed deep into the soil, If the full recommended dose of nitrogen is 150 kg/ha, the farmer may apply 75kg/ha at planting and 75 kg/ha after 30-40 days. On lighter soils where the leaching of nutrients is higher, he may choose to split the doses into three applications of 50 kg/ha each. Phosphorus: Unlike nitrogen, phosphorus is quite immobile and a proportion of it becomes fixed in the soil. Soils rich in calcium, which are common in Pakistan, fix more phosphorus. A proportion of the phosphorus fertilizer is readily available and the rest is available to the plant slowly over a period of two or three seasons. That is why ther is a large residual effect of phosphorus benefiting one or two crops following the crop that received it, In view of its immobility and tendency to be fixed, it is very important that farmers place phosphorus fertilizer near the roots so that they can absorb it more efficiently. Farmers should place all the recommended dose Of phosphorus near the seed at planting, 2-5 cm to the side and below (see Figure 19). If the farmer scatters Phosphorus fertilizer near the surface, most of it will become fixed and the crop will use it very inefficiently. Phosphorus (P) is added to the soil in chemical fertilizers such Single Super Phosphate (SSP) or Triple Super Phosphate (TSP) or Nitrophos. (See Appendix A). Potassium: Potassium is fairly mobile in the soil but tends to be fixed in certain clay soils. It is more mobile and liable to be washed out of the root zone in sandy soils. It is more important for the farmer to place the potassium fertilizer in sandy soils and even consider splitting the recommended dose into two on these soils.Mi 1g Fertilizers Most chemical fertilize:s mix easily except urea and Single Superphosphate (SSP) or Triple Superphosphate (TSP). These fertilizers do not mix well especially when the season is hot and huini during the khacif Management of Chet al Fertilizers under Multiph Propping. A farmer should manage the nutrient supply to his crops in sequence rather thin as individual crops. ‘The lollowing are some general principles for efficient use of fertilizers in a eroppin, sequence, 1. Insoils low in fertility, apply the full recommended dose to, rotation Nitrogen should be applied to each crop. However, legumes (pulses, berscem) require low amounts. The crop following a legume needs 20-50 kg/ha less nitrogen. Examples of legumes are berscem, gram, peas, groundnuts and lentils (mmasoor), 3. Ifa farmer pros a legume mixed with «main erop, stich as berseem under a fruit tree orchard, then the nitrogen dose for the fruit tree ean be reduced by 10-15 4. Farmers should apply phosphorus to legume crops and the benefit will carry ‘over to the following crop, 5. For optimum efficiency, farmers should apply organic manures to the kharif ‘erops beca:sse decomposition is more rapid than in the rabi season, 6. For double cereal systems, such as wheat-maize and wheat-rice, both erops should have aitrogen, The farmer should apply the full dose of phosphorus to the rabi cereal and less to the kharif cereal. The farmer should apply Zine fertilizer to the rice, 7. In the wheat-cotton system, the farmer should apply ihe full dose of phosphorus to the wheat and a reduced rate of this fertilizer to the cotton crop, 8. When the farmer grows two intererops, no additional fertilizer need be given to the intercrop as long as the main crop has the full recommended dose. Summary: © Parmers should always balance chemical fertilizers with organié manures and top residus (0 fertilize his crops,Expenditure in chemical fertilizers gives the farmer a good and relatively risk- free investment. However, he needs to compliment fertilizers with a package of good practices, such as recommended varieties, optimum planting dates, plant spacing, weed control and water management. A farmer should generally apply phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) fertilizer at the time of planting placed near the seed. He should split his nitrogen (N) fertilizer dose into % or ¥ at the time of planting and the rest in two or three applications called "top-dressings" later during crop growth. Top dressings should be timed to coincide with application of irrigation water. Farmers should place their fertilizers and organic manures in the soil for more efficient use rather than scatter them on the surface. Farmers should place their fertilizer at the time of planting if possible in a band along and to one side of the row but separate from the seed at planting if possible (see Figure 19). vA ‘ane 3.3.4 Weed Control. In this section, the definition of a "weed" is given, the problem of weeds is defined, and the solutions are given. What is a "weed"? An unadestoneble plant " » A weed is a plant that is more harmful than beneficial for the farmer in his farming system. In some situations, weeds in a farmer's field may be useful fodder or fuel. For another farmer, the same plants may be harmful and reduce his crop production. Finally, each farmer has to decide what are weeds in his farming system. © Weeds can be conveniently classified in Pakistan according to the seasons in which they appear; rabi and kharif weeds. In the rabi season, most weeds are broadleaf weeds and in the kharif season, grasses. Examples of the grassy kharif weeds are Johnson grass (Baru) (Sorghum halepense), Bermuda grass (Khabbal) (Cynodon dactylon) and nutgrasses (Deela, Musta) (Cyperus spp). ‘Typical rabi season weeds are Bindweed (Lehli, Hiram-Khuri) (Convolvulus spp), Medics (Medicago spp) Wild Safflower (Pohli) and Euphorbia. Aveeds can also be classi ied according to when they appear, such as: © early weeds which germinate along with the emerging crop. An example is nutgrass (Deela, Musta) (Cyperus) which can smother the seedlings of an emerging crop and late weeds which emerge when the crop is already well developed. An example is “pohli" or wild safflower which affects the harvesting of wheat.APPENDIX A: NUTRIENT CONVERSION INTO FERTILIZERS ‘The fertilizers that are commercially available in Pakistan are listed in Table 1.1 below. Table A.l: Fertilizers Available in Pakistan ‘Common Name N PO, K,O %) (%) (%) Nitrogen Fertilizers Urea” 46" o ° Ammonium Sulphate 21 0 0 Calcium Ammonium Nitrate (CAN) 26 0 0 Phosphate Fertilizers . a “ ‘Single Super Phosphate (SSP)' 0 18 0 ‘Triple Super Phosphate (TSP) 0 46 0 Diammonium Phosphate (DAP) 18 46 0 Potash Fertilizers Po we Sulphate of Potash’ 0 0 50 Compound Fertilizers Nitro Phosphate (Nitrophos) 23 23 0 Complete Fertilizers (NPK) 15 15 15 ditto 10 20 20 ditto 13 13 21 *SSP is the preferred phosphate fertilizer for saline soils because the high level of sulphur it contains replaces the sodium in these soils. Aise the following formula to convert the nutrient N, PO; or KO to the equivalent commercial fertilizer: Amount of fertilizer Ye ‘Example: a) b) N Required Fertilizer to be Therefore the amount anskgN ee 45 kg urea kg of wea = ‘Amount of nutrient required ‘% nutrient in the fertilizer x 100 20.5 kg usedais urea. of urea needed to supply 20.5 kg N will be: 109 or 1 bag of urea Note: Round off to the closest 4 bag; one bag being 50 kg.Table A.2 at Different Recommended Levels of N, PO; or K,O Conversion Table for Obtaining the Quantity of Fertilizer Needed Tecan Ts, OR eer oe ee 4 16 13 | 20 2 2B 26 “6 | 0 eey crear ree 4 CC 30 24 iss | 167 | 150, | 143 30 Jus | 6s“ | oor 40 286 20 | 222% | 200 | 190 im | 154 | 87 80 = me [ow foe ow far [or [rs ° @ [ae fem [ow [aw foo fr own fe . a [os |» [om [o> [ow Tao fr [rw oo [ae [ae] Peso [xe [oe How to use the table. See examples a), b),c) a) Supposing the recommended nutrient level per ha is 90 kg N, 60 kg PO, and 30 kg K,0 ice. (90-60-30) Fertilizers to use: Urea -46% N Single Superphosphate (SSP) -18% P.O, Potassium Sulphate - 50% K,0 To calculate the amount of Urea: Read under recommended level column 90, and under percent of nutrient column 46. The urea needed will be 196 kg. Or using the formula: kg Urea = (90/46) x 100 = 196. This is equivalent to 4 bags The amount of Single Superphosphate to supply 60 kg P,Os (from table level 60, percentage 18% will be 333 kg, equivalent to 64 bags. The amount of Potassium Sulphate to supply 30 kg K,O (from table level 30, percentage 50) will be 60 kg, equivalent to 1’ bags. b) The recommendation for irrigated wheat is 54-41-27 kg/acre, “Nand all P and K applied at sowing, “4N at Ist Irrigation. How much fertilizer will this require? For the Ist application Second application 27-41-27 27-0-0 From conversion table use the closest figure. 335Ist Application: = 30-40-30 Urea (level 30 and column 46) = 65 kg Urea or 1% bags Single Superphosphate (SSP) (level 40, column 18) = 202 kg or 4% bags Potassium Sulphate (level 30, column 50) 60 kg or 1% bags 2nd application: = 30-0-0 Urea (level 30, column 46) 65 kg or 1’ bags. ‘Summarizing, for irrigated wheat with the fertilizer recommendation 54-41-27 kg/ac: » 2) 3) 4) 1st Application at planting: 1% bags urea/acre 4% bags single superphosphate/acre 1% bags sulphate of potash/acre 2nd Application at Ist imigation: 11% bags urea/acre. If the recommended nutrient application is 90 kg N, 60 kg PO, and 30 kg K,O (90-60-30). Fertilizers to use: Urea - 46% N Diammonium Phosphate (DAP) - 18%N, 46% P.O, Potasium Sulphate - 50% K,0 Calculate amount of DAP to supply 60 kg P,O;. From table (level 60kg, column, 46%), 130 ke DAP (24% bags) are required. This also supplies nitrogen at the rate 18% N. From the table (in table 130kg, column 18%) 130 kg DAP with 18% N will supply about 25 kg N (level 25kg from table). Calculate amount of urea. Subtract 25 kg N supplied with DAP from 90 kg N required, = 65 kg N. From the table, the balance of 65 kg N (level 65kg, column 46%) will be supplied by 140 kg urea or 2% bags. 30 kg K,0 (level 30kg, column 50%) will be supplied by 60 kg of Potassium Sulphate (1% bags). Split the application of N into twe applications. This can be done by applying all the DAP (2% bags) and 1% bags of urea and all Potassium Sulphate (1% bags) at the time of planting. The balance of N can be supplied by adding the remaining 2 bags of urea at the time of top-dressing.