Fertilizer Types - 6 Main Types of Fertilizers

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The following points highlight the six

important types of fertilizers. The
types are: 1. Nitrogenous Fertilizers
2. Organic Nitrogenous Fertilizers 3.
Phosphate Fertilizers 4. Potassic
Fertilizers 5. Compound Fertilizers
6. Complete Fertilizers (NPK).
Type # 1. Nitrogenous Fertilizers:
The nitrogenous fertilizers are divided into

four groups — nitrate, ammonia and
ammonium salts, chemical compounds
containing nitrogen in the amide form, and
plant and animal byproducts.
(i) Sodium Nitrate:
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It occurs in natural deposits in northern

Chile and is refined before use. The refined
product contains about 16% nitrogen in the
nitrate form, which renders it directly
available to plants. For this reason it is
1 of 21 01-12-2020, 21:08
applied as a source of nitrogen, specially to

young plants and garden vegetables, which
need readily available nitrogen for quick
growth.
Sodium nitrate is easily soluble in water

and is quickly leached out from the soil. It
is particularly useful for acidic soils. Its
continued and abundant use in soils causes
de-flocculation and develop a bad physical
condition in the regions of low rainfall.
(ii) Ammonium Sulphate:
It is the most widely used fertilizer in the

country. It is a white crystalline salt,
containing 20 to 21 % ammoniacal
nitrogen. It is very suitable for wetland
crops, for example, paddy and jute.
Ammonium sulphate is easy to handle and
is stored well under dry conditions.
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It is also suitable for wheat, cotton,

sugarcane, potatoes and many other crops
grown on a wide variety of soils. Its
continuous use increases soil acidity and
lowers the yield. Its application to acid
soils improves the yield of tea plantation
considerably. It is advisable to use this
fertilizer along with bulky organic manures
to avoid its ill effects.
2 of 21 01-12-2020, 21:08
Ammonium sulphate can be applied before

sowing, at sowing time, or as a top dressing
to the growing crop. It should not be
applied during germination, as in
concentrated form it affects the
germination very adversely.
(iii) Ammonium Nitrate:
Ammonium nitrate is a white crystalline

salt, containing 33 to 35% nitrogen, 50% as
nitrate nitrogen and another 50 percent as
the ammonium form. In the ammonium
form it is not leached out easily from the
soil. It is quick-acting and highly
hygroscopic and cannot be stored. Under
certain conditions, it is explosive and,
therefore, should be handled cautiously.
‘Nitro Chalk’ is the trade name of the

product formed by mixing ammonium
nitrate with about 40% of limestone or
dolomite. It contains 20.5% nitrogen, 50%
in the form of ammonia and half as nitrate.
Its continuous use makes the soil acidic.
The presence of lime makes it useful for
acid soils.
(iv) Ammonium Sulphate Nitrate:
It is a mixture of ammonium sulphate and

ammonium nitrate. It is available in a
white crystalline form or as dirty white
3 of 21 01-12-2020, 21:08
granules. It contains 26% nitrogen, three-

fourths of it in the ammoniacal form and
the rest as nitrate nitrogen.
It highly soluble in water and very quick-

acting and non-explosive. It is useful for all
crops. It slightly acidifies the soil. It is
applied before sowing, during sowing or as
a top dressing, but it is unsuitable for
application along with the seeds.
(v) Ammonium Chloride:
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It is quite crystalline compound possessing

a good physical condition. It contains 26%
ammoniacal nitrogen. It is extensively used
on paddy in Japan. It is used largely in-
industries in India. It is similar to
ammonium sulphate in action. It is not
recommended for certain types of crops
like tomatoes, tobacco, etc., as they may be
injured by chlorine.
(vi) Urea:
Urea is a white crystalline organic

compound. It is highly concentrated
nitrogenous fertilizer containing 45 to 46%
of organic nitrogen. It is highly hygroscopic
and cannot be stored well in humid
regions. To overcome this difficulty it is
also produced in granular pellet forms
4 of 21 01-12-2020, 21:08
coated with a non-hygroscopic inert

material.
It is highly soluble in water and rapidly

leached out from the soil. It is very quick-
acting and rapidly changed into ammonia
when applied. It is applied during sowing
or as top-dressing but never during
germination. It is suitable for most crops
and can be applied to all types of soils.
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(vii) Calcium Ammonium Nitrate:
It is a fine, light brown or gray granular

fertilizer. It is prepared from ammonium
nitrate and ground limestone. It is almost
neutral and can be applied even to acid
soils. Its nitrogen content varies from 25 to
28 percent. Of the total nitrogen 50
percent remains in the ammoniacal form
and the remaining 50 percent in nitrate
form.
Type # 2. Organic Nitrogenous

Fertilizers:
These fertilizers include plant and animal

by-products, such as oil cakes, fish manure
and dried blood from slaughter-houses.
Before use by the crops these materials are
converted by bacterial fermentation into
utilizable ammonium-nitrogen and nitrate-
5 of 21 01-12-2020, 21:08
nitrogen. These fertilizers are, therefore,

slow acting, but supply available nitrogen
for a longer period to the crops.
Oil-cakes are usually supplied as organic

fertilizer throughout the country. They
contain not only nitrogen but also some
phosphoric acid and potash. A large
quantity of organic matter is also present
in the oil-cake. In addition to the three
fertilizing constituents like, N, P2O5 and
K2O, the oil-cakes contain 2 to 15 percent
of oil.
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Dried blood or blood meal contains 10 to

12 percent highly available nitrogen and 1
to 2 percent phosphoric acid. It is effective
on all types of crops and all types of soils.
Fish manure is available either as dried

fish or as fish meal or powder. After
extraction of oil from the fish the residue
can be used as a manure, Fish manure
contains 5 to 8 percent organic nitrogen
and 4 to 6 percent of phosphoric acid. It is
quick acting and suitable for all crops and
soils. It is usually used as powder.
Type # 3. Phosphate Fertilizers:
Phosphate fertilizers are classified as

natural phosphates, treated phosphates,
6 of 21 01-12-2020, 21:08
by-product phosphates and chemical

phosphates.
(i) Rock Phosphate:
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It occurs as natural deposits of rock in

different countries. Very little rock
phosphate is used directly as a fertilizer.
Much more of it is used to manufacture
superphosphate, the phosphoric acid of
which is water soluble and becomes
available to the crops.
(ii) Super phosphate:
It is the most widely used phosphoric

fertilizer in India. It is now manufactured
from ground phosphate rocks treating with
sulphuric acid. The brownish- gray product
after treatment contains mono-calcium
phosphate and calcium sulphate (Gypsum)
in practically equal quantities.
There are three grades of super

phosphate:
Single superphosphate containing 16 to 20

percent phosphoric acid; di-calcium
phosphate, 35 to 38 percent; and triple
superphosphate, 44 to 49 percent.
Single superphosphate is the most
7 of 21 01-12-2020, 21:08
commonly available grade in Indian

market. The fertilizer is suitable for all
crops and can be applied to all soils. It
should be used along with organic manures
in acid soils. It should be applied before or
at sowing or transplanting.
(iii) Basic Slag:
Basic slag is a by-product of steel factories.

It contains 6 to 20 percent of phosphoric
acid (P2O5). The European slag contains 15
to 18 percent P2O5 and used as a popular
phosphatic fertilizer in central Europe. But
slag from Indian steel mills is poor in P2O5
and is not used as a fertilizer. The
European slag is suitable for acid soils as it
is alkaline in reaction. For effective use, it
must be pulverized before application.
(iv) Bone-Meal:
The ground bone is called bone-meal. It is

now widely used as phosphate fertilizer.
It is available in two forms:
(a) raw bone-meal
(b) steamed bone-meal.
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The steaming up bones under pressure
8 of 21 01-12-2020, 21:08
removes fats, nitrogen and glue making

substances. It contains 25 to 30 percent
phosphoric acid. Steamed bones are more
brittle and can be readily ground.
As it is slow acting, bone-meal should not

be used as a top dressing. It must be
incorporated into the soil in order to
become available. It is applied either at
sowing time or a few days before sowing
and should be broadcast. It is particularly
suitable for acid soils.
It is used for all crops. In some places of

the country charred and powdered bones
are used as manure. Charring destroys
about 50 percent of nitrogen, but the whole
of P2O5 remains in a quickly available
form.
Type # 4. Potassic Fertilizers:
In India most of the soils contain sufficient

amount of potash. So, potassic fertilizers
are applied only to those soils which are
deficient in potash.
Potassic fertilizers are used as:
(a) muriate of potash (potassium chloride)
(b) sulphate of potash (potassium

sulphate).
9 of 21 01-12-2020, 21:08
(i) Muriate of Potash:
It is a gray crystalline material containing

50 to 63 percent of potash (K2O), the
whole of which is available to the crops. It
remains absorbed on the colloidal surfaces
and is not leached out from the soil. It is
applied at sowing time or before sowing.
(ii) Sulphate of Potash:
It is more costly as it is prepared by

treating potassium chloride with
magnesium sulphate. It contains 48 to 52
percent K2O. It dissolves readily in water
and becomes available to the crops almost
immediately after application. It can be
applied at any time up to sowing. In certain
crops like tobacco, chillies, potato and
fruit-tree it is considered better than
muriate of potash.
Type # 5. Compound Fertilizers:
These fertilizers contain two or three plant

nutrients simultaneously. When both
nitrogen and phosphorus are deficient in
soil, a compound fertilizer, e.g.,
amorphous, can be used. It contains 16
percent nitrogen and 20 percent P2O5. Two
different fertilizers can be mixed in correct
proportion to produce the compound
fertilizer.
10 of 21 01-12-2020, 21:08
Type # 6. Complete Fertilizer (NPK):
Compound fertilizers are not always well

adapted to different kinds of soils. For that
reason mixed fertilizers containing two or
more materials in suitable proportions are
used according to the needs of different
soils. Mixtures usually fulfil the nutrient
deficiencies in a more balanced manner
and require less labour to apply than
different fertilizers used separately.
These mixtures containing all the three

principal nutrients (N, P and K) are called
complete fertilizers as most soils usually
remain deficient in these three elements. A
special mixture for different crops are also
produced by the manufacturers.
In some cases insecticides, fungicides and

weed-killers, such as DDT, BHC and
mercury or copper salts and 2, 4-D are
mixed into the complete fertilizers. The
component fertilizers must be compatible
to ensure mutual reaction. Uneven mixing
must be avoided. Bone- meal, muriate of
potash and sulphate of potash can be
mixed with all fertilizers.
Related Articles:
1. Uses and Limitation of Fertilizers |

Plant Physiology
11 of 21 01-12-2020, 21:08
2. Bio-fertilizers: Types and Importance of

Bio-Fertilizers
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Type # 1. Nitrogenous
Fertilizers:
Type # 2. Organic
Nitrogenous Fertilizers:
Type # 3. Phosphate
Fertilizers:
Type # 4. Potassic Fertilizers:
Type # 5. Compound
Fertilizers:
Type # 6. Complete Fertilizer
(NPK):
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Fertilizer Types - 6 Main Types of Fertilizers

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The following points highlight the six

Type # 1. Nitrogenous Fertilizers:

The nitrogenous fertilizers are divided into

(i) Sodium Nitrate:

It occurs in natural deposits in northern

applied as a source of nitrogen, specially to

Sodium nitrate is easily soluble in water

(ii) Ammonium Sulphate:

It is the most widely used fertilizer in the

It is also suitable for wheat, cotton,

Ammonium sulphate can be applied before

(iii) Ammonium Nitrate:

Ammonium nitrate is a white crystalline

‘Nitro Chalk’ is the trade name of the

(iv) Ammonium Sulphate Nitrate:

It is a mixture of ammonium sulphate and

granules. It contains 26% nitrogen, three-

It highly soluble in water and very quick-

(v) Ammonium Chloride:

It is quite crystalline compound possessing

Urea is a white crystalline organic

coated with a non-hygroscopic inert

It is highly soluble in water and rapidly

(vii) Calcium Ammonium Nitrate:

It is a fine, light brown or gray granular

Type # 2. Organic Nitrogenous

These fertilizers include plant and animal

nitrogen. These fertilizers are, therefore,

Oil-cakes are usually supplied as organic

Dried blood or blood meal contains 10 to

Fish manure is available either as dried

Type # 3. Phosphate Fertilizers:

Phosphate fertilizers are classified as

by-product phosphates and chemical

(i) Rock Phosphate:

It occurs as natural deposits of rock in

(ii) Super phosphate:

It is the most widely used phosphoric

There are three grades of super

Single superphosphate containing 16 to 20

Single superphosphate is the most

commonly available grade in Indian

(iii) Basic Slag:

Basic slag is a by-product of steel factories.

The ground bone is called bone-meal. It is

It is available in two forms:

(a) raw bone-meal

(b) steamed bone-meal.

The steaming up bones under pressure

removes fats, nitrogen and glue making

As it is slow acting, bone-meal should not

It is used for all crops. In some places of

Type # 4. Potassic Fertilizers:

In India most of the soils contain sufficient

Potassic fertilizers are used as:

(a) muriate of potash (potassium chloride)

(b) sulphate of potash (potassium

(i) Muriate of Potash:

It is a gray crystalline material containing

(ii) Sulphate of Potash:

It is more costly as it is prepared by

Type # 5. Compound Fertilizers: