THE INCORPORATED SOCIETY OF PLANTERS

ISP MANAGEMENT (M) SDN BHD

CERTIFICATE IN PLANTATION MANAGEMENT (CPM)

CPM66

ASSIGNMENT

SUBJECT BASIC SOIL SCIENCE

NAME ABU MUSA BIN AHMED BASHIR
INDEX NUMBER CPM66/001
LECTURER CHANG AH KOW
NAME
MARKS
FERTILIZER TYPES AND PLANT NUTRIENTS

Introduction

A fertilizer is a material that furnishes one or more of the chemical elements necessary for the
proper development and growth of plants. The most important fertilizers are fertilizer
products (also called chemical or mineral fertilizers), manures, and plant residues. A fertilizer
product is a material produced by industrial processes with the specific purpose of being used
as a fertilizer. Fertilizers are essential in today’s agricultural system to replace the elements
extracted from the soil in the form of food and other agricultural products.

Expression

Many countries express quantities or percentages of the primary nutrients in terms of

elemental nitrogen (N), phosphorus pen oxide (P2O5), and potassium oxide (K2O2).
Secondary nutrients and micronutrients usually are expressed on an elemental basis although
calcium and magnesium sometimes are expressed in the oxide form. However, several
countries express all plant nutrients on an elemental basis.

Classification of Elements Essential for Plant Growth

Major elements (Available from air or Carbon

(Macronutrients) water) Hydrogen
Oxygen
Primary nutrients Nitrogen
Phosphorus
Potassium
Secondary nutrients Calcium
Magnesium
Sulfur
Minor elements Boron
(Micronutrients) Chlorine
Copper
Iron
Manganese
Molybdenum
Zinc

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Fertilizer Grade
All fertilizer labels have three bold numbers. The first number is the amount of nitrogen (N),
the second number is the amount of phosphate (P2O5) and the third number is the amount of
potash (K2O). These three numbers represent the primary nutrients (nitrogen (N) –
phosphorus (P) – potassium (K)). This label, known as the fertilizer grade, is a national
standard. A bag of 10-10-10 fertilizer contains 10 percent nitrogen, 10 percent phosphate and
10 percent potash.

Fertilizer grades are made by mixing two or more nutrient sources together to form a blend
that is why they are called "mixed fertilizers." Blends contain particles of more than one
colour. Manufacturers produce different grades for the many types of plants. You can also get
fertilizers that contain only one of each of the primary nutrients. Nitrogen sources include
ammonium nitrate (33.5-0-0), urea nitrogen (46-0-0), sodium nitrate (16-0- 0) and liquid
nitrogen (30-0-0). Phosphorus is provided as 0-46-0 and potash as 0-0-60 or 0-0-50.

Fertilizer Specifications

Specifications are the requirements with which a fertilizer should conform, as agreed upon
between buyer and seller. Fertilizer specifications meet differing requirements depending on
the use or intent of the specification information. Specifications are normally used in the
contract between the buyer and seller of a fertilizer to ensure agreement on product
characteristics or more often to define the product in sufficient detail to effect the satisfaction
of both buyer and seller.

Fertilizer In the simplest terminology, a material, the main function of which

is to provide plant nutrients.
Soil Conditioner Material added to soils, the main function of which is to improve
their physical and/ or chemical properties and/ or their biological
activity.
Liming Material An inorganic soil conditioner containing one or both of the
elements calcium and magnesium, generally in the form of an
oxide, hydroxide, or carbonate, principally intended to maintain or
raise the pH of soil.
Straight Fertilizer A qualification generally given to a nitrogenous, phosphatic, or

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 potassic fertilizer having a declarable content of only one of the
primary plant nutrients, i.e. nitrogen, phosphorus, or potassium.
Compound A fertilizer that has a declarable content of at least two of the plant
Fertilizer nutrients nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, obtained chemically
or by blending or both
Granular Fertilizer Solid material that is formed into particles of a predetermined mean
size.
Coated Fertilizer Granular fertilizer that is covered with a thin of a different material
in order to improve the behavior and/ or modify the characteristics
of the fertilizer.
Coated Slow- A product containing sources of water soluble nutrients, release of
Release Fertilizer which in the soil is controlled by a coating applied to the fertilizer.
Polymer-Coated A coated slow-release fertilizer consisting of fertilizer particles
Fertilizer coated with a polymer (plastic) resin. It is a source of slowly
available plant nutrients.
Controlled-Release Fertilizers in which one or more of the nutrients have limited
Fertilizers solubility in the soil solution, so that they become available to the
growing plant over a controlled period.
Nitrogen Stabilizer A substance added to a fertilizer to extend the time that the nitrogen
component of the fertilizer remains in the soil in the ammonia cal
form.
Liquid Fertilizer A term used for fertilizers in suspension or solution and for
liquefied ammonia (ISO).
Solution Fertilizers Liquid fertilizer free of solid particles.
Suspension A two-phase fertilizer in which solid particles are maintained in
Fertilizer suspension in the aqueous phase.
Suspension A fluid containing dissolved and UN dissolved plant nutrients. The
Fertilizer suspension of the undissolved plant nutrients may be inherent with
the materials or produced with the aid of a suspending agent of no
fertilizer properties. Mechanical agitation may be necessary in
some cases to facilitate uniform suspension of undissolved plant
nutrients.
Suspension A liquid (fluid) fertilizer containing solids held in suspension, for

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 Fertilizer example, by the addition of a small amount of clay. The solids may
be water-soluble in a saturated solution, or they may be insoluble,
or both.

Plant Nutrients

Plant nutrition is the study of the chemical nutrients and compounds necessary for plant
growth, plant metabolism and their external supply.

Chemical elements that are essential for the proper development and growth of plants are
typically referred to as plant nutrients. The list of plant nutrients recognized as being
necessary for plant growth has increased over the years and now totals sixteen.

Nitrogen Requirements

 Most important nutrient in plant

 Nitrogen (1- 4% of dry weight of plant)

-One of the common nutrient deficiencies in plant

 Nitrogen is a Mobile element

 Major forms of N Uptake by plants:

NO3₃²⁻ and NH₄⁺

 Major nitrogen Functions in Plants

-Production of Protein, DNA, Chlorophyll

Nitrogen Deficiency Symptom

 Nitrogen is a Mobile element

 Main symptom is yellowing of older leaves
 New leaves remain green
 Delayed maturity
 Reduced seed yield
 Excess nitrogen
-increased vegetative growth
-increased susceptibility to disease & insects

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Phosphorous

 In plants, P is for growth and seed maturation

 P taken by plant as H₂PO ₄- and HPO ₄=
 Phosphorus ~0.5% of dry weight of plant
 Large accumulation of P in seeds
 P is mobile in plant

Major functions in plants, for production of:

 Transfer of Energy
 DNA, phospholipids
 cell regulation

Phosphorous deficiency

 Deficiencies first appear in older leaves

 Dark green / purple coloration of leaves,
 lower leaves first because P is mobile
-due Anthocyanin pigments accumulation
 Stunting & delayed maturity
 Poor seedling vigor in seeds from P deficient plants

Anthocyanin pigments are responsible for the red, purple, and blue colours of many fruits,
vegetables, cereal grains, and flowers.

Potassium

 Most abundant element in plants

K⁺ (1- 6% dry weight)
 Not a structural component in plants
 Forms taken up by plants = K⁺
 K is Mobile in plant
 Activate Enzyme catalyst for :
-starch synthesis, protein metabolism, Photosynthesis
-regulates Non-Protein N accumulation

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  Stomata opening and closing
 Water Relations

Potassium deficiency

 K is Mobile element, symptoms start on old leaves

 Tips and margins of leaves turn brown. K is mobile so this occurs first on lower
leaves.
 Increased lodging (spread out of browning leaves)
 Na+ can substitute in some plants for K in water relations

Sulfur (up to 1%)

 In plant (up to 1%)

 Intermediate mobility in plant
 Main form of S Uptake by plant
SO₄= (SO₂ atmospheric)
 Major Functions, for production of :
-Protein
-SAM metabolism
-secondary metabolism
-electron transport

Sulfur Deficiency

 Uniformly chlorotic plants which are stunted and spindly. Similar to N deficiency

symptoms. It is less mobile than N so deficiency may be more apparent on younger
leaves.
 Chlorosis and stunted plant growth
 Similar to N deficiency however more apparent on younger leaves. Almost the whole
plant turns yellow

Calcium

 Ca++ is main uptake form (0.2 - 3%)

 Less available in acid soils

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  Ca is immobile in plant
 Main roles
-cell wall structure & cell regulation
-Calcium gives strength to cell walls
-plant root and tip elongation

Deficiency symptoms in new leaves

 terminal buds fail to develop

 blossom end rot
 decreased cell division

Magnesium

 Uptake as Mg++ (~0.5%)

 Main functions include:

-In chlorophyll synthesis, phosphorous metabolism, enzyme cofactor

Magnesium deficiencies

 Mg is mobile so symptoms occur first in old leaves.

 Interveinal chlorosis. A whitish or yellowish striping effect on grasses.
 Symptoms include inter-veinal chlorosis and striping on grasses

Iron

 Forms taken up by plants:

Fe++ (ferrous form) Fe+++ (ferric form)

 Plant can also take Fe up by the leaves

 Functions in plants
-a catalyst in the production of chlorophyll
-enzyme systems
 Fe Immobile in plant

Iron Function and Deficiency

 Fe abundant in acid soils like Malaysia

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  Required for chlorophyll synthesis, electron transport, enzyme catalyst (100 - 500
ppm)
 Non mobile element
 Interveinal chlorosis on leaves & ultimately leaves turn white
 Deficiencies common in alkaline soils

Manganese

 Taken up as Mn++, Mn+++(25 -100 ppm).

 Can be absorbed through the leaves.
-Required in small quantities - large amounts are toxic (acid soils)
 Important in photosynthesis
 Role in chloroplast membrane structure
 Enzyme cofactor

Deficiency of Mn

 Mn is immobile - The upper leaves develop yellow streaks.

-interveinal chlorosis of leaves
 Disintegration of thylakoid membranes

Thylakoid is a membrane-bound compartment inside chloroplasts and cyanobacteria. They

are the site of the light-dependent reactions of photosynthesis.

Copper

 Taken up in form Cu2+ in aerated soils or as Cu+ in wet anaerobic soils. Cu+2 can be
absorbed through leaves
 Toxic in high concentrations
 Component of cytochrome oxidase & plastocyanin (1 - 10 ppm)

Deficiency symptoms in young leaves

 Immobile so upper leaves affected - corn youngest leaves are yellow and stunted
 Or turn dark green and become twisted
 Or dieback disease in citrus orchards

Zinc

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  Forms taken up by plant: Zn+++ can be taken up through leaves. Toxic except in
small   quantities.
 Cell amounts 15 - 100 ppm
 Toxic in larger amounts
 Function : Enzyme catalyst
 Immobile element

Deficiency of Zn:

 occurs on younger leaves (immobile)

 interveinal chlorosis followed by reduction in rate of shoot growth and shortening of
internodes (rosetting)
 reduced internode growth, chlorosis

Molybdenum

 Mo required in smallest amounts of any mineral nutrient. Excess may be toxic to

grazing animals
 Smallest amount needed (0.1 - 5 ppm)
 Taken up by plant as MoO₄=

Function in plant:

 Nitrogen fixation and reduction

- (conversion of NO3- to NH4+ in the plant)

Symptoms the same as nitrogen deficiency

- Interveinal chlorosis

- With legumes it appears as N deficiency

Boron

 Available as boric acid (H₂BO₃, 20-50ppm)

 Can be very toxic to some plants\
 Functions are speculative
-cell wall synthesis, sugar transport, cell division, pollen tube growth

Deficiencies in young tissue

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  Vegetable diseases - heart rot (beets), stem crack (celery), water core (turnip), drought
spot (orchard fruits), and no ears in corn.
 Immobile upper leaves affected. Growth of terminal bud stops. Alfalfa - rosetting or
bushy appearance in top of plant.

Chloride

 Taken up as Cl- (100 - 1000 ppm)

 Required for photosynthesis

Deficiency symptoms

 reduced leaf growth

 wilting
 bronze leaves
 club root

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