Exercise No.

17

PREPARATION OF FERTILIZER MIXTURES

Methods for Preparation of Fertilizer Mixtures

Fertilizer mixtures may either be prepared manually by cultivators, or in. factories with
the help of special equipments. The former are known as 'farm-mixed* fertilizers while the latter
are termed as factory-made mixtures.
Farm-mixed Fertilizers:
Some fertiliser materials can be mixed satisfactorily on the farm without using special
equipment. This method is economical. Mixing on the farm should be done on a cement floor.
The equipment required would be a shovel or phawda, a screen, a hammer to break the lumps
and a weighing balance or scale to measure the exact quantities of different fertilisers and a
filler. It is desirable to mix the fertilisers on the day of application or a day before, to avoid
caking. If the fertiliser mixture cannot be immediately used, a certain amount of filler like fine dry
loam or sand may be added to check the mixture from caking into hard mass.

Factory-made Mixtures:
There are in general four different types of fertiliser-mixing plants: (i) Dry-mix plant in
which all straight fertilisers are mixed in dry form. Such plants are extensively used in India; (ii)
Plants in which ammonia is added to phosphatic and potassic fertilisers. Such plants are
common in the U.S.A.; (iii) Plants in which superphosphate is manufactured from rock
phosphate and locally purchased sulphuric acid. Superphosphate is utilised in preparation of
mixed fertilisers; and (iv) Plants which manufacture their own requiremment of sulphuric add to
prepare superphosphate which is further used in preparing mixed fertilisers.

Granulated Fertiliser Mixtures

Manufacture of fertiliser mixtures in granulated form has been recently started in India by
various firms. Granulated fertiliser mixtures are normally of high analysis. Advantages of
granulation are as follows:
1. Every granule is complete plant food containing major nutrients in balanced quantities.
2. This ensures easier and uniform absorption by crops resulting in vigorous and healthy
growth.
3. Granular fertilisers are dry, free-flowing and easy to apply. Thus they can be applied
through a seed drill.
4. There is no loss due to dusting during transport and handling or due , to wind in the
fields.
5. Being high analysis, they are considerably more economical in transport and application
costs.
6. There is no possibility of adulteration.

Formulation of Fertiliser Mixtures

It is relatively simple to calculate the amount of each material required to make up a
given grade. Calculations for the formulation of three fertiliser mixtures
Example No. 1 –
Find out how many kg of separate fertiliser materials are needed for the preparation of
1,000 kg of mixed fertiliser of 4-8-15 grade, using sulphate of ammonia (20 per cent N).
superphosphate (16 per cent P2O5) and muriate of potash (60 per cent K2O).
Work out the quantities of individual fertilisers required for 100 kg of 4-8-15 fertiliser
mixture, i.e., to contain 4 per cent N, 8 per cent P2O5 and 15 per cent K20. Then multiply these
figures by 10 to obtain the total requirement of fertilisers for 1,000 kg of the mixture.
4x100
For N = ————— = 20 kg ammonium sulphate
20

8x100
P2O5 = ———— = 50 kg superphosphate (single)
16

15x100
K2 O = ———— = 25 kg muriate of potash
60

Thus, 95 kg of straight fertilisers + 5 kg of filler = 100 kg of fertiliser mixture.

For preparing 1,000 kg of fertiliser mixture of the 4-8-15 grade, 200 kg of ammonium
sulphate, 500 kg of superphosphate, 250 kg of muriate of potash, and 50 kg of a filler will be
needed.

Example No. 2 –
Find out quantities of the individual fertilisers and a filler needed to make up a tonne of
4-8-10 fertiliser mixture, using nitrogen from nitrate of soda (16 per cent N), and ammonium
sulphate (20 per cent N) in equal quantities, superphosphate (16 per cent P 2O5) and muriate of
potash (60 per cent K2O).
Work out quantities of different fertilisers required for 100 kg of 4-8-10 fertiliser mixture
and multiply these figures by 10 to obtain total requirement of different fertilisers to make up one
tonne of the fertiliser mixture.
Since, nitrogen is to be supplied in equal parts through nitrate of soda and ammonium
sulphate, 4 kg of N in every 100 kg of mixture should contain 2 kg of N from each source.
2 x 100
For N = ————— 12.5 kg nitrate of soda
16
2x100
N = ————— = 10 kg ammonium sulphate
20
8x100
P2O5 = ———— = 50 kg superphosphate single
16

10x100
K2O = ————— = 16.7 kg muriate of potash
60

Thus, 89.2 kg of straight fertilisers + 10.8 kg of filler = 100.0 kg of fertiliser mixture.

For preparing a tonne of mixed fertiliser of the 4-8-10 grade, the following quantities (kg)
of straight fertilisers and a filler will be required.
Nitrate of soda = 12.5 x 10 = 125
Ammonium sulphate = 10.0 x 10 = 100
Superphosphate = 50.0 x 10 = 500
Muriate of potash = 16.7 x 10 = 167
Filler needed = 10.8 x 10 = 108
Fertilizer mixture = 1000 kg or one tonne

Example No. 3 –
In this example, one of the straight fertilisers or ingredients supplies two plant nutrients.
Such fertilisers are bone-meal, tankage, ammonium phosphate and nitrophosphate.
Prepare 600 kg of a 4-8-10 fertiliser mixture in which half the nitrogen is in ammonium
sulphate (20 per cent N) and the other half divided between nitrate of soda (16 per cent N) and
tankage (6 per cent N and 6 per cent P2O5). P2O5and K2O are to be added in the form of
superphosphate (16 per cent P2O5 ) and muriate of potash (60 per cent K2O) respectively.
In the present example, 4 kg of nitrogen in every 100 kg of mixture is supplied with 2 kg
N as ammonium sulphate, 1 kg N as nitrate of soda, 1 kg N as tankage

2x100
For N = ————— = 10 kg ammonium sulphate
20

1 x 100
N = ————— = 6.25 kg nitrate of soda
16

1x100
N = ————— = 16.66 kg Tonnage
6
Since tankage contains nitrogen and phosphoric add, 16.66 kg of Tonnage
mixed in every 100 kg of fertiliser mixture will also add
1666x6
————— = 1 kg of P2O5.
100
This means that out of 8 kg of P2O5, 1 kg is supplied through tonnage and the remaining 7kg
comes from superphosphate.
7 x 100
For P2O5 = ————— = 43.75 kg superphosphate
16

10x100
K2O = ————— = 16.66 kg muriate of potash
60

Thus the total quantity of various fertilisers required to prepare 100 kg of a 4 - 8 -10 fertiliser
mixture will be:
Ammonium sulphate ... 10.00 kg
Nitrate of soda ... 6.25 kg
Tonnage ... 16.66 kg
Superphosphate ... 43.75 kg
Muriate of potash ... 16.66 kg
Total quantity of straight fertiliser ... 93.32 kg
Filler ... 6.68 kg
Mixed fertiliser: ... 100.00 kg

For preparing 600 kg of the fertiliser mixture of the 4-8-10 grade, the following quantities of
fertilisers and a filler will be required.
Ammonium sulphate ... 10.00 x 6 = 60.0 kg
Nitrate of soda ... 6.25 x 6 = 37.5 kg
Tonnage ... 16.66 x 6 = 100.0 kg
Superphosphate ... 43.75 x 6 = 262.5 kg
Muriate of potash ... 16.66 x 6 = 100.0 kg
Filler ... 6.68x6 = 40.0 kg
Total = 600.0 kg

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