Fertilizer - a chemical substance or natural substance added to soil or land to increase its fertility

Organic fertilizers are naturally available mineral sources that

contain moderate amount of plant essential nutrients. They are
capable of mitigating problems associated with synthetic fertilizers.
They reduce the necessity of repeated application of synthetic
fertilizers to maintain soil fertility.
consists of mineral-based nutrients manufactured for immediate
application on crops.

Fertility – the quality of being fertile

Improves the soil fertility by adding

compost

Fertilizer are added to crops in order to produce

enough food to feed the numan population. This
allows crops to grow bigger , faster, and to
produce more food

2 Kinds of Fertilizer

1. Organic Fertilizer – these are made from natural materials such as manure, compost peat moss

Manure- compost of animal manure

Compost – food processing waste, decayed plant parts

Peat moss

2. Inorganic fertilizer – these are made from synthetic chemicals such as Nitrogen ( N) , phosphorous
( P)and potassium (K)

METHODS OF FERTILIZER APPLICATION

1. ROW application – prior to planting

2. Starter methods – at planting

3. side dressing – ground level during season

4. Foliar method – spray on leaves ( Foliage) during the season

5. Broadcasting -
Solid fertilizer materials application method
Solid materials may be applied in the following ways:

A. Broadcasting
Even and uniform spreading of dry solid fertilizers by hand or spreader over the entire field
before or after sowing of the crop is termed as broadcasting. Well-decomposed FYM (Farm yard
manure), compost, oil cake, bone meal, urea, superphosphate, and lime are applied by this
method.

Advantages

This method is easy, less time taking, cheap, and more convenient to the farmers. This method
proves effective-

 When the crops have a dense stand.

 When the plant roots absorb nutrients from the whole volume of soil.
 When soil fertility rich.
 When using a large amount of material.
 When using potassic fertilizers on light soils.
Disadvantages

 It is not advantageous because it encourages weed growth all over the field.
  Most of the material remains on the soil surface and does not reach the root zone for
uptake by plants.
 There is a more significant loss of fertilizer nutrients due to washing, run-
off, volatilization.
 The recovery (extent of fertilizer used by plants) ranges between 25 to 45 percent or even
less.
Types of broadcasting application methods:
1. Basal application

Spreading fertilizers before sowing or planting the crops and mixing them by cultivating the soil
during seedbed preparation is termed as basal application through broadcasting.

Advantages

 Suitable for applying controlled/slow-release fertilizers.

 Suitable for applying bulky manures.
Disadvantage

Encourages early weed growth.

2. Topdressing and side dressing

Spreading of fertilizer in standing crops without considering the crop rows is termed as a top
dressing. However, when the crop rows are taken into account, and the material is dropped on
the ground surface near the crop rows, it is called side dressing.

Advantages

Related Posts:

 Classification of Fertilizers
  Classification of chemical fertilizers/inorganic fertilizer

 Broadcasting method of sowing in Agriculture with pros and…

 Classification of organic fertilizer/organic manure/manure

Highly mobile fertilizers are top-dressed by split application.


Side dressing reduces misuse of fertilizers in row crops.

Disadvantage

 Topdressing is not suitable for bulky manures.

B. Placement
It refers to applying fertilizers into the soil from where the crop roots can take them easily.

Advantages:

 Plants can use a maximum portion of the material.

  Losses through uptake by weeds, washing, run-off, volatilization could be eliminated to
the greatest extent.
Disadvantage:

 Is not suitable for bulky manures.

The placement could be done in the following ways:

1. Plough sole placement

When the fertilizers are applied in open furrows at plow sole level while plowing, it is termed
plow sole placement. Such furrows are covered immediately during the next run of the plow.

Advantages:

 This method is suitable when-

 In dry soil where there is moisture only in the sole plow layer.
 In problem soils where there is the problem of fixation.
Disadvantage:

 Is not suitable for bulky manures.

2. Deep placement

The method is adopted in the dryland condition where the fertilizers are placed deeper than the
sole plow level; then, it is called deep placement.

Advantages

 Suitable for dry soil where there is a moisture deficit.

 Helps in root elongation.
 Eliminates various losses of nutrients from the soil.
 In wetland rice, a reduced form of N fertilizer (ammonium sulfate) is placed deep in the
reduced layer to avoid denitrification.
Disadvantage

 Laborious and time-consuming.

3. Sub-soil placement

The method is termed sub-soil placement when placing fertilizers deeper than the seeding or
planting depth and deeper than the previous two methods.

Advantages

 Suitable for dry soil where there is a moisture deficit.

  Helps in maximum root elongation.
 P and K fertilizers are placed in deeper layers by heavy machinery to avoid fixation in
strongly acidic soils.
Disadvantage

 Laborious and time-consuming.

C. Localized placement
There is a distinction between placement and localized placement. The former refers to applying
fertilizer into the soil without special reference to the location of the seed or plant. At the same
time, the latter implies the application of fertilizer into the soil close to the seed or plant.

Advantages

Localized placement of fertilizers has many advantages over broadcasting methods of

application such as. Relatively lesser quantity is required for the production of an ideal crop

 It suppresses weed growth.

 It reduces fertilizer losses.
 Placing fertilizers in the moist zone, where they remain available to plants for a more
extended period.
 Fertilizers come in easy reach of crop roots.
 It increases fertilizer recovery and the response of crops to applied doses.
Disadvantages

 The method is very technical and needs special precautions.

 Besides, it is costly.
The method could be adopted in the following ways:

1. Contact placement/combine drilling

When placing fertilizer along with the seed, then it is called contact placement. It is done by
using seed-cum-fertilizer drill. Sometimes fertilizer is drilled by implement, and seed is sown in
the same furrow.

Advantage

Well-decomposed manure, ashes, and P and K fertilizers in small quantities are used along with
seeds during sowing.

Disadvantage

Care must be taken so that seeds are not burnt by contact with fertilizers.
2. Band placement

It is a localized placement of fertilizers by the side of plants or seeds (about 5 cm apart). It may
be of two types as the bands may be continuous or discontinuous:

i. Hill placement (discontinuous band)

In the hill, for widely spaced plants like cotton, castor, and cucurbits, fertilizers are placed on
either side of plants along or across the row but not along the entire row. This method is also
termed a discontinuous band application.

ii. Row placement (continuous band)

Along the entire rows of closely spaced crops like cereals, minor millets, potatoes, and tobacco,
fertilizers are applied continuously at 2-2.5 cm depth. This method has a definite relationship of
fertilizers with seedlings or seeds as the fertilizer is placed to the side of seedlings or seeds some
distance away from them or at the seed level, above or below or by the side of the seed level.
When the soil surface is dry, this method gives very promising results.

iii. Ring placement (continuous band)

Fertilizer is applied in a circle around an individual plant or hill base at a depth of about 2.5-5 cm.

3. Pocket/spot placement

When fertilizers are placed at a fixed spot with the help of a bamboo peg having a hole at the
bottom in the case of very widely spaced crops, then the method is termed as pocket/spot
placement method. Fertilizers are placed deeper into the pocket (dibble), and seeds are sown in
the same pocket about 5 cm above the fertilizers.

Advantages

 Suitable for dry soil where there is a moisture deficit.

 Suitable for wide-spaced crops like cotton, castor, cassava, cucurbits, and chili.
Disadvantage

 Care must be taken so that seeds are not burnt by contact with fertilizers.
 Laborious and time-consuming.
4. Pellet placement

This method is adopted, especially in deepwater rice cultivation. It is not easy to apply fertilizers
in typical methods as the fertilizer granules get dissolved in water before reaching ground level.
In this method, fertilizers (especially nitrogenous ones) are mixed with clay soil in the ratio of
one part of fertilizer into 10-15 parts of soil. The fertilizer is well-mixed with soil after slight
moistening, filled in gunny bags, and stored for two to three days. Small mud bolls are prepared,
and these boll or pellets are dropped near the crop rows in rice Jr jute under deep water
conditions.

Liquid fertilizer application method

The use of liquid fertilizers is not a very common practice, but this is the most common method
in advanced countries. It is the most suitable method under dryland agriculture and in areas prone
to erosion problems. Liquid fertilizers may be applied in the following ways:

1. Use of starter solution

Starter solutions usually contain N, P, K, in 1: 2: 1 or 1: 1: 2. This method is used for

transplanted crops in place of irrigation water, and this solution is applied just to wet the field so
that the seedlings may establish quickly.

Advantages

 It serves as irrigation water as well as a nutrient solution for the crops.

 Suitable for dipping the seedling roots and soaking seeds or spraying to encourage early
rooting and crop establishment.
Disadvantage

 Requires careful attention to maintain the proper concentration of the solution.

2. Application through irrigation water

The required quantity of fertilizer material is dissolved in irrigation water and can be used in
surface, sprinkler, or drip irrigation systems.

Advantage

 The concentrated fertilizer solution may be dripped in the channel of irrigation water
while irrigating the crop.
Disadvantage

 If the crop is to be given surface irrigation as flooding, excess water may lead to
physiological problems in crops.
3. Nutrient injection method/direct application to soil

In the USA and some other countries, farmers inject anhydrous ammonia into the soil at a depth
of about 20-25 cm and a pressure of about 200 pounds per square inch.
Advantages

 Anhydrous ammonia is the cheapest source of nitrogen because of its lower unit value.
 Injecting hormonal solutions and some micronutrient solutions in the phloem region of
the fruit trees is also becoming a distinct possibility in correcting the nutrient deficiency.
Disadvantage

 For this method, the soil should have fine tilth, enough moisture so that nitrogen loss in
the form of ammonia does not occur.
4. Foliar spraying of nutrient solutions

In this method of fertilizer application, urea, micronutrients, and other required materials are
dissolved in water, filtered, and sprayed over the crop foliage with the help of a suitable sprayer.

Advantages

 This method is preferred over other methods because it needs a minimal quantity of
materials.
 The crop plants respond within 24 hours of application.
 Soil reaction, topography, and soil textures have no adverse effect on the soil’s nutrient
availability and fertility status.
 Possible to apply almost all nutrients by this method.
Disadvantage

 Non-uniform spraying and improper concentration of the solution may lead to hazardous
effects on the crop, and the entire plant population may get devastated.
 A high concentration of the solution may cause the burning of foliage.

Agriculturist Musa
I’m Md Mosaddekur Rahman,
I’m a student, a blogger, and a pro at digital marketing, especially SEO. I have completed my
B.Sc. in Agriculture degree from the Crop Science and Technology Department at the University
of Rajshahi, Bangladesh. I’m currently enrolled in King Abdulaziz University’s Arid Land
Agriculture Department in Saudi Arabia.
In my opinion, agriculture is the key to advancing the economy. You can understand the
fundamentals of agriculture by reading this site, which will improve your academic performance.
To serve the country and become a skilled farmer, read carefully. We have a lot of responsibility,
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I’m Md Mosaddekur Rahman, I’m a student, a blogger, and a pro at digital marketing, especially
SEO. I have completed my B.Sc. in Agriculture degree from the Crop Science and Technology
Department at the University of Rajshahi, Bangladesh. I’m currently enrolled in King Abdulaziz
University’s Arid Land Agriculture Department in Saudi Arabia.
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