APPLY THE

RECOMMENDED KIND AND

RATE OF FERTILIZER
• Fertilizer – any material used to
add to the fertility of the soil in
order to increase the growth or
yield of crops.
• Fertilizing or fertilization – the
practice of applying fertilizers to
crops through the soil or to the
leaves of the plants.
• Fertile soil – one that contains
most of the essential elements
needed for plant growth.
• Soil productivity – the ability
produce more than a sufficient
quantity of agricultural crops.
• Soil fertility – the richness of
soil in terms of organic and
inorganic plant foods which
plants can use for growth and
production.
• Liming – the application of
calcium or magnesium
containing compounds to the soil
to neutralize acidity.
• Plant food – the necessary
materials from which a plant
can build new tissues and at
the same time carry on its
normal functions.
• Leaching – the loss of soluble
substances in water that
drains down to the lower
depths of the soil beyond the
reach of the roots
•Plants have three
sources from which
they get their
necessary nutrients.
1. Air.
• The air contains carbon
dioxide (carbon combined with
oxygen). Carbon dioxide
provides source of carbon and
oxygen for growing crops. In
turn when plants residues
decay, carbon dioxide is again
released into the air.
2. Water

•Water is made up of
hydrogen and oxygen;
thus, it provides plants
with these elements.
3. Soil

•. All other plant

food elements in
the soil are
therefore very
important.
The plant food elements

•The primary plant food

elements
• Chemical symbol
•  Nitrogen . . . .. . . . . . . . .
•  Phosphorus . . . . . . . . . .
•  Potassium . . . . . . . . . . .
The secondary plant food
elements
•Calcium . . . . . . . . . . . .
•Magnesium . . . . . . . . .
•Sulfur . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Elements from air and water
• Carbon . . . . . . . . . . . . . C
• Hydrogen . . . . . . . . . . . H
• Oxygen . . . . . . . . . . . . . O
 THE TRACE ELEMENTS
• Manganese . . . . . . . . . . Mn
• Boron . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B
• Copper . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cu
• Zinc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Zn
• Iron . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Fe
• Molybdenum . . . . . . . . Mo
• Chlorine . . . . . . . . . . . Cl
 The plant food
elements and their
functions
 Nutrient Functions Symptoms of
Deficiency

NITROGEN -Gives dark  Sticky yellowish

green color
green color to
plants.  Distinctly slow
and dwarfed
-Promotes leaf, growth
stem, fruit and  Drying up or
seed growth. firing of leaves
-Improves from bottom of
quality of leaf the plants
crops. proceeding
upward
 Nutrient Functions Symptoms of
Deficiency

NITROGEN -Facilitates rapid

growth
 Sticky yellowish
green color
-Increases protein  Distinctly slow
content of food and dwarfed
and leaf crops. growth
-Feeds soil micro-  Drying up or
organisms during firing of leaves
their from bottom of
decompositions of the plants
low nitrogen proceeding
organic materials. upward
 Nutrient Functions Symptoms of
Deficiency

Phosphorus - Stimulates Purplish leaves,

early root stems and
formation and branches
growth.  Slow growth
- Gives rapid and and maturity
vigorous start to  Small slender
plants. stalk in case of
-Hastens corn
maturity.
 Nutrient Functions Symptoms of
Deficiency

Phosphorus -Stimulates  Lack of

blooming. stooling in
-Aids in seed small grains
formation.  Low yields
-Gives plants of grain,
hardiness. fruit and
seed
 Nutrient Functions Symptoms of
Deficiency

Potassium  Imparts vigor

and disease
 Mottling, spotting,
streaking or curling
resistance to of leaves, starting
plants. from the lower level
 Scorched or
 Produces strong, burned margin of
stiff stalks, thus the leaves
reduces lodging.  Drooping of the
 Increases corn plant falls
plumpness of the down prior to
grains and seeds. maturity due to
poor root
development
 Nutrient Functions Symptoms of
Deficiency

Potassium  Helps in the

formation and
transfer of
starch, sugar
and oil.
 Imparts
hardness to
legumes.