FERTILIZER

MANAGEMENT
FERTILIZER APPLICATION
The kinds and amount of fertilizer to
apply are determined by using the
following methods:
1. Soil and plant tissue analysis- samples
of soils are taken at representative sites
of the field. These are analyzed for
nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium
content.
2. Fertilizer Field Trial – The
kinds and amounts of fertilizer
in a particular soil and location
are tested by fertilizer trial. This
is also usually combined with
the soil and plant tissue analysis.
Usually before trial, the soil is analyzed
for nutrient contents, then the fertilizer
treatments are imposed. After the crop
is harvested, the soil and plants are
analyzed to determine the amount
taken up by the plants and the amounts
of nutrients in the soil.
3. Use of Radio Isotopes – Labeled
elements. This is more advanced
method of determining the movement
of the nutrients in the plants such as
the use of N15 or P22. special
photograpic equipment to trace the
movement of the elements in the plant
system by the photography showing the
location of labeled elements.
4. Visual Symptoms of the plants –
The symptoms will tell the farmer the
need for fertilizer application or not as
shown by the growth of the plants.
Fertilizer Calculation
The right amount needed per unit
area should be calculated to avoid
under and over application of
nutrients.
Fertilizer material can be calculated using
the formula:
Recommended rate of nutrients/ha
Amount of _____________________________
=
Fertilizer Material
Percentage nutrient in the fertilizer
Example 1. Side dressing recommendation
for cabbage is 20 to 30 kg nitrogen/ha.
How much ammonium sulfate (20 percent
nitrogen) will you apply?

Solution:
20
Weight of ammonium sulfate = __ = 100 kgs
0.20
Example 2.
If soil is adequately supplied with
phosphorus and potassium, the
recommendation is 300 kilograms
ammonium sulfate (21%). Suppose only
urea (46%) is available at the fertilizer
dealer. How much urea will it be?
 Solution:
Before you can solve for the amount of
urea, first find out how much nitrogen
would 300 kg of ammonium sulfate
have.of ammonium Amount of N
Weight
sulfate = ________________
% of N Ammonium Sulfate
X
___
300 =
0.21
X = 300 (0.21)
X = 63 kg N
Now determine how much urea will give
63 kgs N
63 kg/ha
Weight of urea = _______
0.46

= 137 kgs
Why is there a need to compute for the
quantity of fertilizer to be applied and the
plant population in an area?

To specifically determine the exact

amount of fertilizer and planting
materials needed and to save time,
money effort and space.
What would you do if the growth of plant
becomes stunted?

-check/examine
-Apply needed nutrients/control
measures
-Replant/Replace
What would you do if your locality is
often visited by typhoons? What
measures should you adopt to ensure
maximum crop yield?
-Establish the cropping schedule
calendar
-Plant dwarf varieties or asexually
propagated trees
-Practice multiple cropping