Why is it important to choose the best type of fertilizer and use it in agriculture?
Plants need nutrients to grow better, maintain health, prevent disease, etc. These nutrients are absorbed by the plant in different ways such as roots, leaves, stems, etc. Fertilizers, whether organic or inorganic (chemical), provide the main nutrients needed by plants. In simpler language, we can say that in the first stage, fertilizers provide the required nutrients to the soil, and finally, the soil feeds the plants with the help of fertilizers and helps them grow. As long as plant nutrients are not provided, soil productivity and growth capacity will decrease with each harvest period. Because the available nutrients are absorbed by the plant and if a crop is planted again, it will suffer from a lack of nutrients. In this way, after some time, the quality of the products also decreases and the soil loses its fertility.
The types of fertilizers and their application
Fertilizers have different types and different categories. But in general, the best fertilizers are divided into two categories: organic fertilizers (natural fertilizers) and inorganic fertilizers (chemical or synthetic fertilizers). Before we describe the types of inorganic fertilizers, it is better to examine the difference between organic fertilizers and inorganic fertilizers. Some of these differences are:
▪️ Organic fertilizers are natural fertilizers that consist of plant residues, animal waste and other natural materials. Meanwhile, chemical fertilizers are synthetic and depend on minerals and synthetic chemicals. ▪️ Organic fertilizers are produced from cow manure, biological compost, etc. While chemical fertilizer is produced from the extraction of soil and micronutrients. ▪️ Organic fertilizers use microorganisms to release nutrients and have less risk of chemical toxicity. If mineral fertilizers are in excessive amounts, there is a high risk of chemical toxicity.
What are the best fertilizers?
The use of fertilizers in agriculture has countless advantages, and these days fertilizers are one of the main needs of the agricultural industry. But what should the best agricultural fertilizer have? Some characteristics of a good fertilizer are:
▪️ A suitable fertilizer should be easily spread and not troublesome (follow uniform distribution patterns). Be compatible with different environmental conditions. ▪️ Dissolve quickly in case of contact with soil or water. ▪️ be free of pollutants and harmful additives. ▪️ Fertilizer should be non-toxic so as not to harm the plant and soil. Be soluble in water.
