FERTILIZERS

UNIVERSITY OF PANNONIA
GEORGIKON FACULTY KESZTHELY
DEPARTMENT OF CROP PRODUCTION AND SOIL SCIENCE
NUTRIENT MANAGEMENT
FERTILIZERS
Online tutorial
Prof. Katalin SÁRDI
P. Jolánkai, assistant lecturer
B. Salamon, BSc Student in Environmental Management
K. Ángyán, BSc Student in Environmental Management
• NITROGEN FERTILIZERS
Ammonium nitrate NH4NO3
34 ± 0.3% N
• White or yellow granules
• Water solubility: good. Strongly hygroscopic.
• Causes increased soil acidification to be used
only in alkaline, calacareous soils
• Risk of leaching – regulation of fertilizer application
is required! (see the EU Nitrate Directives and
„Good Agricultural Practices”)
• High risk of explosion storage and handling
restrictions! Storage: maximum 6 bags
• Often coated to avoid water absorption
Ammonium nitrate with limestone (ANL) or
dolomite (NH4NO3 + CaCO3 and MgO)
25-28% N
• Beige or light yellow granules
• Manufactured in Hungary from 1931 („Péti Nitrogénművek”, the first Fertilizer
Factory in the country)
• Ammonium nitrate with pulverized limestone or
dolomite (ratio= 75:25 or 80:20) for reduced
hygroscopy.
• Advantages:
– no risk of explosion, storage and handling favorable
– does not cause soil acidification.
Ammonium sulfate (NH4)2SO4
20-21% N + 24% S
• White or gray, small crystals.
• Water solubility: good, low hygroscopic
capacity
• Strongly acidic to be used only in alkaline,
calacareous soils and for crops having high
acid tolerance.
• Storage and handling: favorable
• Contains sulfate a good source also for S.
Monoammonium phosphate, MAP
52% P2O5 + 11% N
White or gray granules, non-higroscopic.
Ammonium phosphate is often included in mixed,
complete fertilizers as a high source of phosphorus and
nitrogen.
Mixing with K forms will produce a complex (NPK)
fertilizer.
The compound is also a component of the ABC powder
in some dry chemical fire extinguishers.
Potassium Nitrate (KNO3)
13% N + 44% K2O
White, fine crystals.
Good solubility in water
Storage and handling: favourable
Advantage: N and K source. Disadvantage: compared
to K, nitrogen content is low.
Also used in nutrient solutions and „fertigation”
(Fertilization and Irrigation).
Calcium nitrate (Ca(NO3)2)
12-15% N + 28% CaO
• White crystals, strongly hygroscopic compound.
• Can be used as nutrient solution, and also for
top-dressing.
• Low concentration of N.
• The solution of this fertilizer is alkaline, so it’s
favorable in acidic soils.
• Calcium-nitrate was the first synthetic N
fertilizer.
Urea CO(NH2)2
46.6% N
• White, small, pearl-like granules, good water solubility
(pH= neutral)
• Moderately hygroscopic favourable handling and
storage.
• Suitable for both soil and foliar application
• Its name refers to urine (Rouelle, 1773). Synthetic urea
was produced first in 1828 by Wöhler, a German chemist.
• Incorporation of urea into soil will minimize NH3 losses
• Bacterial transformation of urea to NH4 ion is necessary for
root uptake (urease enzyme)
• Reduction of rapid urea hydrolysis: urea-aldehyde
compounds, coating
• Biuret levels of maximum 1.5 – 2.0 % can be tolerated
because its phytotoxicity.
Mikramid*
45% N + 0,5% K2O + 0,3%
microelements (Fe, Cu, Zn, Mo, B)
• Dark brown color, pearl-like granules
• N content is high, microelements are in water
soluble chelate complexes
• Favourable for foliar application.
• Can be combined with other fertilizers and
pesticides, however, compatibility should be
tested before application.
• *Mikramid is manufactured in Hungary in the „Péti
Nitrogénművek”, the first Fertilizer Factory in the country.
UAN (urea-ammonium nitrate) solution
28-32 % N
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Colorless, clear solution
Storage and handling: favorable
Requires special application equipment.
Advantages:
– N content may be variable
– Can be mixed with pesticides (soil herbicides)
– Can be applied through various types of
irrigation systems
• PHOSPORUS FERTILIZERS
Superphosphate (Ca(H2PO4)2+ CaSO4)
17-20% P2O5 + 25-30% CaO + 12% S
• Gray or white-grayish granules, slightly different in size.
• Superphosphate is a fertilizer produced by the action of
concentrated sulfuric acid with powdered phosphate rock:
3Ca3(PO4)2 + 6 H2SO4 → 6 CaSO4 + 3 Ca(H2PO4)2
• Advantages of granulation:
• smaller adsorption site, the absorption of phosphate
ions will decrease.
• Physical properties can be improved (less
hygroscopic)
Triple superphosphate
• Triple superphosphate is a fertilizer produced by
the action of concentrated phosphorus acid with
powdered phosphate rock:Ca3(PO4)2(s) + 4
H3PO4(aq) → 3 Ca 2+(aq) + 6 H2PO41-(aq) → 3
Ca(H2PO4)2(aq)
• Manufacturing is more expensive as costs are
higher than those of single superphosphate.
• Phosphorus content varies between 44 to 52%
P2O5 .
• POTASSIUM FERTILIZERS
Potassium chloride (KCl)
40-50-60% K2O
• Potassium chloride is the most common K fertilizer
• Potassium chlorides are variable in color from red to
brownish or white-gray, depending on the mining and
recovery process.
• Granules: angular and irregular.
• Water solubility: good. Non-hygroscopic compound.
• Chemically neutral, physiologically acidic salts.
• Potassium chlorides contain KCl, NaCl and other
salts found in sea water (2-6 % MgCl2 + MgSO4 +
CaSO4).
• 1 % K2O = 0,83 % K
Potassium sulfate (K2SO4)
50 % K2O
• White-grayish, particles are angular and
irregular
• Water solubility: good.
• Non-hygroscopic compound.
• Increases acidification, liming is required.
• Commonly used for Cl-sensitive crops
such as potato, fruits, grapevine and
vegetables.
Potassium Magnesium Sulfate
Patentkali*
30% K2SO4+ 6% Mg
• White-grayish, particles are angular and
irregular
• Water solubility: good.
• Non-hygroscopic compound.
• Increases soil acidification, liming (Ca) is
required.
• Favorable for Cl-sensitive crops.
• *Patentkali is manufactured by „K + S KALI”, Germany
• MIXED (MULTIELEMENT)
FERTILIZERS
YaraMila Multicare
5% N + 10% P2O5 + 25% K2O
• Light drab color, small inequigranular
material.
• Potassium dominant fertilizer for before-,
at- and after seeding application.
• Suitable for all crops, except chloride
sensitive ones.
• For starter fertilizer, the recommended
rate is 100-250 kg/ha
THIRD GENERATION FERTILIZER
PRODUCTS=Controlled release fertilizers
Plantacote 8*
• Light beige colour, inhomogeneous size and
color particles.
• Granules are coated by resin for longer, retarded
nutrient supply.
• Mixed, multielement fertilizer product
• Can be used in most crops (in horticulture and
field crop production)
• Commonly used for ornamental plants
• * Plantacote 8 is manufactured by Scotts (Netherland)
THIRD GENERATION FERTILIZER
PRODUCTS=Controlled release fertilizers
Osmocote Exact Standard*
• Osmocote Exact – Controlled Release
Fertilizes: the „Third Generation” in fertilizer
products
• Brown and blue particles.
• The particles are coated with organic resin. This is
controlling the release of the nutrient supply
• Controlled nutrient release – increased efficiency
and supply by the advanced technology suited to
crop requirements and uptake dynamics!
• Using this fertilizer, leaching will be minimized.
• * Osmocote Exact is manufactured by Scotts (Netherland)
Volldünger*
14% N + 7% P2O5 + 21% K2O + 1%
MgO + 1% micro elements
(Cu, Mn, Fe, B etc.)
• Small, fine crystals, green and some darker color.
• Water solubility: good.
• Preventing nitrate leaching, mostly ammonium-N form (4%
nitrate, 10% ammonium), 7 % P2O5 (mono ammonium sulfate),
21 % K2O (in sulfate), 1 % MgO (in sulfate) and 1 %
microelements (Cu, Mn, Fe, B stb.).
• Also suitable for chloride-sensitive plants.
• Suitable for fertigation and foliar spraying.
• * Volldünger is manufactured in Austria (Linz)
Krista SOP*
K2SO4, 38-42 % K2O
• Potassium sulfate, water soluble.
• For horticultural application, single
element nutrition.
• Suitable for foliar application and
fertigation.
• * Krista SOP is a product of YARA
Fertilizers
YARA Ferticare
14% N + 11% P2O5 + 25% K2O + 7,2%
Mg, S, microelements
• Pink, fine crystals. Good solubility in water.
• Can be used also for foliar application and fertigation
in horticulture.
• YARA Ferticare is a good K source for crops having
high K requirements
•
Calcinit YARA Liva
15 % N and 25 % CaO
• 100% water soluble calcium-nitrate
(Ca(NO3)2)
• Solid, white to yellowish color, fine
crystals
• Good source for Calcium and
nitrogen especially for crops having
low tolerance to acidity.
YARA Folicare
19% N + 11% P2O5 + 24% K2O + Cu
• Light green color, small crystals, good water
solubility.
• FOLICARE product family for foliar application.
• Folicare 8:0:40 – vineyard, Folicare 19:11:24
Cu - cereals
• Folicare 19:11:24 Zn – maize, legumes
• N content: urea-phosphate (good water solubility
and rapid nutrient release)
• Micro elements in chelated complex form.