FERTILIZER & ITS CLASSIFICATION

BY
R.JOTHI LAKSHMI
2013006014
• Fertilizers are the substances, which are added to the soil
to make up and provide the elements necessary for the
growth of plants.

• These may include

naturally occurring inorganic
naturally occurring organic substances
 such substances prepared synthetically.
 FERTILLIZERS AND
MANURES

Bulky Artificial
organic Concentr fertillizers
manures ated
(Fym, organic
compost manures,
, Green oil cakes
manure) COMP
NITROGE PHOSPHAT OUND
POTASSIC MIXED
NOUS IC
FERTILLIZ FERTILLIZE
FERTILLIZ FERTILLIZE
ER FERTILL R
ER R
IZER
 1.BASED ON THE COMPOSITION
• 1.Straight fertilizers - single nutrient
E.g., Urea contains only Nitrogen (N) @ 46 %
Single Super Phosphate (SSP) contains only Phosphorus (P) @
16 %.
• 2. Complex fertilizers: contain two or three primary plant
nutrients of which two primary nutrients are in chemical
combination.
These fertilisers are usually produced in granular form.
eg. Diammonium phosphate, nitrophosphates and ammonium
phosphate.
3. Mixed fertilizers: are physical mixtures of straight fertilisers.
They contain two or three primary plant nutrients.
 Complete vs. Incomplete

• Complete has all three primary nutrients-nitrogen

phosphorous & potassium
– Examples: 10-10-10, 15-30-15, 20-5-20
• Incomplete DOES NOT have all three primary nutrients
– Examples: 20-0-0, 0-20-0, 12-0-44
 2.Based on physical form
• Solid:
 Forms of solid fertilizers

– Powder (single superphosphate),

– Crystals (ammonium sulphate),
– Prills (urea, diammonium
phosphate, superphosphate), Urea prills
– Granules (Holland granules),
– Supergranules (urea
supergranules) and Ammonium sulphate

– Briquettes (urea briquettes).

Granulated urea
• Liquid fertilizers: e.g, anhydrous ammonia (which is
actually transported as a fluid and injected into soil in
gaseous form), nitrogen (N) solutions (usually made from
a mixture of urea and ammonium nitrate), ammonium
polyphosphate and triazones
 3. BASED ON ITS EFFECT ON CHANGING SOIL pH

• Acid forming fertilizer :Acid forming fertilizer is one

capable of increasing acidity of the soil which is derived
principally from the nitrification of ammonium salts by
soil bacteria.
e.g., All ammonium N fertilizers (except ammonium
nitrate with lime) have a gradual acidforming effect.
That's because the conversion of ammonium (NH.) to
nitrate (NO3) releases acid-forming hydrogen ions (H+).
The same applies to urea and most NP and NPX
fertilizers.
• Base Fertilizer : Base fertilizers is one capable decreasing
the acidity of the soil.
e.g., Nitrate N fertilizers that have their nitrate combined
with a strong base have a slightly basic effect (i.e. calcium
nitrate, potassium nitrate, sodium nitrate).

• Neutral fertilizer: Neutral fertilizer is one that is guranted

to leave neither an acidic nor basic residue in soil.
e.g,., The straight P or K fertilizers have no effect on soil
pH. Examples: potassium chloride, potassium sulfate, and
the superphosphates.
 D. Micronutrient Fertilizers

• There are seven essential micronutrients required by

plants.
• These are iron, manganese, zinc, copper, chlorine, boron
and molybdenum
• E.g, lron fertilizers: Ferrous sulphate
REFERENCES:
• INDIAN FERTILIZER SCENARIO 2015:
http://fert.nic.in/sites/default/files/Indian%20Fertilizer%20
SCENARIO-2014.pdf
• http://agritech.tnau.ac.in/agriculture/agri_nutrientmgt_fertil
izers.html
• http://fert.nic.in/urea
• http://utbfc.utk.edu/Content%20Folders/Forages/Fertilizati
on/Publications/PB1637.pdf