Question

What are fertilizers?

Answer 1

Hint: Plant needs some primary, secondary and micronutrients to show a great growth and it is supplied to the plants manually with the addition of certain materials which may be organic or chemical.

Complete step by step answer:
Any large number of natural and synthetic materials, including manure and Nitrogen, Phosphorous and Potassium compounds worked into the soil to increase the capacity to support the plant growth is called as fertilizers.
Plants require certain elements as nutrients for their growth, flowering and yielding the crop or fruits and the nutrients are classified as
Natural nutrients: Carbon, Hydrogen and Oxygen
Primary nutrients: Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potassium
Secondary nutrients: Calcium, Sodium, Sulphur, Magnesium
Micro nutrients: Copper, Molybdenum, Manganese, Cobalt, Zinc, Boron and Iron
Types of fertilizers
The fertilizers that are commonly used in agriculture are classified into three types
Potassium fertilizers: eg ${\text{KCl, }}{{\text{K}}_{\text{2}}}{\text{S}}{{\text{O}}_{\text{4}}}{\text{, KN}}{{\text{O}}_{\text{3}}}$
Nitrogen fertilizers: eg ${\text{N}}{{\text{H}}_{\text{4}}}{\text{N}}{{\text{O}}_{\text{3}}}{\text{, N}}{{\text{H}}_{\text{4}}}{\text{Cl}}$, Urea
Phosphorus fertilizers: eg ${\left( {{\text{N}}{{\text{H}}_{\text{4}}}} \right)_{\text{2}}}{\text{P}}{{\text{O}}_{\text{4}}}{\text{, }}{\left( {{\text{N}}{{\text{H}}_{\text{4}}}} \right)_{\text{3}}}{\text{P}}{{\text{O}}_{\text{4}}}$
Certain fertilizers which can give only one nourishing element is single fertilizer
The fertilizers which can give two nutrient elements are called as compound fertilizer

Advantages of fertilizers
1.Fertilizers are used to provide additional nutrition to the plants.
2.Addition of fertilizers improves the yield of the crop.
3.For the potted plants fertilizers are added to replace the lost nutrition.
4.Greening of lawns is possible by adding Nitrogen rich fertilizers.
5.The texture and fertility of the soil can be improved by adding organic fertilizers.

Additional information:
Disadvantages of fertilizers
1.The ingredients present in the fertilizer are toxic to the skin and for the respiratory system.
2.Fertilizers should be given to the plants in a limit and its excessive usage may reduce soil fertility and damage the plants.
3.The ${\text{pH}}$ of the soil and microbial activities will be reduced by use of fertilizer in a long run.
4.The artificial fertilizers prepared without any organic additions does not improve the soil structure.

Note: The water holding capacity of plants are improved by the addition of fertilizers and the plants create a tolerance to the pests and the straws and stalks of the plants are strengthened by the addition of fertilizers. Bio fertilizers have come in use because of the bad effect of chemical fertilizer on soil fertility.