Tag: biology

Potassium nitrate is one of the common fertilizer which is used for the growth of the plants. Potassium nitrate contains about 13% of nitrogen. There is about 44% of potassium in oxide form. The addition of this fertilizer generally results in an increase in the pH. This fertilizer readily supplies nitrogen to the soil which can be taken up by the plants. 

There are different forms of fertilizers which are used for supplying phosphorus. Superphosphate is the common synthetic form of fertilizer which is used for enriching the soil with phosphate. About 50 kg of superphosphate adds 8% of phosphorus to the soil. Triple phosphate can also be used for adding phosphate to the soil. 

The three numbers on fertilizer represent the value of the three macro-nutrients used by plants. These macro-nutrients are nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) or NPK for short. NPK fertilizer is a complex fertilizer comprised primarily of the three primary nutrients required for healthy plant growth. Nitrogen is essential for green plant growth and enables plants to manufacture food from sunlight through photosynthesis. Phosphorus aids the plant in the earliest stages of development and facilitates the reproductive fruiting process. Potassium boosts plant vigour and disease and stress resistance.

The three primary plant macronutrients are Nitrogen (N), Phosphorus (P), and Potassium (K). Oxygen (O) is obtained by plants from the air and water, not typically added as a fertilizer macronutrient.

Legumes contain high amounts of protein because their root nodules host symbiotic nitrogen-fixing bacteria, such as Rhizobium. These bacteria convert atmospheric nitrogen into ammonia, which the plant uses to synthesize amino acids and proteins.

Fish meal is rich in nitrogen, phosphorus, and calcium. It is commonly used as an organic fertilizer to provide essential nutrients to plants.

Nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium (NPK) are the major source available in fertilizers. The most common synthetic fertilizers used in India are super phosphate, urea, calcium ammonium nitrate, ammonium sulphate and NPK fertilizers. 

Guano is the accumulated excrement of seabirds and bats. As a manure, guano is a highly effective fertilizer due to its exceptionally high content of nitrogen, phosphate and potassium: nutrients essential for plant growth.Seabird guano consists of nitrogen-rich ammonium nitrate and urate, phosphates, as well as some earth salts and impurities. Bat guano is faecal excrement from bats. Commercially harvested bat guano is used as an organic fertilizer. All commercially sold bat guano is derived from insect-eating bats.