Management of mineral nutrition of plants. Fertilizers.

Soil is the top layer of the earth, which has a special property – fertility, the ability to provide plants with nutrients and moisture, and create conditions for their life. The yield of cultivated crops depends on the fertility of the soil.

The plant grows and develops normally only if the soil contains all the necessary nutrients.

The soil is gradually depleted due to the fact that each crop carries away a certain amount of minerals from the soil. To replenish their content, fertilizers are applied to the soil.

Organic fertilizers (from the word “organism”) are either animal waste (manure, bird droppings), or dead parts of animal and plant organisms (humus, peat).

Mineral fertilizers are nitrogen compounds (saltpeter, urea), phosphorus (superphosphate, bone meal), potassium (ash, potassium chloride, potassium sulfate). The named fertilizers introduce into the soil the elements of mineral nutrition that are required by plants in large quantities.

In addition, microfertilizers are widely used, which contain elements such as boron, copper, zinc, cobalt, etc., which the plant consumes in extremely small quantities. These elements are involved in the metabolic processes of the body, increase the resistance of plants to diseases and adverse environmental conditions.

Fertilizers are applied at different times depending on the type and needs of the plant. So, it is recommended to apply manure long before sowing seeds, during autumn tillage. Mineral fertilizers are applied before sowing seeds or simultaneously with it, as well as during the period of plant growth in the form of dressings.

Plants are fed with those minerals that they require in a given period of life. The plant’s need for minerals depends on its type (for example, potatoes and beets require a large amount of potassium in the soil, and wheat and barley require more nitrogen than potassium). In addition, it depends on the age of the organism, the speed of its growth, stages of development, the nature of the weather, time of day and the properties of the soil.

If fertilizers are applied on time and correctly, you can achieve a high yield. But fertilizers must be applied strictly at the rate, since the excess can damage the plants, and the resulting crop will be dangerous to human health.