.GIF)
1.06.2012
World fertiliser production is expected to soar to keep up with rising food
and biofuel output, but this also triggers environmental problems as fertiliser
sucks up energy and trigger water and soil pollution.
Plant growth is only possible with sufficient nutrient and water, which acts
as a carrier.
Fertilisers replace the natural nutrients that are removed from fields with each harvest. They help to bridge the gap between those required for optimal crop growth and those present in the soil.
Fertilisers typically provide six macronutrients which are essential for plant growth: nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg) and sulphur (S). They also feature seven micronutrients: boron (B), chlorine (Cl), copper (Cu), iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), molybdenum (Mo) and zinc (Zn).
Fertilisers are broadly divided into naturally-occurring organic fertilisers composed of enriched organic plant or animal matter, such as manure and compost, and inorganic fertilisers composed of synthetic chemicals and minerals.
Three primary nutrients – nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium – are used as synthetic chemical fertilisers in industrial agriculture. The building block of nitrogen fertilisers is ammonia, which results from combining nitrogen from the air with natural gas, while phosphorus and potassium are extracted from mined ores.
Mined inorganic fertilisers have been used for many centuries, whereas chemically synthesised inorganic fertilisers were only widely developed during the industrial revolution.
According to some studies, 40 to 60% of global crop yields are attributable to commercial fertiliser use.
The EU's current fertilisers regulation, itself a recast of 18 earlier directives, covers only a proportion of the mineral fertilisers that are sold in the bloc. The law does not cover organic fertilisers. Meanwhile, ever larger quantities of fertilisers are now being produced from organic waste streams.
A recently published ex-post evaluation of the current regulation confirmed the need to extend the scope of the legislation and called for a harmonised EU system to cover all fertilisers – organic and mineral fertilisers, growing media, soil improvers and possibly bio-stimulants.
Fertilisers replace the natural nutrients that are removed from fields with each harvest. They help to bridge the gap between those required for optimal crop growth and those present in the soil.
Fertilisers typically provide six macronutrients which are essential for plant growth: nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg) and sulphur (S). They also feature seven micronutrients: boron (B), chlorine (Cl), copper (Cu), iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), molybdenum (Mo) and zinc (Zn).
Fertilisers are broadly divided into naturally-occurring organic fertilisers composed of enriched organic plant or animal matter, such as manure and compost, and inorganic fertilisers composed of synthetic chemicals and minerals.
Three primary nutrients – nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium – are used as synthetic chemical fertilisers in industrial agriculture. The building block of nitrogen fertilisers is ammonia, which results from combining nitrogen from the air with natural gas, while phosphorus and potassium are extracted from mined ores.
Mined inorganic fertilisers have been used for many centuries, whereas chemically synthesised inorganic fertilisers were only widely developed during the industrial revolution.
According to some studies, 40 to 60% of global crop yields are attributable to commercial fertiliser use.
The EU's current fertilisers regulation, itself a recast of 18 earlier directives, covers only a proportion of the mineral fertilisers that are sold in the bloc. The law does not cover organic fertilisers. Meanwhile, ever larger quantities of fertilisers are now being produced from organic waste streams.
A recently published ex-post evaluation of the current regulation confirmed the need to extend the scope of the legislation and called for a harmonised EU system to cover all fertilisers – organic and mineral fertilisers, growing media, soil improvers and possibly bio-stimulants.
Tags: fertilisers
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