Current Agriculture: Manure and Fertilizers

Plant requires food, nutrients and elements for proper and adequate growth and development which are absorbed through soil. Manure and fertilizers are the nutrient supplying sources to plant. Application of manures and fertilizers to the soil is one of the important factors which help in the increasing of the crop yield and to maintain proper soil fertility. N, P and K are the 3 major elements required for the crop growth.

Manure

Manure is any material with the exception of water which when added to the soil makes it productive and promotes the plant growth. Manures are usually organic matters that are used as organic fertilizer in current agriculture. Organic matter and nutrient such as nitrogen that are trapped by bacteria in the soil is added to the soil fertility by the contribution of manure. Manure is also a product that is obtained after decomposition of organic matter such as cow – dung which replenishes the soil with the essential elements and adds humus to the soil.

Fertilizers

Fertilizers are industrially manufactured chemicals containing plant nutrients. Fertilizer is any organic or inorganic material of natural or synthetic origin that is combines to a soil to supply one or more plant nutrient essential to the proper growth of the plants. It has been reported that 30 – 50% of crop yields are attributed to natural or synthetic commercial fertilizer. Fertilizer is made of six macronutrients and eight micronutrients which are;

Macronutrient