Importance of fertilizers in agriculture

Answer 1

Biological fertilizers promote plant growth in a number of ways.

They ... • Aid in replenishing and maintaining long-term soil fertility by providing optimal conditions for soil biological activity. • Suppress pathogenic soil organisms. • Degrade toxic organic chemicals. • Stimulate microbial activity around the root system significantly increasing the root mass and improving plant health. • Increase the available nitrogen for plants far in excess of their own content by stimulating the growth of natural soil microorganisms. These soil microorganisms metabolize nitrogen from the air to multiply. When they die (some microorganisms have a life-span of less than 1 hour) the nitrogen is then released to the soil in a form that is readily available to the plants. • Interact with other soil organisms and biodegradable components in the soil to supply essential nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorus, calcium, copper, molybdenum, iron, zinc, magnesium and moisture to the plants. • Aid in solubilizing manganese. Manganese is thought to play a significant role in both disease resistance and plant growth. • Increase crop yields by both enhanced growth and by protection because enhanced plant growth is accompanied by reduced stress and improved disease resistance . • Initiate and accelerate the natural decomposition of crop residue turning it into humus. • Effectively control incidents of fungal disease including pathogens on fruits and vegetables. • Provide protection against disease associated with numerous fungi. In some environments, they produce peptides which inhibit the growth of fungi. In others, through a process know as mycoparasitism, they grow toward the hyphae of fungi, coil around them and degrade the cell walls. • Significantly increase yield and reduce incidents of disease in fruit, vegetables, root crops, flowers, trees, shrubs, turf, grain ornamental crops and more. • Provide protection (directly or indirectly) against Collar Rots, Silver Leaf, European Canker, Damping Off, Root Infecting Fungus, Die Back, Dead Arm Disease, etc. • Improve soil porosity, drainage and aeration, reduce compaction and improve the water holding capacity of the soil thereby helping plants resist drought and produce better crops in reduced moisture conditions. One estimate indicates that a 5% increase in organic matter quadruples the soils ability to hold and store water. • Promote the break up unproductive soil, turning it into a productive growing medium. • Stimulate seed germination and root formation and growth. • Promote improved drainage. • Improve soil aeration. • Increase the protein and mineral content of most crops. • Produce thicker, greener and healthier crops. • Produce plants with increased sugar flavor and nutrient content. • Improve seed germination. • Reduce input costs. • Aid in the development of root systems that produce stronger healthier plants more able to resist pests and drought conditions. • Increase soil microorganism populations which in turn increases the uptake of nutrients from soil to plants. • Improve oxygen assimilation in plants. • Aid in rebuilding depleted soil. • Aid in balancing soil pH. • Aid in reducing soil erosion.

Answer 2

Fertilizers provide essential nutrients like nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium to crops, helping them grow faster and stronger. They improve soil quality by replenishing nutrients that are depleted through farming practices. By using fertilizers, farmers can increase crop yields and improve production efficiency to meet the demands of a growing population.