Fertilizers enhance the growth of plants. This goal is met in two ways, the traditional one being additives that provide nutrients. The second mode by which some fertilizers act is to enhance the effectiveness of the soil by modifying its water retention and aeration. This article, like many on fertilizers, emphasises the nutritional aspect. Fertilizers typically provide, in varying proportions.
Three main macronutrients:
- Nitrogen (N): leaf growth
- Phosphorous (P): Development of roots, flowers, seeds, fruit;
- Potassium (K): Strong stem growth, movement of water in plants, promotion of flowering and fruiting;
Three secondary macronutrients: Calcium (Ca), Magnesium (Mg), and Sulfur (S);
Micronutrients: Copper (Cu), iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), molybdenum (Mo), Zinc (Zn), Boron (B), silicon (Si), Cobalt (Co), and vanadium (V).
Type of Fertilizers
Single nutrient (“straight”) fertilizers (Nitrogen fertilizers, Phosphate fertilizers, Potassium fertilizers, Compound fertilizers.
- Multinutrient fertilizers
- Binary (NP, NK, PK) fertilizers
- NPK fertilizers
- Micronutrients
ITC Labs capabilities
ITC Labs offers fully equipped chemical, microbiological and instrument lab for analysis of organic fertilizers like Total organic carbon, Nitrogen, Phosphorous, density, carbon: Nitrogen ratio, conductivity, pathogenic contaminations and, Heavy metal estimation by ICP-OES /AAS.