Exercise No.

“Fertilizers, Fertilizer Calculation, and their Application”

Introduction:

Fertilizer are said to be the supplement that applied to the soil whether organic or

inorganic in order to give the lacking nutrients of the soil in order for the crop to grow

healthy. Application of fertilizer is one practices of crop management. Amount of fertilizer is

important to distinguish base on area of the field, that’s why we need to do some computation

to avoid any fertilizer turn into waste.

Fertilizer provides the nutrients that plant needed in order to grow healthy. Watering

the plants and weeding are not enough to have a beautiful crop, but it needs vitamins also like

a human who also take some vitamin in different reason same back to the plants. It helps the

plant to prevent from getting any diseases that might affect to its growth and development.

This is how the fertilizer the vital role to crops production and its growth and development.

Objective:

1. Identify and describe the different fertilizer materials available in the local market.

2. Analyze fertilizer calculation problems and learn to manipulate the formulas to get the

right amount needed.

3. Acquire skills in fertilizer identification and calculation.

Methodology:

In this exercise using the materials provided such as ballpen, paper and also cellphone

for documentation, my task was to find any agronomical or agricultural store and supply

outlet in our locality. As I found a store I immediately inquire without hesitation to the store

if they had any available inorganic fertilizer and list all of it. The listed fertilizer materials

were tabulated in a table together with its N, P2O5, and K2O contents that were indicated in
the bag / sack label. Moreover, the color as well as the texture of the fertilizer materials were

also listed in the table. (See Table 1)

Results and Discussion

Table 1. Description and characteristics of synthetic inorganic fertilizers

Percent
Fertilizer material
Color Texture
N - P2O5 - K2O

Rough and stony,

Complete Fertilizer 14% - 14% - 14% Tan
water-soluble

Grainy, crystalline,
Sulphate 21% - 0% - 0 %
White to beige and highly water-
(Ammonium Sulfate)
soluble

Reddish to Grainy and water-

Muriate of Potash 0% - 0% - 60%
pink soluble

Table 1 illustrates the description and characteristics of the synthetic inorganic

fertilizers that were listed in the visited agronomical store within the locality. I listed only 3

different kinds of fertilizer materials that were found since it is the only available that time

namely: The Complete fertilizer, and the Ammonium Sulfate, Muriate of Potash. As I’ve

observed in the bag level of the fertilizer materials, the Complete Fertilizer has a complete

14% for all nutrient contents, and with the observation in color and texture it has a color of

tan or somewhat dirty white, and its texture was rough and stony, and also water-soluble. On

the Ammonium Sulfate has only 21% percent of Nitrogen combined with Sulfur as its

nutrient content, and it has 0% for both P2O5 and K2O, with the observation in color and

texture it has a color of white to beige, and it has a texture for being grainy, crystalline and

highly water-soluble. Moreover, the Muriate of Potash, it has 0% nutrient in both the

Nitrogen or N and Phosphorus or P2O5 content, and has only 60% percent of Potassium
nutrient content with the observation in color and texture its color it has a color of reddish to

pink and it has a grainy and water-soluble texture.

Answer to question

1. Can you identify the common inorganic fertilizers by looking at its physical

appearance?

 Yes, since it was already introduced to us when I was in Junior High.

2. Do you know how to apply the fertilizer material correctly to achieve higher fertilizer

efficiency?

 Yes, since it was taught to us during junior high year.

3. a. Define the following:

a.1 Fertilizer- any substance or material added to the soil that promotes plant

growth.

a.2 Organic Fertilizer – usually made from plants and animal waste - think

manure or compost.

a.3 Inorganic Fertilizer – referred to as synthetic fertilizer, is a manufactured

artificially and contains mineral or synthetic chemicals.

a.4 Single Fertilizer- fertilizers consisting of only one of the major nutrients.

a.5 Incomplete Fertilizer- a fertilizer supplies only one or two of the three

primary nutrients.

a.6 Fertilizer Grade- sometimes known as the NPK ratio, the fertilizer grade is

what’s referred to by the numbers in the names of most fertilizers.

b. Differentiate the different methods of fertilizer application or placement. Which one is the

most efficient fertilizer placement?

  The 3 methods of fertilizer applications are Broadcast, Localized application,

and the Foliar application. Broadcast was divided into 2 categories the Basal

application and Top dressing. Basal application was defining that fertilizers

are applied before planting and on the other hand Top dressing application of

fertilizers is put all over the tops of the growing plants. However, Localized

application implies that the fertilizer material is applied near to the seed or plant,

either in a band beside the plant roots or in furrows. Lastly, the Foliar

application where the dissolved substance of the fertilizer is sprayed to the leaves

of the plants.

 For me, all of them are the efficient for the development of the crops. Since all

of the methods are all useful depends on the plant with different characteristics

and with different requirements for the crops to grow effectively.

c. Determine the amount of complete fertilizer (14-14-14), urea (46-0-0), and ordinary

superphosphate (0-20-0) needed in a 2-hectare corn field having a fertilizer recommendation

of 90-60-30 kg N, P2O5, K2O/ha.

Given:

Complete fertilizer - (14 -14-14)

Urea - (46 - 0 - 0)

Ordinary Superphosphate - (0 - 20 - 0)

2hectar (Area) - 2ha

Recommendation - 90-60-30 kg N, P2O5, K2O/ha

Formula:

Amount of Fertilizer needed = Recommend / % of nutrient x 100

 Solution:

 Amount of 14-14-14 (kg) = 30/40 x 100

= 214.29 kg x 2ha

= 428.57kg

 Amount of 46-0-0 (kg) = 90 / 46 x 100

= 195.65 kg x 2ha

= 391.3 kg

 Amount of 0-20-0 (kg) = 60 / 20 x 100

= 300 kg x 2ha

= 600 kg

Therefore, the amount of complete fertilizer (14-14-14), urea (46-0-0), and ordinary

superphosphate (0-20-0) needed in a 2-hectare corn field having a fertilizer recommendation

of 90-60-30 kg N, P2O5, K2O/ha is 428.57 kg, 195.65 kg, and 600 kg.

d. If the farmer applied 3 bags of urea (46-0-0), 2 bags of solophos (0- 18-0) and 1 bag of

muriate of potash (0-0-60) at 50 kg/bag, to his 10,000 square meters cornfield, how much N,

P2O5, K2O/ha did he apply?

Given:

Urea - 46-0-0

Solophos - 0-18-0

Muriate of potash - 0-0-60

Area - 10,000 square meters

Solution:

 Amount of N = 3bags x 50 kg = 150 kg x 0.46 = 69 kg/ha N

 Amount of P2O5 = 2bags x 50 kg = 100 kg x 0.18 = 18 kg/ha P

 Amount of K2O = 1bag x 50 kg = 50 kg x 0.60 = 30 kg/ha K

e. The fertilizer materials available are complete (14-14-14), ammonium phosphate

(16-20-0), urea (46-0-0), solophos (0-18-0), and muriate of potash (0-0-60). Find the

most economical combination to satisfy the recommended rate of 120-90-60 kg/ha.

The price per bag of fertilizer materials are as follows:

Fertilizer materials: Price (PhP)/bag

Complete (14-14-14) 1,200.00

Ammonium phosphate (16-20-0) 1,000.00

 Urea (46-0-0) 950.00

 Solophos (0-20-0) 900.00

 Muriate of potash (0-0-60) 1,450.00

 Solution:

Urea (46-0-0) = 5 bags x 450 = 4,750

Solophos (0-20-0) = 9bags x 900 = 8,100

Muriate of Potash (0-0-60) = 2bags x 1,450 = 2,900

₱ 15,750

Second Combination RR: 120-90-60

  Urea (46-0-0) 60-60-60

 Solophos (0-20-0) 60-30-X

 Complete fertilizer (14-14-14) 60

X-30-X

X-30-X

 X-X-X (satisfied)

 Amount of Urea (46-0-0) = 60/40x100 = 130.43/50kg/ha = 3 bags

 Amount of Solophos (0-20-0) = 30/20 x 100 = 150/50kg/ha = 3bags

 Amount of Complete fertilizer (14-14-14) = 30/14 x 100 = 214.28/50kg/ha = 4bags

Urea (46-0-0) =3bags x 950 = 2850

Solophos (0-20-0) = 3bags x 900 = 2700

Complete fertilizer (14-14-14) = 4bags x 1200 = 4800

₱10,350

Third Combination RR:

Urea (46-0-0) 120-40-60

Ammonium Phosphate (16-20-0) 50-50-60

Complete fertilizer (14-14-14) 70-40-x

70

X-40-X

40

X-X-X (satisfied)
  Amount of urea = 70/46 x 100 = 152.17/50kg/ha = 3bags

 Amount of ammonium = 40/20 x 100 = 200/50kg/ha = 4bags

 Amount of complete = 60/14 x 100 = 428.57/50kg/ha = 9bags

Urea (46-0-0) = 3bags X 950 = 2,850

Ammonium phosphate (16-20-0) = 4bags X 1000 = 4,000

Complete Fertilizer (14-14-14) = 9bags X 1,200 = 10,800

₱17,650

Therefore, the most economical combination than can satisfy the recommended rate

of 120-90-60 kg/ha are the combination of Urea, Solopos, and Complete Fertilizer.

Conclusion:

In conclusion, this experiment teaches the learner to identify and describe the

different fertilizer materials base on their colors and texture to achieve higher fertilizer

efficiency. Also, it able to teaches the learners to analyze fertilizer calculation problems and

learn to manipulate the formulas to get the right amount needed. Furthermore, the experiment

tends to teach us the importance of fertilizer application to the crop production. Also, the

proper application of fertilizer to the crop in what time rate and location.

References:

 “Complete and Incomplete Fertilizers” retrieved on December 8, 2021 from

https://www.agroconnection.com/
 Ersek, K. (2021) “8 Advantages and Disadvantages of using Organic Fertilizer”

retrieved on December 8, 2021 from https://www.holganix.com.

 Kinney Nursery (2020) “ What is Fertilizer Grade” retrieved on December 8, 2021

from https://kinneynursery.com.

 Miller, R. (2018) “Organic Fertilizer Vs. Inorganic Fertilizer” retrieved on December

8, 2021 from https://hmoeguides.sfgate.com.

 Sedlacek et.al. (2020). “Is Too Much Fertilizer A Problem” retrieved on December 8,

2021 from https://kids.frontiersin.org.

 “Straight/ Simple/ Single Fertilizer: Soil and Water Conservation” retrieved on

December 8, 2021 from https://qknowbooks.gitbook.io.

Documentation:

Complete

Fertilizer
Ammonium

Sulfate
Muriate of
Potash

N
A

N
A