Fertilizantes

FERTILIZERS

A fertilizer is defined as “any of a large number of natural and synthetic materials, including manure and nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium compounds, spread on or worked into soilto increase its capacity to support plant growth.” ("Definition of fertilizer” dictionary.com)

Fertilizers are widely used by home owners, companies, agricultural sites and pretty much anyone oranything that plans on improving the quality and quantity of a vegetation. A plant’s growth and development widely depends on a series of given chemical elements that sustain this growth anddevelopment; these elements are carbon, hydrogen and oxygen, which are provided by air and water [(CO2), (O2), (H2O)].Plants also require Nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K); which are a trio ofelements called macronutrients (the most crucial for plant growth and development), found in most fertilizers. There are more elements that assist in a plant’s growth but are needed in much lesserquantities; these elements are named “secondary nutrients” which are conformed by sulfur, calcium, and magnesium. Another set of elements that also assist in slight quantities are micronutrients which areBoron, copper, cobalt, iron, molybdenum, manganese, and zinc. Although all of these elements are needed for a healthy plant to grow, some are needed more than others and they are not necessarilypresent enough in nature. Elements in the groups of secondary nutrients and micronutrients are usually available in soils apt for planting vegetation and are not necessary in a fertilizer. Elements in themacronutrients are needed by plants in much greater quantities because they are not as available in the soil and mostly come from the decay of other dead plants, but if this phenomenon is not present,a plant’s growth and development will be limited and that is why fertilizers are used now a days. Fertilizers are overall, a way of enhancing the growth and development of a plant by providing...