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OUR GROUPS OF PRODUCTS

NITROGEN FERTILIZERS

N

NITROGEN FERTILIZERS are made from ammonia (NH3) produced by the Harber-Bosh process. In this energy-intensive process, natural gas (CH4) usually supplies the hydrogen, and the nitrogen (N2) is derived from the air. This ammonia is used as a feedstock for all other nitrogen fertilizers, such as anhydrous ammonium nitrate (NH4NO3) and urea (CO(NH2)2).

NITROGEN FERTILIZERS are applied as a top dressing to complete nutritional requirements of crops at times of maximum need, being key to their development.

CHOICE AND DOSAGE: The choice of fertilizer type and dosage depends on:

  • The intensive and sporadic needs of crops for nutrients that are not easily retained in the soil.
  • The nutrients they contain: nitrogen, sulphur, magnesium, calcium and even micronutrients.
  • The chemical forms that the nutrients are found in.
  • The characteristics of the soil and the climatology.
  • Growing practices and, in particular, irrigation systems.
  • Harvest expectations.

APPLICATION

ADVANTAGES

CHARACTERISTICS

CATEGORIES

PRODUCTS

PHOSPHATE FERTILIZERS

P

PHOSPHATE FERTILIZERS are obtained by extraction from phosphate rock, which contains two principal phosphorus-containing minerals, fluorapatite Ca5(PO4)3F (CFA) and hydroxyapatite Ca5(PO4)3OH. These minerals are converted into water-soluble phosphate salts by treatment with sulfuric (H2SO4) or phosphoric acids (H3PO4). The large production of sulfuric acid is primarily motivated by this application. In the nitrophosphate process or Odda process (invented in 1927), phosphate rock with up to a 20% phosphorus (P) content is dissolved with nitric acid (HNO3) to produce a mixture of phosphoric acid (H3PO4) and calcium nitrate (Ca(NO3)2). This mixture can be combined with a potassium fertilizer to produce a compound fertilizer with the three macronutrients N, P and K in easily dissolved form.

PHOSPHATE FERTILIZERS are usually applied during sowing to balance the soil content of phosphorus or when specific applications are required, often in pastures.

  • They are usually used with fertilizers that supply the rest of the nutrients, so they are usually part of compound, complex or mixed fertilizers.
  • The raw materials used in its manufacture, phosphate rock and other phosphates, together with the manufacturing process, determine the agronomic efficiency of the fertilizer.
  • The phosphorus assimilable by the crops is the fraction soluble in water and neutral ammonium citrate.
  • Phosphorus is an element that is not very mobile so it is best to dig it in to place it within reach of the roots.

CHOICE AND DOSAGE: The choice of fertilizer type and dosage depends on:

  • The intensive and sporadic needs of crops for nutrients that are not easily retained in the soil.
  • The nutrients they contain: nitrogen, sulphur, magnesium, calcium and even micronutrients.
  • The chemical forms that the nutrients are found in.
  • The characteristics of the soil and the climatology.
  • Growing practices and, in particular, irrigation systems.
  • Harvest expectations.

APPLICATION

ADVANTAGES

CHARACTERISTICS

CATEGORIES

PRODUCTS

POTASSIUM FERTILIZERS

K (KALI)

POTASH is a mixture of potassium minerals used to make potassium (chemical symbol: K) fertilizers. Potash is soluble in water, so the main effort in producing this nutrient from the ore involves some purification steps; e.g., to remove sodium chloride (NaCl) (common salt). Sometimes potash is referred to as K2O, as a matter of convenience to those describing the potassium content. In fact, potash fertilizers are usually potassium chloride, potassium sulfate, potassium carbonate, or potassium nitrate.

POTASH

CHOICE AND DOSAGE: The choice of fertilizer type and dosage depends on:

  • The intensive and sporadic needs of crops for nutrients that are not easily retained in the soil.
  • The nutrients they contain: nitrogen, sulphur, magnesium, calcium and even micronutrients.
  • The chemical forms that the nutrients are found in.
  • The characteristics of the soil and the climatology.
  • Growing practices and, in particular, irrigation systems.
  • Harvest expectations.

APPLICATION

ADVANTAGES

CHARACTERISTICS

CATEGORIES

PRODUCTS

COMPLEX FERTILIZERS

NPK

COMPLEX FERTILIZERS or MULTINUTRIENT FERTILIZERS provide two or more nutrients components (for example N and P).

BINARY (NP, NK, PK) FERTILIZERS Major two-component fertilizers provide both nitrogen and phosphorus to the plants. These are called NP fertilizers. The main NP fertilizers are monoammonium phosphate (MAP) and diammonium phosphate (DAP). The active ingredient in MAP is NH4H2PO4. The active ingredient in DAP is (NH4)2HPO4. About 85% of MAP and DAP fertilizers are soluble in water.

NPK FERTILIZERS are three-component fertilizers providing nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium.

NPK RATING: is a rating system describing the amount of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium in a fertilizer. NPK ratings consist of three numbers separated by dashes (e.g., 10-10-10 or 16-4-8) describing the chemical content of fertilizers. The first number represents the percentage of nitrogen in the product; the second number, P2O5; the third, K2O. Fertilizers do not actually contain P2O5 or K2O, but the system is a conventional shorthand for the amount of the phosphorus (P) or potassium (K) in a fertilizer. A 50-pound (23 kg) bag of fertilizer labeled 16-4-8 contains 8 lb (3.6 kg) of nitrogen (16% of the 50 pounds), an amount of phosphorus equivalent to that in 2 pounds of P2O5 (4% of 50 pounds), and 4 pounds of K2O (8% of 50 pounds). Most fertilizers are labeled according to this N-P-K convention, although Australian convention, following an N-P-K-S system, adds a fourth number for sulfur, and uses elemental values for all values including P and K.

COMPLEX FERTILIZERS are binary or ternary fertilizers that contain two or more primary nutrients, nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium and that, in addition, may contain secondary nutrients and micronutrients.

CHOICE AND DOSAGE: The choice of fertilizer type and dosage depends on:

  • The intensive and sporadic needs of crops for nutrients that are not easily retained in the soil.
  • The nutrients they contain: nitrogen, sulphur, magnesium, calcium and even micronutrients.
  • The chemical forms that the nutrients are found in.
  • The characteristics of the soil and the climatology.
  • Growing practices and, in particular, irrigation systems.
  • Harvest expectations.

APPLICATION: NPK complexes are applied during sowing to balance the content of the soil with nutrition elements considering the needs of the crop that is going to be planted and depending on the expected yield.

  • «Nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium are essential, from sowing to the formation of vigorous and resistant plants.
  • The interaction between nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium is decisive at the beginning of the crop.
  • From the moment of sowing, the crops need secondary nutrients (Mg, S) and micronutrients.
  • By applying them simultaneously, the best use of the main and secondary nutrients and micronutrients is achieved. Balanced and correct nutrition is guaranteed in this way with very positive effects on the quantity and quality of the harvest.

ADVANTAGES:

  • Uniform particle size
    Correct distribution in the field
    Correct application of the dose
  • Same composition in all grains
    Synergistic effect of applying the nutrients in the same grain: better use
  • Stable chemical compounds
    Low hygroscopicity and abrasion resistance
    Reduction in caking

CHARACTERISTICS:

  • Better use of the main and secondary nutrients and micronutrients they contain, by applying them simultaneously.
  • The variety of formulations allows the ideal balances to be chosen.
  • Significant improvement in yields for the best distribution and the best use for the crop.
  • Savings in distribution costs.

CATEGORIES:

  • Conventional NPK
  • NPK Specific Crops
  • Ammonium Phosphates

PRODUCTS:

SOLUBLE FERTILIZERS

NPK (FOLIAR)

LIQUID vs SOLID: Fertilizers are applied to crops both as solids and as liquid. About 90% of fertilizers are applied as solids. The most widely used solid inorganic fertilizers are urea, diammonium phosphate and potassium chloride. Solid fertilizer is typically granulated or powdered. Often solids are available as prills, a solid globule. Liquid fertilizers comprise anhydrous ammonia, aqueous solutions of ammonia, aqueous solutions of ammonium nitrate or urea. These concentrated products may be diluted with water to form a concentrated liquid fertilizer (e.g., UAN).

SOLUBLE FERTILIZERS:

CHOICE AND DOSAGE: The choice of fertilizer type and dosage depends on:

  • The intensive and sporadic needs of crops for nutrients that are not easily retained in the soil.
  • The nutrients they contain: nitrogen, sulphur, magnesium, calcium and even micronutrients.
  • The chemical forms that the nutrients are found in.
  • The characteristics of the soil and the climatology.
  • Growing practices and, in particular, irrigation systems.
  • Harvest expectations.

APPLICATION: Foliar fertilizers are applied directly to leaves. This method is almost invariably used to apply water-soluble straight nitrogen fertilizers and used especially for high-value crops such as fruits.

ADVANTAGES: Advantages of liquid fertilizer are its more rapid effect and easier coverage. The addition of fertilizer to irrigation water is called «fertigation».

CHARACTERISTICS

CATEGORIES

PRODUCTS

ORGANIC FERTILIZERS

ORGANIC

ORGANIC FERTILIZERS can describe those fertilizers with an – organic – biologic – origin – that is, fertilizers derived from living or formerly living materials. Organic fertilizers can also describe commercially available and frequently packaged products that strive to follow the expectations and restrictions adopted by «organic agriculture» and «environmentally friendly» gardening related systems of food and plant production that significantly limit or strictly avoid the use of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides. The “organic fertilizer” products typically contain both some organic materials as well as acceptable additives such as nutritive rock powders, ground sea shells (crab, oyster, etc.), other prepared products such as seed meal or kelp, and cultivated microorganisms and derivatives.

MORE: Fertilizers of an organic origin (the first definition) include animal wastes, plant wastes from agriculture compost, and treated sewage sludge (biosolids). Beyond manures, animal sources can include products from the slaughter of animals – bloodmeal, bone meal, feather meal, hides, hoofs, and horns all are typical components. Organically derived materials available to industry such as sewage sludge may not be acceptable components of organic farming and gardening, because of factors ranging from residual contaminants to public perception. On the other hand, marketed “organic fertilizers” may include, and promote, processed organics because the materials have consumer appeal. No matter the definition nor composition, most of these products contain less-concentrated nutrients, and the nutrients are not as easily quantified. They can offer soil-building advantages as well as be appealing to those who are trying to farm / garden more “naturally”.

MORE: In terms of volume, peat is the most widely used packaged organic soil amendment. It is an immature form of coal and improves the soil by aeration and absorbing water but confers no nutritional value to the plants. It is therefore not a fertilizer as defined in the beginning of the article, but rather an amendment. Coir, (derived from coconut husks), bark, and sawdust when added to soil all act similarly (but not identically) to peat and are also considered organic soil amendments – or texturizers – because of their limited nutritive inputs. Some organic additives can have a reverse effect on nutrients – fresh sawdust can consume soil nutrients as it breaks down, and may lower soil pH – but these same organic texturizers (as well as compost, etc.) may increase the availability of nutrients through improved cation exchange, or through increased growth of microorganisms that in turn increase availability of certain plant nutrients. Organic fertilizers such as composts and manures may be distributed locally without going into industry production, making actual consumption more difficult to quantify.

ORGANIC FERTILIZERS:

CHOICE AND DOSAGE: The choice of fertilizer type and dosage depends on:

  • The intensive and sporadic needs of crops for nutrients that are not easily retained in the soil.
  • The nutrients they contain: nitrogen, sulphur, magnesium, calcium and even micronutrients.
  • The chemical forms that the nutrients are found in.
  • The characteristics of the soil and the climatology.
  • Growing practices and, in particular, irrigation systems.
  • Harvest expectations.

APPLICATION

ADVANTAGES

CHARACTERISTICS

CATEGORIES

PRODUCTS

BIO-CONDITIONERS FERTILIZERS

BIO-CONDITIONERS (BIO-COM)

DEFINITION

GENERAL INFORMATION

CHOICE and DOSAGE

The choice of fertilizer type and dosage depends on:

  • The intensive and sporadic needs of crops for nutrients that are not easily retained in the soil.
  • The nutrients they contain: nitrogen, sulphur, magnesium, calcium and even micronutrients.
  • The chemical forms that the nutrients are found in.
  • The characteristics of the soil and the climatology.
  • Growing practices and, in particular, irrigation systems.
  • Harvest expectations.

APPLICATION

ADVANTAGES

CHARACTERISTICS

CATEGORIES

PRODUCTS

TE-MICRONUTRIENTS FERTILIZERS

TRACEELEMENTSMICRONUTRIENTS (TE)

DEFINITION

The main micronutrients are molybdenum, zinc, boron, and copper. These elements are provided as water-soluble salts. Iron presents special problems because it converts to insoluble (bio-unavailable) compounds at moderate soil pH and phosphate concentrations. For this reason, iron is often administered as a chelate complex, e.g., the EDTA derivative. The micronutrient needs depend on the plant and the environment. For example, sugar beets appear to require boron, and legumes require cobalt, while environmental conditions such as heat or drought make boron less available for plants.

GENERAL INFORMATION

CHOICE and DOSAGE

The choice of fertilizer type and dosage depends on:

  • The intensive and sporadic needs of crops for nutrients that are not easily retained in the soil.
  • The nutrients they contain: nitrogen, sulphur, magnesium, calcium and even micronutrients.
  • The chemical forms that the nutrients are found in.
  • The characteristics of the soil and the climatology.
  • Growing practices and, in particular, irrigation systems.
  • Harvest expectations.

APPLICATION

ADVANTAGES

CHARACTERISTICS

CATEGORIES

PRODUCTS