Fertilizer, in one form or another, has been part of agriculture since humans evolved from hunter/gatherers to farmers. Even today, subsistence farming throughout the world uses animal manure from both wild herds and domesticated animals to add nutrients to the soil.
Globally we’ve replaced much of the animal manure with synthetic fertilizers. Applications of synthetic fertilizers worldwide are now more than 215 million tons. That’s an increase of more than 800 percent since the 1960s. (1)
With that much fertilizer in use, the question becomes one of efficiency. How much is used by crops? How much is lost by leaching and other forms of erosion? What is the impact on the environment and nearby water bodies? Are there ways to use fertilizers more effectively today than in the past?
These questions are tied to farm practices and the inputs you decide to use. Nutrient management is a key component to a profitable farm and high-yielding cash crops.
When you use liquid fertilizers you take bulk materials, fertilizer nutrient molecules, and create formulations that allow you to spread nutrients in a consistent manner across your fields. Compound fertilizers, with NPK and micronutrient ratios customized to your fields, decrease the risk of excess fertilization.
As we navigate through the nitty-gritty of these fertilizer formulations, we’ll look at how you can boost plant-available nutrients while improving soil health. Crop production is influenced by fertilization as well as weather, soil type, and farm management practices. The long-term game includes soil health as the key metric for judging farming practice efficiency. Farm stewardship ties the short-term goal of farm profit with the long-term goal of environmental benefits.
The Different Forms of Liquid Fertilizers on the Market
Fertilizers provide the much-needed nutrient boost that fosters plant growth and ensures overall health. However, not all fertilizers yield the same results.
The effectiveness of any fertilizer is determined by a combination of its nutrient content and its form. Liquid fertilizers come in various forms such as colloidal dispersion, suspension, or solution. Understanding the different formulations is essential to maximize the benefits of your nutrient applications.
In this blog, we’ll delve into the intricacies of these fertilizer formulations to help you determine the most effective option for your specific needs. We’ll also look briefly at how nanotechnology is changing fertilization programs. Together we can unlock the secrets to achieving optimal plant growth and soil health through smart fertilizer applications.
Are Colloidal Dispersions in Fertilizers Efficient?
First, we need to define a colloidal dispersion. It’s a mixture of particles that range in size from 1 to 1000 nanometers in diameter. In the case of fertilizers, nutrients are distributed in water and remain in suspension.
It’s difficult to tell a colloidal dispersion from a solution. The particles, colloids, are suspended in a medium and don’t easily separate. They’re almost evenly dispersed throughout the medium, but not quite. The beam of a flashlight will reflect off the larger particles.
Fog, water droplets suspended in the air, is a good example of a colloidal dispersion.
In this example, the water droplets are the dispersed particles and the air is the medium. We all know what happens when the density of the water droplets exceeds the carrying capacity of the air: It rains. That’s a colloidal dispersion separating.
It’s less technical and complex when we liken it to simply mixing milk in your coffee. You see both the milk and the coffee particles until you stir them together. The inherent efficiency of colloidal dispersion in fertilizers is a critical factor in the overall effectiveness of these substances.
Nutrients in colloidal dispersion are less likely to be bound to soil minerals because the suspension buffers the nutrient molecules. This increases the quantity of nutrients available for plant uptake. When fertilizer prices are high you want to get the most bang for your buck.
For example, the small particles in a colloidal fertilizer increase the surface area in contact with the plant root when applied as an in-furrow soil drench. This maximizes the interaction between the fertilizer and the plant feeder roots, encouraging more efficient nutrient absorption.
Subtle interactions can dramatically affect productivity in agriculture. By optimizing the efficiency of colloidal dispersion in fertilizers, we bolster our odds for healthier, more prolific crops.
Colloidal dispersions are generally more efficient than suspensions but they do have some disadvantages. They’re only stable when all the right environmental conditions are met. For instance, heat changes the colloidal chemical charge and can cause separation.
In fertilizers, colloids are made up of solid particles dispersed in a liquid. There is a difference in particle size, charge, and density between the particles and the carrier. Any additions to the fertilizer, for example, phosphorus added to a nitrogen fertilizer, can result in a change in chemical charge that leads to flocculation.
Fertilizer Nutrient Suspensions Must be Used Quickly
The role of suspensions in fertilizer formulation isn’t discussed much, But many, if not most, fertilizer blends are suspensions.
A suspension fertilizer is only effective if the nutrients remain in suspension. In a liquid fertilizer suspension, the nutrients aren’t dissolved. A suspension is a heterogenous mixture. The nutrients are suspended much like mud in water. It appears to be a solution, but if you let it set for any length of time the nutrients, like soil particles, will precipitate out of the water.
However, when a suspension fertilizer is blended properly, the consistency ensures that nutrients are evenly distributed. For example, potash is often in a suspended fertilizer formulation. Suspending agents such as clay or xantham gum can be used to maintain the suspension.
It’s important to note that suspensions have a disadvantage compared to colloidal dispersions. The larger particles in suspensions result in a shorter shelf life, typically only a matter of hours. When the particles precipitate out of suspension, it may or may not be possible to reintegrate them back into the carrier.
Suspensions play a significant role in fertilizer formulation by ensuring the proper distribution of plant nutrients. While they have a disadvantage in terms of shelf life. When managed effectively, suspensions can optimize the nutrient application process and contribute to the overall success of crop growth.
Efficiency of Solutions in Fertilizers
Liquid fertilizers are most effective when formulated as a solution. Nutrients won’t settle out over time and the fertilizer nutrients are in ionic form, the most plant-available form.
In the science of fertilizers, a solution typically refers to a homogeneous mixture where substances are uniformly distributed. At face value, it might seem just ordinary science, but its implications in the fertilizer industry are far-reaching.
The application of solutions in fertilizers amplifies the effectiveness of nutrient delivery to plants. It’s not overly complex to understand why. A homogenous nutrient distribution means that every droplet of the solution carries an equal amount of nutrients, ensuring delivery efficiency.
When dealing with large swathes of agricultural land, this homogeneity truly comes into play. Imagine the wide expanse of uniformly nourished crops, leaving no plant nitrogen deficient and elevating overall yield.
Casting a spotlight on long-term sustainability, it isn’t hard to appreciate the advantages of solutions in fertilizers. Not only do they discourage excess fertilization – a common environmental hazard – but they also promote smarter, efficient use of resources.
In the grand scheme of fertilizer application, it’s about practices that contribute to a more sustainable and high-yielding agricultural future. It’s not just about feeding the population but nurturing the earth that sustains it.
Liquid Fertilizers with Nanoparticles to Increase Efficiency
A fertilizer chemical compound encased in a nanoparticle has different characteristics than bulk components. The addition of nanoparticles in a liquid fertilizer mix; whether a solution, colloidal dispersion, or suspension results in a stabilization of the nutrients.
Nitrogen is a necessary nutrient for strong plant growth but much of it is lost to leaching. With nanoparticles added to your urea fertilizer mix the nitrogen ions are absorbed into the plant structure for a slow release of plant nutrients. Trace elements that are difficult to keep in suspension load into nanoparticles for a slow release within the plant structure.
Nanoparticles have a weak chemical charge that attracts nutrients such as potassium and calcium. Other nutrients load into the nanoparticle through diffusion. For an in-depth discussion of nanotechnology, this blog is helpful.
Efficient Fertilizer Programs for Sustainable Farms
Fertilizers are a component of almost all farming operations. But the overuse of fertilizers has led to a surplus of nutrients, with many adverse effects on the environment. Nitrogen, in particular, is highly mobile, and on average less than half of the nitrogen applied is used by cash crops. (2)
Sustainable farming includes efficient fertilization as one part of an agroecology approach. The use of cover crops, conservation tillage, and crop rotations are part of a food system that provides high-quality products while improving soil health.
Fertilizer prices are high and will go higher because they aren’t sustainable resources. The United States is also dependent on China and Eastern Europe for many of the raw materials for fertilizers. The US is second only to Brazil in fertilizer import and consumption.
This graph shows the rise in fertilizer prices has been dramatic since 2020. In fact, according to the World Bank, “Fertilizers are now at their least affordable levels since the 2008 global food crisis…” (3)
Using nanoparticles in your phosphate fertilizer, for example, will result in the need for less fertilizer. It also means the resource will be available into the future.
Farming systems that result in the most food production lead to food security. Understanding how regenerative agriculture and climate change go together is important to the future of farming.
Science and Sustainability
An understanding of the different fertilizer formulations allows you to make educated decisions about the right formulation for your acreage. The intricacies of colloidal dispersion, the instability of suspensions over time, and the homogeneity of solutions all play a pivotal role in delivering nutrients to our crops effectively.
Adding nanoparticles to fertilizer mixtures increases crop production because more nutrients are used by the crop. Solutions to the climate crisis we’re facing with drought, floods, and extreme weather are found in nanotechnology and regenerative agriculture.
Environmental harm to our natural resources can be a part of our past – but not part of our future. As farmers, we have the ability to curb the detrimental effects of conventional farming. Efficient use of fertilizers is a major step in removing excess nutrients from the environment. (4)
All fertilizer applications have the intention of enhancing yields and minimizing waste. With nanotechnology and the right formulation, you can add sustainability as an achievable farming metric.
The broader perspective leads us to a compelling conclusion: It’s not just about feeding the population but nurturing the very earth that sustains us.
Indeed, achieving precision in fertilizer formulations underscores the importance of marrying science with sustainable practices for the greater good.
Efficient nutrient application isn’t merely about finding the most effective fertilizer, but also about crafting a sustainable strategy for the future. At ST Biologicals we’re passionate about helping farmers succeed while improving soil health.
Learn more about our services and how we can improve your farm profit. Soil speaks, we listen.
