Nutrient management means controlling the selection, timing and amount of nutrient supply to the crops. Air supplies carbon and oxygen to plants. Water supplies hydrogen and oxygen to plants. Plants get their remaining 13 nutrients from the soil.
Types of Essential Nutrients
Manures are natural fertilizers that are bulk sources of organic matters that supply nutrients in small quantities but organic matter in large quantities
Manures affect the soil in following three ways:
Fertilizers provide plant, nutrients, commercially manufactured using chemicals. Fertilizers supply Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potassium (NPK)
DIFFERENCES BETWEEN MANURE AND FERTILIZER
Manure | Fertilizer |
Manure is a natural substance which is obtained by decomposing animal waste such as dung (gobar) of cattle and buffaloes and plant residues. | Fertilizer is a human made substance which is an inorganic salt or an organic compound. |
It contains small amounts of essential plant nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. | It is very rich in plant nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. |
It adds a great amount of organic matter in the form of humus in the soil. | It does not add any humus to the soil. |
As manure is not soluble in water, nutrients present in the manure are absorbed slowly by the crop plants. Nutrients exist locked inside the organic compounds of humus. | Being soluble in water, a fertilizer is readily absorbed by the crop plants. |
Manure is not nutrient specific and it tends to remove the general deficiency from the soil. | A fertilizer is nutrient specific and can specifically provide nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium to the soil according to the need. |
Manure is voluminous and bulky. And so it is inconvenient to store, transport, handle and apply it to the crop. | A fertilizer is compact and concentrated and so it is easy to store, transport and apply to the crop. |
Manure is cheap and is prepared in rural homes or fields. | A fertilizer is costly and is prepared in factories. |