Fertilizer
A fertilizer or fertiliser is any material of natural or synthetic origin that is applied to soil or to plant tissues to supply plant nutrients. Fertilizers may be distinct from liming materials or other non-nutrient soil amendments. Many sources of fertilizer exist, both natural and industrially produced. For most modern agricultural practices, fertilization focuses on three main macro nutrients: nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) with occasional addition of supplements like rock flour for micronutrients. Farmers apply these fertilizers in a variety of ways: through dry or pelletized or liquid application processes, using large agricultural equipment, or hand-tool methods.
Historically, fertilization came from natural or organic sources: compost, animal manure, human manure, harvested minerals, crop rotations, and byproducts of human-nature industries (e.g. fish processing waste, or bloodmeal from animal slaughter). However, starting in the 19th century, after innovations in plant nutrition following Justus von Liebig's discoveries, an agricultural industry developed around synthetically created agrochemical fertilizers. This transition was important in transforming the global food system towards larger-scale industrial agriculture with large crop yields in monocultures.
The invention of Haber process for producing ammonia for nitrogen in the 20th century combined with amplified chemical production capacity created during World War II led to a boom in using nitrogen fertilizers. In the latter half of the 20th century, increased use of nitrogen fertilizers (800% increase between 1961 and 2019) has been a crucial component of the increased productivity of conventional food systems as part of the so-called "Green Revolution".
Fertilizers, especially when applied excessively, can have environmental consequences such as water pollution and eutrophication due to nutrient runoff. Additionally, the chemical process for creating the fertilizers results in byproducts, including carbon and other emissions. In some cases contamination and pollution of soil result by accumulation of heavy metals contained in some fertilizers collected through mining. Sustainable agricultural practices, such as reduced tillage and planting buffer strips, can minimize these adverse environmental effects.
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