Classification of nitrogen fertilizers: properties, features, application

Did you know that nitrogen is the main element of "life"? It is no coincidence that nitrogen fertilizers are a powerful and influencing factor capable of both stabilizing the phytosanitary state of the soil component composition and destabilizing it with retroactive force.

Nitrogen is an element of the "life four". It is he who is the main source for the life of not only plant fauna, but also harmful organisms. Hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen and carbon are an elemental group, the basis of the tissue composition of almost all living micro and macroorganisms.

Nitrogen fertilizers rush to the rescue

Agronomists, agricultural managers and ordinary amateur gardeners want one thing - that the planted seed grows quickly and grows healthy and strong, enriching its "living" core with nutrients and vitamins. It is for this purpose that they attend workshops on improving soil fertility, review videos in search of the secret of the favorable development of plants, and also walk not a single kilometer to find a universal remedy.
Unfortunately, daily maintenance and watering is not enough. It is necessary to fertilize the plant.

Nitrogen fertilizers, their value and use are very important for plant crops, because they contribute to the correct compaction of the root system, the appearance of new shoots, leaves, shoots, the rapid growth of flowers and the development of fruits.

What is nitrogen fertilizer and why use it?

Nitrogen fertilizers are nitrogen-containing compounds, the main purpose of which is to increase the level of nitrogen content, and, as a result, increase productivity indicators. The plant needs them for proper development and growth.

Nitrogen fertilizers can vary in terms of the mass content of nitrogen in them.
One-component nitrogen-based fertilizers are classified into five groups. The classification assumes the presence of various chemical forms that nitrogen can take.

Classification of nitrogen fertilizers: five important groups

All nitrogen fertilizers are classified into five important groups. The main classification criterion is the form of the nitrogen-containing compound.

• Group one. Fertilizers are nitrate. This group includes sodium nitrate and calcium nitrate.
• Group two. Fertilizers are ammonium. The group includes such fertilizers as ammonium sulfate, ammonium chloride.
• Group three. Ammonium nitrate fertilizers or ammonium nitrate fertilizers. This is a complex group that combines ammonia and nitrate fertilizers. Ammonium nitrate is a striking example.
• Group four. Fertilizers are amide. Urea - the main fertilizer of this group.
• Group five. Liquid ammonium fertilizers. The fifth group includes anhydrous ammonia and ammonia water.

According to the state of aggregation, fertilizers are classified into liquid nitrogen fertilizers and solid ones.
The liquid form is widely used in agriculture, as it is more economical from the financial point of view. Ammonia is the main component of liquid fertilizers.Liquid ammonia and aqueous ammonia are the most common liquid fertilizers.

The power of nitrogen fertilizers or what are the advantages of using them?

Nitrogen fertilization is the solution to problems related to growth, plant development and soil fertility.
When the soil is enriched with them, you can observe the result:

• the growth of the vegetative organs of the plant is accelerated;
• the plant is saturated with amino acids;
• the degree of watering of plant tissues increases;
• the volumetric parameters of the cell increase, and the thickness of the cuticle and membrane becomes thinner;
• the rate of the process of mineralization of additional components introduced into the soil increases;
• the state of the soil microflora is activated;
• harmful organisms are actively removed from the soil;
• the ratio of the elements Nitrogen and Carbon in the soil is significantly improved;
• the indicators of compensatory abilities, which are responsible for the reaction of plants to various kinds of damage, increase;
• the level of yield increases significantly.

It is known from the school biology course that nitrogen is the main component of proteins. And proteins are an integral part of the cytoplasm of the cell nucleus. Nitrogen is a part of many substances that play an important role in the formation of the development of living organisms, and participates in the metabolic processes of plant matter. Both nucleic acids, enzymes, and vitamins are rich in nitrogen content. The conclusion is obvious, nitrogen fertilizers are the basis of life.

Nitrogen fertilizers - how is it obtained?

Nitrogen fertilizers are made from ammonia (ammonia), which in turn is produced by the reaction of nitrogen and hydrogen. Nitrogen is part of the air and hydrogen is part of natural methane gas. When air passes through a coke-burning generator set, nitrogen is formed, and hydrogen is obtained from either natural or petroleum or coke oven gases. By increasing the pressure, reaching a temperature of 400 degrees, accelerating the reaction process with the help of catalysts, ammonia is obtained. The resulting synthetic compound ammonia is the basis for the production of nitrogen fertilizers. Another very important product of the reaction is nitrate acid, which is the basis for the manufacture of nitrate fertilizers.

Bright representatives of nitrogen fertilizers

Urea

The chemical name for urea is carbamide. It is characterized by a fairly large amount of nitrogen content. Its value reaches 46%. It is thanks to this content that urea is the most concentrated nitrogen fertilizer. Urea looks like white granular particles that are very easy to dissolve.
Range of applications. Different cultivated plants and different soils are the spectrum of activity of urea. Most often, urea is used as the main top dressing. For this, urea is placed in the soil, blocking the release of ammonia and preventing nitrogen losses to the soil.

What happens? Urea comes in two grades. These are grade A and grade B. Grade B is urea processed with an additive. Urea grade B is introduced directly into the soil in early spring for top dressing. Urea grade A is not of global importance for crop production. It is used more as an additive to feed for cows, goats and horses.

Any nitrogen nutrient contributes to the acidification of the soil, therefore, for plants that have an individual intolerance to this active ingredient, it should be subjected to a neutralization process. Neutralize the acidic environment with ground limestone by preparing a solution in a ratio of 10 parts of urea and 8 parts of limestone.

Ammonium nitrate

It is a hygroscopic compound that is vulnerable to moisture, which leads to caking of the substance. For this purpose, limestone, phosphate rock and additional compounds that absorb moisture are added to the nitrate. Ammonium nitrate contains nitrogen with a mass fraction of a substance of 35%.
White crystalline granular powder is highly soluble in water. Saltpeter is a highly digestible fertilizer.May have the form of granules and the form of flakes.

Limitation. But there is one "But!" - it is forbidden to mix ammonium nitrate with any compounds of organic origin. It is also impossible to heat it up, as it may ignite and explode.

Ammonium sulfate

21% is the value of the mass fraction of nitrogen in the fertilizer. Like the two previous options, ammonium sulfate also appears as a white powder. Sometimes the powder may have a gray tint. The fertilizer dissolves well in water.
Pros. Excellent nitrogen absorption by indoor plants. But there is also a drawback. This substance acidifies the soil very strongly. For this purpose, the solution is almost always neutralized with lime. The ratio is used as follows: 10 parts of ammonium sulfate are combined with 12 parts of limestone.
Minuses. Cannot be mixed with slaked lime or ash. The effect is canceled.

Ammonium sodium sulfate

According to its organoleptic characteristics, ammonium-sodium sulfate is identical to ammonium sulfate. The only difference is the percentage of nitrogen. Here it reaches 17%.

Calcium nitrate

Contains about 17.5% nitrogen. Its white granules are soluble in water. Plants consume nitrogen from calcium nitrate very efficiently.
Benefits. Revealed excellent compatibility with acidic soils.
Limitations. The soil becomes more alkaline. It is impossible to combine this nitrate with a phosphorus fertilizer, for example, double superphosphate... Store nitrate in bags made of moisture-proof material.

Sodium saltpeter

White crystalline substance, soluble in water. The main purpose is feeding.
Limitations. After applying saltpeter, sodium soil becomes more alkaline. In no case should it be stored in a damp and humid place due to its hygroscopicity.
Scope of application. Suitable for all crops, but root crops are most susceptible. Sugar beet is the leader among root crops in terms of nitrogen absorption.

Anhydrous ammonia

It is one of the richest and most concentrated nitrogen based fertilizers. The mass fraction of the active substance reaches 80%. Everything else is hydrogen. Anhydrous ammonia is a compound with a pronounced pungent odor. When using anhydrous ammonia, it is important to strictly follow the safety regulations.

Liquid ammonia

Liquid ammonia contains the largest amount of nitrogen than any nitrogen-based fertilizer.
Physical properties. The colorless liquid has a characteristic smell of ammonia.
Due to the characteristic volatility of the substance, the ammonia solution is stored in tanks. Liquid ammonia enters the soil through the use of special equipment.

Ammonia water or ammonia water

Ammonia dissolved in water. There are two types. The first one - the mass fraction of ammonia is equal to 20-25%, the second - the mass fraction of ammonia is equal to 16-20%. Like liquid ammonia, ammonia water enters the soil using special machines that introduce it to a depth of 15 centimeters.

Nitrogen fertilizers: principle of action and when to apply

Nitrogen based fertilizers dissolve very easily in liquids due to their excellent diffusion capabilities.
They are recommended to be applied to the soil either in early spring or at the end of the winter period. By the time the plants begin to grow and develop, the nitrogen-containing substance has already had time to give up most of its nitrogen to the soil. But this recommendation is not law, therefore, before preparing a concentrated solution, individual conditions must be taken into account.

Nitrogen fertilizers increase yields regardless of the type of crops. The main thing is not to overdo it.
Remember! The correct dosage when preparing a solution is a positive result. But, if "a step to the left, a step to the right," then you can provoke a decrease in the number of fruits and their quality.

Application of nitrogen fertilizers: we calculate the dosage correctly

The dosage of the substance for each plant species is individual from 9 to 12 grams per square meter.

• If you plan to fertilize strawberries or any other representative of stone fruit (it can be cherry or sweet cherry, apricot or plum), then a solution prepared in a ratio of 5 grams per square meter is ideal.
• Potatoes, vegetables, fruits and berries, flowers are taken as fertilizer, as the form of the main application, nitrogen in an average amount of 7-8 grams per 1 square meter.
• If your goal is only to feed the plant, then a numerical rate has been determined for this process. This is 3 or 4 grams of substance per square meter of usable area planted with a plant.
• If potatoes, vegetables or flower crops should be fed, then the mass ratio is considered optimal - 1.5-2 grams per 1 sq.m. If you plan to feed fruit and berry plants, then use 2-3 grams of fertilizer for the same area.

In order to properly prepare the solution, it must be borne in mind that all numerical mass values ​​are given without taking into account the percentage of nitrogen for each type of fertilizer. This means that you should recalculate the fertilizer.

Let's do a little calculation. You need to fertilize a plot of land with an area of ​​5 sq. M. Where strawberries grow safely. This means that to prepare the solution, you need 25 grams of the nutrient, which you will transfer to the solution.

A little or a lot? How much should you fertilize so as not to harm?

A gardener, a gardener, an agronomist - everyone should remember that the uncontrolled use of nitrogen, which is part of nitrogen fertilizers in the form of various compounds, is detrimental to the surrounding world. The essence of the process is simple and the development chain is logical and natural: the nitrogen norm is exceeded - soil pollution is provoked - nitrogen is washed out from the soil - enters rivers and groundwater or is consumed by plants from the soil - is consumed by people through food - human health deteriorates.

The use of nitrogen fertilizers: we take into account the features, adhering to the rules

1. In order for nitrogen fertilizers to affect as efficiently as possible the growth and development of the plant, as well as the fertility of the soil, it is recommended to adhere to the timing of their application, using the best methods.
2. In the autumn-winter period - the time when nitrogen is not stable in its composition. Wastewater and groundwater wash it away. Therefore, the favorable period for the introduction of the substance is the spring-autumn period.
3. It is important to consider the diagnostic results of nutrition. The fractional addition of the compound increases the quality indicators of nitrogen consumption.
4. Acidic soils absorb fertilizer better if it is combined with lime. Preventive liming has a beneficial effect on the efficiency of assimilation of nitrogen fertilizers.
5. The forest-steppe and steppe are characterized by dry soil, therefore, if the process with feeding is delayed, the overall effect decreases. Based on these characteristics, non-chernozem soil is fed 10 days after the snow melts.
6. To maximize the assimilation effect, it is recommended to combine their various forms. For example, urea is used first, and then, in the process of active vegetation, ammonium nitrate is used.

How to implement nitrogen fertilizers: recommendations, tips and rules

Recommendation

• To prevent a decrease in the nitrogen content of the fertilizer, store it in a place away from air and sunlight.

The rule

• The nutrient should not be applied deeply into the soil. Presowing cultivation is the ideal case. This option will allow nitrogen to penetrate into the depths of the soil layer as soon as you moisten it with water or nature will bring rain.

Advice

• Taking advantage of the information that ammonium compounds are easily washed out of the soil along with melt water, introduce them into the soil in the fall.

Nitrogen fertilization or nitrogen-based fertilization is beneficial.Now you know what applies to nitrogen fertilizers, but do not forget about the harm that you can cause to plants, soil and society without observing the technology for preparing working solutions and violating the mass ratio. Remember, excess nitrogen reduces the survival rate of newly transplanted plants, provokes the accumulation of nitrates in fruits, and inhibits the maturation of wood.

To avoid problems, follow the advice and recommendations of experts, pay attention to the condition of the plants, their appearance and fruit development. Only these indicators will become decisive when choosing whether to use or limit the consumption of nitrogen fertilizers.