A better understanding of fertilizer formulation is crucial in achieving higher crop yields. It is the first step that everyone should understand before purchasing any fertilizer. Fertilizers in the market come in different formulations depending on the plants' needs. The formulation label is printed on the packaging and consists of three to five bold numbers.

The first number is the amount of nitrogen (N), the second number is the amount of phosphate (P2O5) and the third number is the amount of potash (K2O). These three numbers represent primary nutrients. Meanwhile, the fourth and five numbers represent secondary nutrients and micronutrients. Below is an example of a fertilizer formula ;


9 - 3 - 25 - 2.5 + 0.5 B203


9 ; Nitrogen

3 ; Phosphate

25 ; Potassium

2.5 ; Magnesium

0.5 ; Boron 


10 - 3 - 25 + TE


10; Nitrogen

3; Phosphate

25; Potassium

TE; Trace Element


Example of fertilizer bag with formula ;



After understanding the fertilizer formulation, let's learn about the fertilizer source. Below is the type of fertilizer sources that are commonly used to make the fertilizer.  


FERTILIZER SOURCE

NITROGEN (N)


  1. Urea

  2. Ammonium Sulphate

  3. Calcium Nitrate


PHOSPHATE (P)


  1. Rock Phosphate

  2. Diammonium Phosphate (DAP)

  3. Monoammonium Phosphate (MAP)

  4. Single Super Phosphate (SSP)

  5. Triple Super Phosphate (TSP)


POTASSIUM (K)


  1. Potassium Chloride

  2. Potassium Sulphate


MAGNESIUM (MgO)


  1. Kieserite

  2. Dolomite


MICRONUTRIENT



  1. Zinc Suplhate Heptahydrate (Zn)



  2. Zinc Sulphate Monohydrate (Zn)



  3. Iron Sulphate (Fe)



  4. Iron Chelated (Fe)



  5. Copper Sulphate Monohydrate (Cu)



  6. Copper Sulphate Pentahydrate (Cu)



  7. Borate 48 (B203)