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| There is, at present, no alternative to mineral fertilizers on a regional
or global scale if food supply is to be ensured. Any potentially negative aspects
associated with the production or use of such a necessary product are naturally of concern
to both the EU fertilizer industry and the EU institutions, and both parties are actively
engaged in addressing those concerns which arise and in ensuring that appropriate
legislation is in place. |
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| The objectives of soil testing are primarily; |
| 1. |
To determine soil fertility so that the correct amount of fertiliser
needed to replace the nutrients removed or lost by the farming system, is applied. |
| 2. |
To monitor soil fertility levels. |
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| Plants require nutrients in order to grow, develop and complete their life
cycle. The supply of nutrients to the plants should be balanced in order to maximize the
efficiency of the individual nutrients so that these meet the needs of the particular crop
and soil type. |
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| The majority of the fertilizers used in Ireland are straight or compound
fertilizers applied in a solid form. |
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| Mineral fertilizers are made from naturally occurring raw materials
containing nutrients that have normally been transformed into a more plant-available form
by industrial processing. Although the number of chemical processes used is relatively
small, there are a wide variety of finished products. |
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| It is advisable for fertilizer applications to be calculated in a
‘site specific’ (soil analysis) basis, taking accounts not only of the specific
crop and expected yield, but also the type of soil on which the crop is grown (including
its nutrient status) and previous cropping history. |
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| Plants require nutrients in order to grow, develop and complete their life
cycle. The supply of nutrients to the plants should be balanced in order to maximise the
efficiency of the individual nutrients so that these meet the needs of the particular crop
and soil type. The primary, or macro, nutrients required by plants are; - |
| Carbon
- C |
Nitrogen
- N |
| Hydrogen
- H |
Phosphorus
- P |
| Oxygen
- O |
Potassium
-K |
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| Carbon, hydrogen and oxygen, which, together with nitrogen, form the
structural matter in plants, are freely available from air and water. Nitrogen, phosphorus
and potassium, on the other hand, may not be present in quantities or forms sufficient to
support plant growth. In this case, the absence of these nutrients constitutes a limiting
factor. |
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