Are Mineral Fertilizers Panacea for Increase in Crop Yield? Review
Abstract
Fertilizers are important in increasing crop yield and many of the increases in world food production are attributed to the judicious application of mineral fertilizers. Among the 18 essential elements, nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium are the major ones and the first two are imported to and used in Ethiopia. Nitrogen is the most limiting nutrient in plant growth. It is a constituent of chlorophyll, plant proteins, and nucleic acids. Phosphorus is essential component of Adenosine triphosphate, deoxyribonucleic acid and ribonucleic acid, whereas potassium is useful in activation of enzymes, photosynthesis, starch synthesis, nitrate reduction and sugar degradation as well as helping plants withstand stresses like drought, winter hardiness, tolerance to diseases, insect pests and frost damage. The other macro and micro nutrients are also important in the various physiological processes of plants. Mineral fertilizers have been responsible for an important share of worldwide improvement in agricultural productivity and fertilizers account for more than half of the increase in yield worldwide. The yield increase recorded in Ethiopia has been attributed mainly to the use of mineral fertilizers together with improved seeds. It is, however, important to note that fertilizers will be effective if other conditions are fulfilled. These factors include soil factors (soil reaction, clay mineralogy and clay content, moisture regime of the soil, impermeable soil layer, soil texture and bulk density and availability of other nutrients in the soil, availability of moisture;climatic factors (temperature, light intensity and length of the day); crop factors (crop adaptability to local conditions, fertilizer requirement, resistance to disease, pests, drought and other stress factors); fertilizer characteristics and management practices (erosion control, land preparation, planting date and practice, weed, and pest and disease management). Crop yield, therefore, can be improved not by application of mineral fertilizers alone but by the combination of genotype (G), optimum environmental condition (E), appropriate management practices (M) and yield = G x E x M.References
Abruna, F., R. W. Pearson and C. B. Elkins. 1958. Quantitative evaluation of soil reaction and base status changes resulting from field application of residually acid-forming nitrogen fertilizers. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. Proc. 22 : 539-542.
Adams, F. 1980. Interactions of phosphorus with other elements in soils and in plants. Cited by S. R. Wilkinson, D. L. Grunes and M. E. Sumner. 2000. Nutrient interaction in soil and plant nutrition, pp. D-89 – D-12. In M. E. Sumner ed. Handbook of Soil Science. CRC Press, LLC.
Alva, A. K., D. G. Edwards, C. J. Asher and F. P. C. Blamey. 1986. Effects of phosphorus/aluminum molar ratio and calcium concentration on plant response to aluminum toxicity. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 50 : 133-137.
Amare G., CC. Du Preez and Taye Bekele. 2005. Effect of phosphorus fertilizer on grain yield and yield components of field pea (Pisum sativum L) cultivars. EthiopianJournal of Natural Resources 7(1):1-21.
Anon. 1979. Soil Fertility Manual. The Potash and Phosphate Institute, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.
Askegaad, M., Erisksen, J., and A.E. Johnston. 2004. Sustainable management of potassium. pp.88-102. In SchjOnning, P., Elmoholt, S., and B.T. Christenenen (eds.) Manageing Soil quality: Challenge in modern agriculture. CAB International, London.
Asnakew W. 1990. The response of bread whea to the rate and time of nitrogen application. In Tanner, D.G an W. Mwangi (eds.) pp. 146-152. Six Regional Wheat Workshop for Eastern, Central and Southern Africa, Mexico D.F. CIMMYT.
Barrow, J. J. 1987. Reactions with variable-charged soils. Fert. Res. 14 : 1-10.
Blackmer, A. M. 2000. Bioavailability of nitrogen, pp. D-3 – D-18. In M. E. Sumner ed. Handbook of Soil Science. CRC Press, LLC.
Bown, G. D. and B. Cartwright. 1977. Mechanisms and models of plant nutrition, pp.197-223. In J. S. Russel and E. L. Greacen eds. Soil Factors in Crop Production in a Semi-Arid Environment. University of Queensland Press, Australia.
Brady, N. C. and R. R. Weil. 2000. Elements of the Nature and Properties of Soils. 12th ed. Printice-Hall Inc, Upper Saddle River, New Jersy. 759p.
Broadbent, F. E., T. Nakashima and D. E. Rolston. 1988. Effects of salinity and moisture gradients on nitrogen uptake by sorghum and wheat. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 146 : 232-240.
Campbell, R. B., D. C. Reicosky and C. W. Doty. 1974. Physical properties and tillage of Paleudults in the Southeastern Coastal Plains. J. Soil Water Conserv. 29 : 220-224.
Carter, L. M. and J. R. Travernetti. 1968. Influence of precision tillage and soil compaction on cotton yields. Trans. Am. Soc. Agri. Eng. 11 : 65-67.
Chen, J. H. and S. A. Barber. 1990. Effect of liming and adding phosphate on predicted phosphorus uptake by maize on acid soils of three soil orders. Soil Sci. J. 150 : 844-850.
Cornfield, A. H. 1953. The mineralization of nitrogen of soils during incubation: Influence of pH, total nitrogen and organic carbon contents. J. Sci. Food Agr. 3 : 343-348.
Dancer, N. S., L. A. Peterson and G. Chesters. 1973. Ammonification and nitrification of N as influenced by soil pH and previous N treatments. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. Proc. 37: 67-69.
Daniel M., L.M. Pant and Nigussie D. 2008. Effect of integrated nutrient management on yield of potato and soil nutrient status at Bako, West Shoa. Ethiopian Journal of Natural Resources 10(1):85-101.
Debreczeni, K. 2000. Response of two maize hybrids to different fertilizer-N forms (NH4-N and NO3-N). Commun. Soil Sci. Plant Anal. 31 : 2251-2264.
Dubey, O. P. and R. A. Khan. 1993. Effect of nitrogen and sulfur on dry matter, grain yield and nutrient content at different growth stages of mustard (Brassica juncea L.) under irrigated Vertisol. Cited by R. Prasad and J. F. Power. 1997. Soil Fertility Management for Sustainable Agriculture. Lewis Publishers, CRC Press, LLC. 356p.
Eze, O. C. and P. Loganatan. 1990. Effects of pH on phosphate sorption of some paleudults of Southern Nigeria. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 150 : 813-621.
FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations). 1984. Fertilizer and plant nutrition guide. cited in D. van der Eijk.1997. Phosphate fixation and response of maize to fertilizer phosphate in Kenyan Soils. Ph.D. Thesis, Department of Soil Science and Plant Nutrition, Agricultural University of Wageningen The Netherlands
Fixen, P. E. and J. H. Groove. 1990. Testing soils for phosphorus, pp. 141-180. In R. L. Westerman ed. Soil Testing and Plant Analysis. 3rd ed. SSSA, Madison, Wisconsin.
Foth, H. D. and B. G. Ellis. 1997. Soil Fertility. 2nd ed. Michigan State University, Michigan, USA. 290p.
Fox, R. H. 1979. Soil pH, aluminum saturation and corn grain yield. Soil Sci. J. 127 : 330-334
Fox, R. L., N. V. Hue, R. C. Jones and R. S. Yost. 1991. Plant- Soil interactions associated with acid weathered soils, pp. 197-204. In R. J. Wright, V. C. Valigar and R. P. Murrmann eds. Proc. 2nd International Symposium on Plant-Soil Interactions at Low pH. 24-29 June, 1990. Bockley, West Virginia, USA.
Fox, R. H. and L. D. Hoffman. 1981. The effect of N fertilizer source on grain yield, N uptake, soil pH and lime requirement on no-till corn. Agron. J. 7 : 891-895.
Foy, C. D. 1984. Physiological activities of hydrogen, aluminum and manganese toxicities in acid soil, pp. 57-97. In F. Adams ed. Soil Acidity and Liming. American Society of Agronomy, Madison, Wisconsin
Getachew A. 2001. Response of barley to nitrogen and phosphurus applications in Welo highlands of Ethiopia: Yield and Yield Components. Ethiopian Journal of Natural Resources 3(1) 19-38.
Getachew A. Taye B. and Agajie T. 2007. Phosphorus fertilizer and farmyard manure effects on faba bean in acidic Nitisols of central highlands of Ethiopia. Ethiopian Journal of Natural Resources 7(1):23-39.
Granhall, U. 1981. Biological nitrogen fixation in relation to environmental factor and functioning of natural ecosystems, pp. 131-144. In F. E. Clarck and T. Rosswall eds. Terrestrial Nitrogen Cycles. Ecol. Bull. 33, Stockholm.
Hageman, R. H. 1984. Ammonium vs. nitrate nutrition of higher plants, pp. 67-85. In R. D. Hauck ed. Nitrogen in Crop Production. Am. Soc. Agron. Madison, Wisconsin.
Handbook of Integrated Fertility Management. 2012. Edited by Thomas Hairhurst. Africa South Health Consortium. CAB International.
Havlin, J.L., Beaton J.O., Tisdale S.L., and W.L. Nelson. 2005. Soil fertility and fertilizers. 6th edition. Printice Hall, Upper Saddle River, New Jersey, USA. 499p.
Hynes, R. J. and R. Naidu. 1991. Effects of lime additions on the availability of phosphorus and sulfur in some temperate and tropical acid soils, pp. 267-274. In: R. J. Wright, V. C. Baligar and R. P. Murrmann eds. Proc. 2nd International Symposium on Plant-Soil Interactions at Low pH. 24-29 June, 1990. Bockley, West Virginia, USA.
Ignatieff, V. and H. J. Page. 1958. Efficient Use of Fertilizers. FAO, Italy. 355p
Jensen, E. S., B. T. Christensen and L. H. Sorensen. 1989. Mineral-fixed ammonium in clay and silt-size fractions of soils incubated with 15N ammonium sulfate for five years. Cited by R. Prasad and J. F. Power. 1997. Soil Fertility Management for Sustainable Agriculture. Lewis Publishers, CRC Press, LLC. 356p.
Khasawneh, F. E. and J. P. Copeland. 1973. Cotton root growth and uptake of nutrient: relation of phosphorus uptake to quantity, intensity and buffering capacity. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. Proc. 37 : 250-254.
Kowalenko, C. G. and G. T. Ross. 1980. Studies on the dynamics of recently clay-fixed NH4 using 15N . Cited by R. Prasad and J. F. Power. 1997. Soil Fertility Management for Sustainable Agriculture. Lewis Publishers, CRC Press, LLC. 356p.
Lema Z., Zewdu Y., Tanner, D.G. and Eyasu Elias. 1992. The effects of nitrogen fertilizer rates and application timing on bread wheat in Bale Region of Ethiopia. In Tanner, D.G an W. Mwangi (eds.) pp. 494-502. Seventh Regional Wheat Workshop for Eastern, Central and Southern Africa, Nauru, Kenya.
Lumbanranja, L. and V. P. Evangelou. 1994. Adsorption/desorption of potassium and ammonium at low cation concentrations in three Keutucky subsoils. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 157 : 269-278.
Marschner, H. 1995. Mineral Nutrition of Higher Plants. Cited by S. R. Wilkinson, D. L. Grunes and M. E. Sumner. 2000. Nutrient interactions in soil and plant nutrition, pp. D-89 – D-112. In M. E. Sumner ed. Handbook of Soil Science. CRC Press, LLC.
Miller, R. W. and R. L. Donahue. 1990. Soils: An Introduction to Soils and Plant Growth. 6th ed. Prentice-Hall inc., NJ, USA. 768p.
Morrill, L. G. and J. E. Dawson. 1962. Growth rate of nitrifying chemoautotrophs in soil. J. Bacteriology 83 : 205-206.
Mortvedt J.J., Murphy L.S and Follet R.H. 1999. Fertilzer technology and application. Mister Publishing Co, USA. 199p.
Owusu-Bennoan, E. and D. K. Acquaye. 1989. Phosphate sorption characteristics of selected major Ghanaian soils. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 148 : 114-123.
Pearson, R. W. 1975. Soil acidity and liming in the humid tropics. Cited by R. H. Fox. 1979. Soil pH, aluminum saturation and corn grain yield. Soil Sci. J. 127 : 330-334.
Pocock, T., Milford, G.F.G., and M. Armstrong.1988. Progress in search toward site-specfic fertilizer requirements. British Sugar Beet Review 56:41-44
Power, J. F., J. Alessi, G. A. Reichman and D. L. Grunes. 1973. Recovery, residual effects and fate of nitrogen fertilizer sources in a semi-arid region. Cited by R. Prasad and J. F. Power. 1997. Soil Fertility Management for Sustainable Agriculture. Lewis Publishers, CRC Press, LLC. 356p.
Prasad, R. and J. F. Power. 1997. Soil Fertility Management for Sustainable Agriculture. Lewis Publishers, CRC Press, LLC. 356p.
Robson, A. D. and L. K. Abbott. 1989. The effect of soil acidity on microbial activity in soils, pp. 139-165. In A. D. Robson ed. Soil Acidity and Plant Growth. Academic Press, Australia.
Russel, E. W. 1961. Soil Conditions and Plant Growth. 9th ed. Longmans, UK. 849p.
Sanchez, P. A. 1976. Properties and Management of Soils in the Tropics. Cited by W. R. Raun and H. J. Barreto. 1995. Regional maize grain response to applied phosphorus in Central America. Agron. J. 87 : 208-213.
Scott, R and K.W. Jaffard. 1993. Crop physiology and agronomy,pp 178-237. In: D.A. Cooke and R.K. Scott (ed.). The sugar Beet Crop: Science into Practice. Chapman and Hall, London.
Sims , J. T. and B. G. Ellis. 1983. Adsorption and availability of phosphorus following the application of limestone to an acid aluminous soil. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 47 : 888-916.
Soltanpour, P., N. F. Adams and A. C. Benett. 1974. Soil phosphorus availability as measured by displaced soil solutions, calcium chloride extracts, dilute acid extracts, and labile phosphorus. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 38 : 225-228.
Strong, W. M. and M. G. Mason. 1999. Nitrogen, pp. 171-186. In K. I. Peverill, L. A. Sparrow and D. J. Reuter eds. Soil Analysis: an Interpretation Manual. CSIRO, Australia.
Suwanarit, A., P. Suwanarit, S. Boonlue, P. Laoniphon, S. Buranakarn and R. Pitukdantham. 1997. Improving Nutrition Status of Soils in Thailand by the Use of Soil Microbiology Methods. Final Scientific Report STD 3 Project CT. 39-0256. Kasetsart University, Bangkok, Thailand.
Teng, Y. and V. R. Timmer. 1994. Nitrogen and phosphorus interactions in an intensively managed nursery soil-plant system. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 58 : 232-238.
Tisdale, S. L., W. L. Nelson and J. D. Beaton. 1985. Soil Fertility and Fertilizers. 4th ed. Macmillan Publishing Co. Inc., New York. 754p.
Wassie Haile. 2009. Onfarm verification of potassium fertilizer effect on the yield of irish potato grown on Acidic Soils of Hageremariam, Southern Ethiopia. Ethiopian Journal of Natural Resources 11(2):207-221.
White, R. E. 1976. Studies on the mineral absorption by plants. III. The interaction of aluminum, phosphate and pH on the growth of Medicago sativa. Plant Soil 46 : 195-203.
White, R. E. 1997. Principles and Practices of Soil Science: A Soil as a Natural Resource. 3rd ed. Blackwell Science Ltd. 198p.
Wilkinson, S. R., D. L. Grunes and M. E. Sumner. 2000. Nutrient interactions in soil and plant nutrition, pp. D-89 – D-12. In M. E. Sumner ed. Handbook of Soil Science. CRC Press, LLC.
Wilson, J. B. 1993. Macronutreint (NPK) toxicity and interaction in the grass Festuca ovina. J. Plant Nutr. 16 : 1151-1159.
Yesuf A. and Duga D. 2000a. The effect of rate and time of N application on its uptake by bread wheat varieties and soil characteristics on farmers' fields. Ethiopian Journal of Natural Resources 2(2) 137-150.
Yesuf A. and Duga Debele. 2000b Economic analysis of rate and time of N application on two recently released bread-wheat varieties on farmers' fields. Ethiopian Journal of Natural Resources 9(2):137-150.
Yihenew.G.S. 2007. Evaluation of nitrogen and phosphorus as yield-limiting nutrients for maize grown on Alfisols of Western Amhara. Ethiopian Journal of Natural Resources 9(1):155-170.
Yihenew G. and A. Suwanarit. 2007. Evaluation of soil-test methods for indexing availability of nitrogen for maize (Zea mays L.) grown on Alfisols of Northwestern Ethiopia. Ethiopian Journal of Natural Resources 9(2): 171-189.
Copyright (c) 2019 Journal of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:
- Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.
Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work (See The Effect of Open Access).
