Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in
Book cover

Handbook of Industrial Chemistry and Biotechnology pp 959–995Cite as

Fertilizers and Food Production

  • Chapter
  • First Online:

Abstract

Fertilizers provide plants with the nutrients they need for their growth and development. Plants live, grow, and reproduce by taking up water and nutrients, carbon dioxide from the air, and energy from the sun. Apart from carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen, which collectively make up 90–95% of the dry matter of all plants, other nutrients needed by plants come essentially from the media in which they grow—essentially in the soil. The other nutrients are subdivided into primary nutrients (nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium) and secondary nutrients (calcium, magnesium, and sulfur). In addition, plants also need other nutrients in much smaller amounts, and they are referred to as micronutrients (boron, chlorine, copper, iron, manganese, molybdenum, and zinc).

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.

Chapter
USD   29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD   419.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Learn about institutional subscriptions

References

  1. Smil V (1997) Cycles of life. Scientific American Library, New York, NY

    Google Scholar 

  2. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) (2002) FAOSTAT database. http://faostat.fao.org. Rome, Italy

  3. United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and International Fertilizer Development Center (IFDC) (1998) Fertilizer manual. Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht, The Netherlands

    Google Scholar 

  4. Herring JR, Fantel JR (1993) Phosphate rock demand into the next century: impact on world food supply. Nonrenewable Resources 2(3):226–241

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. British Petroleum–Amoco (1998) Statistical Review of World Energy

    Google Scholar 

  6. Van Kauwenberg, British Petroleum (2010) BP Statistical Review of World Energy, June, 2010. http://www.bp.com/statisticsalreview

  7. International Fertilizer Development Center (IFDC) (1983) Compaction—alternative approach for granular fertilizers. IFDC Technical Bulletin T-25

    Google Scholar 

  8. McVicar MH (1970) Using commercial fertilizers, 3rd edn. The Interstate Printers and Publishers, Inc

    Google Scholar 

  9. Hignett TP (1971) History of world fertilisers and manufacturing processes. Ind Chem Manufacturer 9(4):13–17

    Google Scholar 

  10. Young RD, Achorn FP (1978) Trends in U.S. fertilizer technology. TVA Bull. Y-133. Tennessee Valley Authority, Muscle Shoals, AL, pp 5–7

    Google Scholar 

  11. (1980) The role of phosphorus in agriculture. Am. Soc. Agron., Crop Science Soc. Am., and Soil Science Soc. Am. Madison, WI, pp 198–199

    Google Scholar 

  12. Hignett TP (1965) Nitrophosphate process advantages and disadvantages. In Proc. 15th Annual Meeting Fert. Ind. Round Table. pp 92–95

    Google Scholar 

  13. Getsinger JG, Houston EC, Achorn FP (1957) Production of diammonium phosphate by continuous vacuum crystallization. J Agr Food Chem 5:433–436

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Young RD, Hicks GC, Davis CH (1962) TVA process for production of granular diammonium phosphate. J Agr Food Chem 10:442–447

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. U. S. Patent 3,153,574

    Google Scholar 

  16. (1970) New Developments in Fertilizer Technology, 8th Demonstration. TVA Bull. Y-12. Tennessee Valley Authority

    Google Scholar 

  17. Young RD, Hicks GC (1967) Production of monoammonium phosphate in a TVA-type ammonium phosphate granulation system. Comm Fert 114(2):26–27

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Lehr JR, McClellan GH (1973) Phosphate rocks; important factors in their economic and technical evaluation. CENTO Symposium on the Mining and Beneficiation of Fertilizer Minerals. November 19–24, pp 192–242

    Google Scholar 

  19. Pelovski Y, Garrett MK. Partially acidulated phosphate rock fertilisers—agronomic, environmental and production aspects. Proceedings No. 364, The Fertiliser Society

    Google Scholar 

  20. Yates LD, Nielsson FT, Fox EJ, Magness RM (1953) Enriched and concentrated superphosphate. Ind Eng Chem 45(3):681–690

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Walthall JH, Bridger GL (1943) Fertilizer by fusion of rock phosphate with olivine. Ind Eng Chem 35(7):744–777

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. Thompson WH (1971) New route cuts costs for potassium orthophosphates. Chem Eng 78(8):83–85

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Drechsel EK (1973) Potassium phosphates: the new generation of SUPER phosphates. Paper presented to the American Chemical Society. Division of Fertilizer and Soil Chemistry, Chicago, Illinois, August 28

    Google Scholar 

  24. Giese A (1998) Environmental responsibility on the farm—the impact on the fertilizer and agriculture industry. In: Environmental Challenges of Fertilizer Production—An Examination of Progress and Pitfalls. Proceedings of an International Workshop, JJ Schultz and EN Roth (Eds). IFDC, Muscle Shoals, AL, September 17–19

    Google Scholar 

  25. Yates LD, Nielson FT, Hicks GC (1954) TVA continuous ammoniator for superphosphates and fertilizer mixtures. Part I and Part II of Farm Chemicals (August 1954)

    Google Scholar 

  26. U. S. Patent 2,741,545

    Google Scholar 

  27. (1998) Environmental challenges of fertilizer production—an examination of progress and pitfalls. Proceedings of an International Workshop, JJ Schultz and EN Roth (Eds). Muscle Shoals, AL, September 17–19

    Google Scholar 

  28. (1972) New Developments in Fertilizer Technology, 9th Demonstration. TVA Bull. Y-50. Tennessee Valley Authority

    Google Scholar 

  29. (1976) New Developments in Fertilizer Technology, 11th Demonstration. TVA Bull. Y-107. Tennessee Valley Authority

    Google Scholar 

  30. Medbery J (1971) Experience with pipe-cross reactor. Proc. Fert. Ind. Round Table. pp 52–55

    Google Scholar 

  31. Baggett KJ, Brunner DJ (1977) MFA’s experience with TVA cross-pipe reactor. Proc. Fert. Ind. Round Table. pp 64–70

    Google Scholar 

  32. Fittell RS, Hollingworth LA, Forney JG (1977) Manufacture of granular ammonium phosphates using a pipe reactor process. Proc. Fert. Ind. Round Table. pp 70–81

    Google Scholar 

  33. Hoffmeister G, Watkins SC, Silverberg J (1964) Bulk blending of fertilizer material: effect of size, shape, and density on segregation. J Agr Food Chem 12:64–69

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  34. Hoffmeister G (1962) Compatibility of raw materials in blended fertilizers—segregation of raw materials. Proc. 12th Annual Meeting Fert. Ind. Round Table. pp 83–88

    Google Scholar 

  35. Young RD (1969) Providing micronutrients in bulk-blended, granular, liquid and suspension fertilizer. Comm Fert 118(1):21–24

    Google Scholar 

  36. Young RD (1971) Production of compound fertilizers from intermediates in local plants. TVA Bull. Z-30. Tennessee Valley Authority, pp 12–20

    Google Scholar 

  37. McKnight D, Striplin MM (1958) Phosphoric acid of high concentration. J Agr Chem 13:33–34

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  38. Phillips AB (1963) Concentration wet-processes acid to superphosphoric acid. Farm Chem 126:36, 38, 62

    Google Scholar 

  39. Meline RS, Lee RG, Scott WC (1972) Use of pipe reactor in production of liquid fertilizers with very high polyphosphate content. Fert Soln 16(2):32–45

    Google Scholar 

  40. U. S. Patent 3,775,534

    Google Scholar 

  41. Walters HK Jr (1959) Salt suspension fertilizers. Comm Fert 25–26

    Google Scholar 

  42. Newsom WS Jr (1960) Suspension fertilizers. Solutions 30–35

    Google Scholar 

  43. Sawyer EW, Polon JA, Smith HA (1960) The stabilization of suspension fertilizers with colloidal attapulgite. Solutions 36–43

    Google Scholar 

  44. Mann C II, McGill KE, Jones TM (1982) I&EC Product Research and Development. pp 488–495

    Google Scholar 

  45. Trenkel ME (1997) Improving fertilizer use efficiency: controlled-release and stabilized fertilizers in agriculture. International Fertilizer Industry Association, Paris, France

    Google Scholar 

  46. Hamamoto M (1966) Isobutylidine diurea as a slow-acting nitrogen fertilizer and studies in this field in Japan. Proceedings No. 90. The Fertiliser Society, London

    Google Scholar 

  47. Clark KG, Yee JY, Love KS (1948) New synthetic nitrogen fertilizers, preparation and properties of urea-form. Ind Eng Chem 40(7):1178–1183

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  48. Kolterman DW, Rennie WW (1960) Ureaform fertilizers. In: Sauchelli V (ed) The chemistry and technology of fertilizers. Rheinhold Publishing Co, New York, NY, pp 48–54

    Google Scholar 

  49. Ando J (1970) Developments in granulation of mixed fertilizers in Japan. Proceedings of the 20th Annual Meeting Fertilizer Industry Round Table. Memphis, TN, pp 85–93

    Google Scholar 

  50. Kuwabara M, Hayamizu S, Hatakeyama A (1977) Trends in urea-based compound fertilizer technology. In: Granular fertilizers and their production. British Sulphur Corporation, London, England, pp 125–147

    Google Scholar 

  51. Nielsson FT (1973) IMC experience in specialty fertilizer manufacture. Proceedings of the 23rd Annual Meeting of the Fertilizer Industry Round Table. Washington, DC, pp 33–42

    Google Scholar 

  52. Powell R (1968) Controlled release fertilizers. Noyes Development Corporation, Park Ridge, NJ

    Google Scholar 

  53. Young RD (1974) TVA’S development of sulfur-coated urea. TVA Bull. Y-79. Tennessee Valley Authority, Muscle Shoals, AL

    Google Scholar 

  54. Rutland DW (1991) Fertilizer caking: mechanisms, influential factors, and methods of prevention. Fertilizer Research 30:99–114

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  55. Hofstee JS (1993) Physical properties of fertilizer in relation to handling and spreading. Wageningen Agricultural University, Wageningen, The Netherlands

    Google Scholar 

  56. International Organization for Standardization, Central Secretariat, 1, rue de Varembe, Case Postale 5b, ch-1211, Geneva 20, Switzerland

    Google Scholar 

  57. Bremner JM, Yeomans JC (1986) Effects of nitrification inhibitors on denitrification of nitrate in soil. Biol Fertil Soils 2(4):173–179

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Int’l. Fertilizer Development Ctr., TVA Reservation Road, 2040, Muscle Shoals, AL, 35661, USA

    Amit H. Roy

Authors
  1. Amit H. Roy
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Amit H. Roy .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. University Blvd 819101, Jupiter, 33458, Florida, USA

    James A. Kent

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2012 Springer Science+Business Media New York

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Roy, A.H. (2012). Fertilizers and Food Production. In: Kent, J. (eds) Handbook of Industrial Chemistry and Biotechnology. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-4259-2_24

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation