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Fertilizer
References & Edit History Related Topics
Images & Videos
Red tractor spreading fertilizer across a green field on a farm, with fertilizer visibly spraying from the attached equipment.
The importance of nitrogen and phosphorus in ecosystems
chlorosis A chemical equation shows the reaction of ammonia (NH3) and nitric acid (HNO3) to form ammonium nitrate (NH4NO3), with structural formulas for each compound. Large pile of manure made from animal excrement and straw sits on a grassy field with trees in the background in France. Close-up of fava bean (Vicia faba) roots with clusters of round, pale nitrogen nodules attached along the root surface. A farmer wearing a straw hat and boots uses a pitchfork to turn a compost pile outdoors, surrounded by trees and farm materials. Two men on a farm unload and shovel white fertilizer from the back of a red trailer, with stacked bags and a green truck visible in the background. Aerial view of a red tractor pulling a wide applicator as it sprays liquid nitrogen fertilizer across rows of young green corn plants in a large field. Diagram of a compost heap cross-section showing alternating layers of green-plant material, thin layers of soil, fertilizer, and superphosphate, with a hollow at the top to catch rain and a soil covering. The heap is 3-6 feet tall and 6-8 feet wide.

Fertilizer: References & Edit History

Article Contributors

Primary Contributors

  • Robert E. Stewart
    Distinguished Professor of Agricultural Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, 1968–80.
  • The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
    Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors.

Other Encyclopedia Britannica Contributors

Article History

Type Description Contributor Date
Article title updated for style. Nov 01, 2026
Modified link of Web site: University of Minnesota Extension - Fertilizing lawns. Oct 25, 2026
Add new Web site: Texas A and M Agrilife Extension - Soils and Fertilizers. May 02, 2026
Add new Web site: BMC - Agriculture and Food Security - A better use of fertilizers is needed for global food security and environmental sustainability. Jun 19, 2025
Add new Web site: Virginia Cooperative Extension - Fertilizer Types and Calculating Application Rates (PDF). Mar 26, 2025
Add new Web site: CiteSeerX - Pesticides, Fertilizers and Food Safety. Feb 01, 2025
Add new Web site: National Center for Biotechnology Information - PubMed Central - Nutrient Requirements and Fertilizer Management Strategies in Plant Cultivation. Oct 24, 2024
Add new Web site: Frontiers - Optimizing fertilizer use for sustainable food systems: an evaluation of integrated water-fertilizer system adoption among cotton farmers in China. Aug 31, 2024
Add new Web site: University of Massachusetts Amherst - Center for Agriculture, Food, and the Environment - Fertilizer Storage and Handling. Jul 04, 2024
Add new Web site: University of Delaware - Fertilizer Basics. May 25, 2024
Add new Web site: Royal Horticultural Society - Fertilisers. Apr 12, 2024
Add new Web site: The Open University - CORE - Different Types of Eco-Friendly Fertilizers: An Overview. Feb 02, 2024
Add new Web site: Home & Garden Information Center - Fertilizer. Sep 22, 2023
Add new Web site: OSU Extension Service - A guide to understanding fertilizers. Jun 17, 2023
Add new Web site: Academia - Fertilizer. May 06, 2023
Add new Web site: UN Environment Programme - Fertilizers: challenges and solutions. Mar 10, 2023
Add new Web site: Utah State University Extension - Fertilizer Management. Jan 12, 2023
Add new Web site: Geosciences LibreTexts - Fertilizers. Sep 26, 2022
Article thoroughly revised and updated. Feb 23, 2022
Add new Web site: ChemicalSafetyFacts.org - Fertilizers. Jul 25, 2021
Media added. Jan 10, 2019
Add new Web site: University of Hawai�i at Manoa - College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources - College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources - Fertilizer material. Aug 17, 2016
Add new Web site: Buzzle.com - Fertilizer. Feb 13, 2014
Video describing the nitrogen cycle and phosphorus cycle added. Jul 18, 2013
Added video overview of the phosphorus and nitrogen cycles. Feb 09, 2011
Added new Web site: How Stuff Works - Science - What Is Fertilizer And Why Do Plants Need It? Jan 29, 2009
Article revised and updated. Nov 08, 2007
Added new Web site: Foliarfert.com - Fertilizer. Jan 15, 2007
Article added to new online database. Jul 20, 1998
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