What is Urea Fertilizer?
We all know that most fertilizers provide three primary nutrients: NPK. Nitrogen initiates vegetative growth. Phosphorous improves roots and flowering. Potassium can strengthen resistance to shock such as extremes in temperature or insect attack. Urea is one concentrated source of available nitrogen.
Why Urea Fertilizer is The King of Fertilizers?
Urea fertilizer is the most important nitrogenous fertilizer. There are two main reasons for urea fertilizer to be the king of fertilizers.
Firstly, it has high nitrogen content about 46 percent.
Secondly, it is a white crystalline organic chemical compound. It is neutral and can adapt to almost all the land. It is a waste product formed naturally by metabolizing protein in humans as well as other mammals, amphibians and some fish.
Thirdly, urea is widely used in the agriculture sector both as a fertilizer and animal feed additive.
The main function of urea fertilizer is to provide the plants with nitrogen to promote green leafy growth. It can make the plants look lush, and it’s necessary for the photosynthesis of plants. Urea fertilizer can provide only nitrogen, no phosphorus or potassium, so it’s primarily used for bloom growth and vertical height may not be desired.
Advantages of Urea Fertilizer
* Highest nitrogen content. This percentage is much higher than other available nitrogenous fertilizers in the market.
* The cost of production of urea is relatively low .
* Not subject to fire or explosion hazards, so there is no risk in the storage of urea.
* Wide application. Urea fertilizer can be used for all types of crops and soils and has no harm the soil.
Disadvantages of Urea Fertilizer?
* Very soluble in water and hygroscopic water, and requires better packaging quality.
* Not as stable as other solid nitrogenous fertilizers, decomposes even at room temperatures that results in serious loss.
* If urea contains impurities more than 2 percent, it cannot be used as a fertilizer, since the impurities are toxic to certain crops, particularly citrus.
How to Use Urea Fertilizer?
1. Urea should be applied at the time of sowing. It should not come in contact with the seeds. It also can be applied as a top dressing.
2. Since urea is highly concentrated, it should be used in combination with earth or sand before its application.
3. It should not be applied when the soil contains free water or is likely to remain wet for three or four days after application.
Tips of Blending Urea with Other Fertilizers
Urea is readily blended with monoammonium phosphate or diammonium phosphate. But, urea must not be mixed with any superphosphate unless applied immediately after blending, because urea reacts with superphosphate liberating water molecules. This will produce a damp material that is hard to store and apply.
