All about Urea Fertilizer
Urea fertilizer is made up of 46 percent of nitrogen. Therefore, it is an ideal source of nitrogen for plants. Urea fertilizer is made up of mainly ammonia. In order for effective absorption to occur, a healthy soil microbiota population is needed in the soil. Having a high nitrogen content, urea fertilizer is excellent for plants that require nitrogen to promote green leafy growth and to make plants look lush. Mainly, urea fertilizer is used for bloom growth due to the high nitrogen content without phosphorus and potassium.
Urea fertilizer should not come in contact directly with the seeds. Therefore, it should be applied as a top dressing during sowing period rather than around the seeds. Urea should also be mixed with earth or sand before application in order to avoid over concentration of nitrogen in the soil around the plant.
How is it produced?
Urea is found as a natural component in animals and human urine. This fertilizer is the very first type of organic fertilizer that can be manufactured using chemical processes. In 1828, a discovery was made when potassium cyanate was treated with ammonium, producing urea from the process. Currently, urea fertilizer is produced by the processing of ammonia and carbon dioxide.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Urea Fertilizer
One of the advantages of urea fertilizer is its high content of nutrient along with its ability to increase crop yields by a great amount. Other than that, this type of fertilizer poses no explosion hazard and is easy to handle while having a wide range of application.
On the other hand, soil quality will be degraded when urea is used excessively in the soil. Over a long term of usage, urea fertilizers deplete the soil quality as there is a loss in beneficial soil microbes in the soil. Excessive usage and leaching can also cause adverse effects on the environment.
