Chemical Fertilizers (Inorganic Fertilizers)

Chemical fertilizers, commonly referred to as “chemical fertilizers,” are likely familiar to everyone. They are fertilizers produced through chemical and physical processes that contain one or more of the nutrients required for crop growth, and have become an indispensable input in modern agricultural production.
Chemical fertilizers can be further classified into macronutrient fertilizers (nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium), secondary nutrient fertilizers (calcium, magnesium, sulfur), micronutrient fertilizers (zinc, boron, molybdenum, manganese, iron, copper, chlorine), and compound fertilizers containing two or more elements.
Common nitrogen fertilizers include urea and ammonium bicarbonate; phosphorus fertilizers include calcium superphosphate and calcium-magnesium phosphate; potassium fertilizers include potassium chloride and potassium sulfate; and compound fertilizers include diammonium phosphate, potassium dihydrogen phosphate, and NPK compound fertilizers.
Chemical fertilizers are characterized by high nutrient content, rapid effectiveness, ease of use, and cleanliness (compared to farmyard manure); however, their nutrient composition is relatively limited. Long-term use can lead to adverse effects such as soil compaction, soil acidification, or salinization.