Understand the eight misunderstandings of fertilizer use

In recent years, with the wave of green environmental protection in the world rising, organic agriculture and green food have received great attention. Around the role and use of chemical fertilizers, people have produced various understandings and opinions. Experts pointed out that there are currently 8 kinds of misunderstandings about the existence of chemical fertilizers:

Myth 1: Fertilizer is an artificial chemical product. Fertilizer application is harmful to the environment, wildlife and humans.

Fertilizer is actually a substance that plants can absorb, also known as "plant nutrition." The nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, sulfur, calcium and magnesium in fertilizers are the same as those in our body and in food. Fertilizers are also non-toxic.

The nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium elements in chemical fertilizers are all derived from air or land and are natural substances found in nature. Nitrogen comes from air, phosphorus comes from the deposition of minerals, and potassium comes from seawater, which is a deposit of oceans on land. Fertilizer production process is the process of converting nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium in nature into crop-absorbable substances. Nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium are the basic components of plants. Nitrogen is an important component of protein. Phosphorus is the energy produced in plants. The basic substance, potassium, is the basic substance that plants resist disease and enhance their body, just like the body's calcium.

Misunderstanding 2: Since there are elements such as nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium in nature, there is no need to apply fertilizer.

The nutrients in nature are not comprehensive and are not exactly what plants need. Nature can only provide limited plant nutrition. If it depends only on natural soil, it will take decades of accumulation to make the organic matter in the soil meet the nutrients needed by the plant. If planted on natural land, one season of cultivation may consume decades of nutrient accumulation. Therefore, the application of chemical fertilizers is a necessary means to supplement nutrients in the soil.

Misunderstanding 3: Organic agriculture does not use fertilizer, especially fertilizer

There is currently no accepted, strict definition of organic agriculture. However, organic agriculture also uses fertilizers, mainly using natural and organic fertilizers. For example, the organic agriculture regulations in Europe: the use of phosphate rock, potassium ore, and the use of calcium and heavy calcium are not allowed. China's green food AA standard requires only natural and biological fertilizers. Class A standards require limited use of chemical fertilizers. . In fact, organic agriculture is also puzzling in terms of the use of fertilizers. For example, the European organization that formulates organic agricultural standards believes that natural mineral fertilizers are purer and harmless to the environment. China's AA grade green foods only allow the use of natural fertilizers (such as phosphate rock). ,plant ash). In fact, natural minerals are chemically processed, and most of the impurities such as heavy metals have been discharged with the waste residue. The content of harmful substances is greatly reduced. Chemical fertilizers are much more pure than natural minerals and have less harm to the environment. Organic agriculture and green food production should not control the use of certain fertilizers at will, but should consider the impact of such fertilizers on the quality and environment of agricultural products.

Misunderstanding 4: Fertilizer and organic fertilizer are the same, and organic fertilizer should be used completely.

If only organic fertilizer is used, it is difficult to meet the comprehensive and sufficient nutrient demand of the crop, and it is difficult to achieve high yield, high quality of the crop, or a large increase in the area of ​​cultivated land. In addition, the ratio of NPK in organic fertilizers varies greatly. It is difficult to achieve the requirements of balanced fertilization by using only organic fertilizers. For example, corn is only applied with organic fertilizer. To meet the nitrogen requirement, phosphorus nutrients should exceed 4-5 of corn demand. Double, and fertilizer is the most convenient supplementary nutrient measure for balanced fertilization.

The combination of organic fertilizer and fertilizer is more effective. Chinese farmers have always attached importance to the use of organic fertilizers. The total amount of organic fertilizers has been relatively stable. With the increase in the use of chemical fertilizers, the proportion of organic fertilizers has declined, but it is also at the leading level in the world. According to the Ministry of Agriculture, China's current organic fertilizer accounts for about 50% of total fertilizer use, while the EU's current fertilizer nutrient ratio is 49% for fertilizer, 49% for organic fertilizer, 2% for municipal waste and waste, and the ratio of fertilizer to fertilizer in the United States is : 68% fertilizer, 32% organic fertilizer. It can be seen that the proportion of organic fertilizer in China is not low, which is mainly related to the low labor price in China.

Myth 5: Organic agriculture protects the environment and wildlife, and conventional agriculture has a strong impact on the environment.

Whether it is organic agriculture or conventional agriculture, the correct and effective use of fertilizers does not pose a threat to the environment, and the high yield of conventional agriculture allows us to obtain sufficient food on limited land. If we rely entirely on organic agriculture, the land of the world is also The inability to feed the world's population requires large areas of cultivated land that will have a greater impact on the environment and wildlife.

Myth 6: Organic food is safer, healthier and better quality

The publicity about the promotion of organic food is that "natural" and "organic" are good. In fact, there is no definitive evidence in the world of the difference in quality between organic and conventional foods. Even the World Organic Foods Association and responsible organic food producers have never claimed that organic foods are of higher quality than conventional foods. It is recognized that proper application of chemical fertilizers can improve crop quality.

Misunderstanding 7: Fertilizer losses pollute rivers and oceans, causing eutrophication

Although the leaching of chemical fertilizers can cause water pollution, there are many factors of water pollution. Fertilizer is not the main factor. According to relevant data, the discharge of urban sewage is generally much higher than that of chemical fertilizer.

In addition, regardless of the application of organic fertilizers and fertilizers may be leached, it may cause pollution to water bodies. If the timing of fertilization and the amount of NPK applied are controlled during chemical fertilizer application, and scientific fertilization is used, the loss of fertilizer can be easily controlled.

Misunderstanding 8: Without fertilizer, it can also feed the world population

If there is no fertilizer, the world will cut 1/3 of the grain; all forests, wildlife reserves, grasslands, etc. must be used as arable land; food prices will rise and living standards will fall. In short, the quality of human life will be greatly retrogressed.

The fertilizer industry has played an important role in improving agricultural production, quality of agricultural products, and people's living standards. Today, while people advocate green and environmental protection, there are more misunderstandings about fertilizers. China's fertilizer production and use departments have an obligation to actively promote the role of chemical fertilizers, to eliminate people's negative impression of chemical fertilizers; at the same time, we should also vigorously carry out scientific fertilization and agrochemical services, guide farmers to scientific fertilization, and minimize the impact of chemical fertilizers on the environment. .