Fertilizers have been used since the start of agriculture. Simply put, fertilizers are plant nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium which supplement some of the elements found naturally in soil. They can be composed of synthetic or natural materials which are applied to the plant tissues or the soil to supply nutrients that are crucial to plant growth. A class of fertilizers called micronutrient fertilizers is engineered to enrich crops with vital nutrients that help support human health. Offering micronutrient fertilizer to grain crops especially, enriches grain with important nutrients. Fertilizers enhance the natural fertility of the soil or replace the chemical elements taken from the soil by previous crops.
Fertilizer is used to:
Provide nutrients that are available in the soil
Replace any nutrients removed at harvest
Balance the nutrients for better quality and a higher yield