When you don’t eat well, everyone says you won’t grow because you aren’t getting enough nutrition.
And it’s true too; you need all the nutrients for your complete growth and development.
The same is applied to plants.
They also need nutrition for their complete growth and development.
The major nutrients required by plants are nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium.
Plants get nitrogen in the form of nitrates. It makes the foliage strong and helps plants with chlorophyll production as it is largely composed of chlorophyll, which allows plants to absorb sunlight and hence increase photosynthesis. Phosphorous assists the growth of roots and flowers. It also helps plants tolerate environmental stress. Both nitrogen and phosphorus are required for protein and DNA synthesis. Potassium strengthens the plants and helps them retain water. It also contributes to the early growth of plants and their resistance against pests and frost.
Now if you know about the major nutrients of plants, you’re figuring out what to choose for your crop: Bio NPK or Chemical NPK?
Read to find out.
Knowing the effects of both options is the first step to deciding which choice is right for you.
Bio NPK
| Properties/Effect on | Bio NPK | Chemical NPK |
|---|---|---|
| Soil | • Maintains soil fertility by enhancing natural processes such as nitrogen fixation, phosphorus conversion into usable forms, and potassium mobilisation in the soil. • Increases soil organic matter • Improves soil structure and water holding capacity by increasing soil porosity. • Reduces soil crusting and soil erosion. | • Regular use leads to soil toxicity. • Due to high acid content, reduces the soil fertility. |
| Environment | • They are biodegradable and sustainable, hence environmentally friendly. | • The repeated applications lead to a toxic buildup of chemicals in the soil and thus affect soil pH. |
| Salt content | • Does not contain sodium salts | • Contains salts. |
| Type of resources | • Renewable source | • Non-renewable source |
| Rate of production | • Release nutrients slowly. | • Immediate source of nutrients sometimes harm crops due to overdose. |
| Soil Microflora | • Promote the growth of PGPR microbes | • Repeated application leads to accumulation in soil, thus affecting soil natural microflora negatively. |
Biofertilizers are organic fertilizers that are made up of live biomass or dormant cells of effective microorganisms. Bio NPK is a biofertilizer. As its name implies, it is an organic source of N (nitrogen), P (phosphorous), and K (potassium). It is a consortium of three bacteria: Azotobacter, Bacillus polymyxa, and Bacillus megaterium. These bacteria help in nitrogen fixation, phosphate solubilization, and potassium mobilization.
Chemical NPK
Chemical fertilizers are synthetically produced with a known concentration of nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium. After application, they directly provide the nutrients to plants in usable form, thus saving the energy of plants. They provide all the essential nutrients to plants, hence giving the maximum yield of the crop.
Let’s discuss Bio-NPK or Chemical-NPK.
Conclusion
The Bio NPK is a biodegradable fertilizer that can be safely used in organic farming without any harm to organisms in the ecosystem. Furthermore, it can increase plant yield and quality by 20–30%, as well as improve the colour and shelf life of perishable fruits and vegetables. They also act as a natural pesticide and protect crops and soil from a wide variety of pathogens. They can also be produced as a by-product of biogas electricity generation.
Now you know the difference, so choose wisely.