Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
D
IFFUSION AND
U
SE OF
N
ITROGEN
F
ERTILIZERS
Nitrogen is the main macro-nutrient affecting plant growth and crop yields, since
nitrogen is an important component in plant cells of several structural, genetic and metabolic
compounds such as proteins and nucleic acids. It is also a component of energy-transfer
compounds, such as ATP (CFF, 2010). Nitrogen can be taken up by plant roots in inorganic
forms (also called mineral nitrogen) such as ammonium ion (NH
4
+
) and nitrate ion (NO
3
-
)
(CFF, 2010).
The need for a more efficient and productive agriculture in conjunction with other
circumstances originated in northwestern area of Europe in the latter part of the 18
th
and the
first half of the 19
th
centuries with the discovery of the biological role of chemical elements in
plant nutrition and the industrial revolution which stimulated technological innovation and the
growth of chemical, mining and transportation industries. These factors gave rise to the
development of fertilizer industry.
In the world today more than 110 millions ton per year of nitrogen fertilizers are
produced, two-thirds in developing countries that are also the biggest consumers (IFA, 2013).
In fact, while there is a negative trend to the nitrogen consumption in developed countries
due to legal restrictions and to the growing success of organic farming, whereas the demand
for nitrogen fertilizer in developing countries has increased more then threefold in the last
thirty years (Table 3).
Table 3. Production and consumption of nitrogen in developed and developing countries
Developed Countries (ton nutrients)
2010
2005
2000
1995
1990
1985
1980
Consumption
Production
31,056.5
28,979.8
29,116.6
29,562.7
35,864.8
39,119.9
36,376.4
37,680.4
37,049.5
36,906.6
38,782.7
36,689.7
46,279.4
44,278.1
Developing countries (ton nutrients)
2010
2005
2000
1995
1990
1985
1980
73,195.5
63,947.3
52,953.1
48,661.9
40,912.3
30,930.2
24,116.3
Consumption
Production
71,488.4
60,144.7
49,716.9
43,055.9
35,274.0
26,477.8
18,672.4
Source: IFA, 2013.
The world's population is predicted to be 11 billion by 2100. Eighty-seven percent will
live in the developing countries. Africa alone will increase its current population four fold
(from 1.1 to 4.2 billion people). As consequence of the population increase will necessarily
expand the use of fertilizers in order to meet growing food demand.
Table 4 shows the present-day worldwide consumption of different N-products shared by
macro-regions. Data are averages from 2007 to 2011 (IFA, 2013).
The most commonly used N-fertilizer is urea (Table 4). In different regions there are
distinct differences in use of N-fertilizer. In Europe, Calcium Ammonium Nitrate (CAN) and
Ammonium Nitrate (AN) are the most widespread fertilizer followed by NPK (nitrogen,
phosphorus and potassium) compounds. In South America, Oceania and above all in Asia
(mainly in China and India) urea consumption is much higher than all other N-products. In
North America the consumption of ammonia (or anhydrous ammonia), nitrogen solutions and
urea are more or less equivalent and much more used than other compounds.
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