The Phosphorus Problem

Deepak Fertilisers & Petrochemicals Corporation Ltd.

The largest Indian manufacturer of ammonium nitrate.

"Mahadhan" brand fertilisers are effective for a wide variety of crops.

The Phosphorus Problem

The Phosphorus Puzzle

Crops only take up soil applied phosphorus as phosphate dissolved in the soil solution

At best, in any soil, the maximum phosphate that exists in the soil solution is less than 1 kg/ha

Most of phosphorus in the soil is not available to the crop at any one time

Phosphates have poor mobility in the soil

Many crops are inefficient users of soil phosphate (e.g.. potatoes - as little as 10% of soil applied P)

Phosphorus uptake from the soil is further reduced by...

Cold or wet weather conditions

Crops with a poorly developed root system

Acidic or very alkaline (calcareous) soils

Soils with low organic matter content

Soils with low phosphate reserves

Soils with a high phosphate fixing capacity

Soils rich in Iron

A drop from 21°C to 13°C reduces phosphorus availability by almost 70%!

Plants only absorb phosphate that lies very close (1mm) to the root surface

Soil Ph Affects Phosphorus Availability

The optimum soil pH for phosphorus availability is around 6

Under more acidic (lower pH) soil conditions soil phosphate is locked up by iron, manganese and aluminum

In high pH soils (ph > 7) phosphorus is fixed as insoluble calcium phosphate

Soil pH and phosphorus availability

DFPCL's MAHADHAN Micro Nutrient Fertilisers MAHADHAN Bensulf MAHADHAN Shakti MAHADHAN Amruta