Despite the considerable progress made in enhancing the capacity of soils to produce crops through the use of manures and fertilizers, there are yet a large number of ignorant peasants in many Asian countries, including India, who have been growing crops without applying adequate amounts of manures and fertilizers to their crop fields and consequently obtaining considerably less yields. It needs to be realized by one and all that soil, particularly in the developing countries, has to be fertile enough if their ever-increasing huge population is to be adequately fed and clothed. Accordingly, knowledge of farmyard manure, compost, fertilizers and other agricultural by-products and their applications is indispensable. The present book is a sincere effort in disseminating information on manures and fertilizers. Primarily designed as a textbook, its wide coverage includes varied manures and their preparation and effects; and production and consumption of various fertilizers along with the detailed elucidation of their properties, uses, advantages and disadvantages. Application of both manures and fertilizers—separately and in combination—has been explained in depth in reference to individual crops of extensive variety. It analyses the applied aspects of fertilizers and manures in their entirety and suggests how to adjust them to particular soil and particular style of farming. The book is well supplemented with references and indexes which will prove useful study-aids to readers. Owing to its reader-friendly approach to the subject, simple language and lucid style, the book is accessible even to average readers. While it ideally caters to the academic needs of undergraduate and postgraduate students of Agriculture Science, it is a lasting valuable reference source for researchers and teachers, peasants, geologists and soil surveyors.

Table of Contents:
1. Manures Farmyard Manure Compost Rural Compost Urban Compost Mechanical Composting Direct Application of Uncomposted Materials to Soils Reducing Loss of Nitrogen from Organic Refuse during Composting Process Control of Flies in Manure Preparation Improvement in the Quality of Compost Evaluation of Compost Sewage and Sludge Biogas and Manure Oil Cakes Green Manure Economics of Green Manuring Guano Fish Manure Meat-Meal Blood Meal Horn- and Hoof-Meal Leather-Wastes Hair and Wool Wastes, Silkworm-Wastes Waste Materials from the Sugar Industry Cotton, Tobacco and Tea Wastes Water Hyacinth Effects of Soil Organisms on Crop Growth Biofertilisers Crop Rotation and Soil Fertility References 2. Fertilisers: Production and Consumption Fertiliser Production around the Globe Fertiliser Industry in India Fertiliser Consumption in India Raw Materials Used for Manufacturing Ammonia Manufacture of Ammonia by Steam Reforming Process Manufacture of Ammonia by Partial Oxidation Process Manufacture of Ammonia from Coal Conversion of Ammonia to Ammonium Sulphate Conversion of Ammonia to Ammonium Chloride Conversion of Ammonia to Calcium Ammonium Nitrate Conversion of Ammonia to Urea Rock Phosphate Manufacture of Single Superphosphate Manufacture of Triple Superphosphate Bone-Meal Basic Slag Manufacture of Ammonium Polyphosphate Manufacture of Ammoniated Superphosphate Manufacture of Ammonium Phosphates Manufacture of Ammonium Phosphate Nitrate and Urea Ammonium Phosphate and Ammonium Phosphate-Sulphate Manufacture of Granular Urea Nitrate Phosphate Potential Advantage of Urea Nitrate Phosphate High Analysis Polyphosphate based Liquid Fertiliser Manufacturing Process Advantages of the Liquid Fertiliser and the Process Developed Manufacture of Nitrophosphate Manufacturing of Muriate of Potash Manufacture of Sulphate of Potash Manufacture of Potassium Nitrate Manufacture of Sulphate of Potash from Phosphogypsum Conversion of Mica Waste to Potash Fertiliser Manufacture of Potassium Schoenite Definition of some Fertiliser Terms Granulation of Fertilisers References 3. Fertilisers: Properties and Uses Particle Size of the Fertilisers Critical Relative Humidity of Fertilisers Caking of Fertilisers Physiological Acidity and Basicity of Fertilisers Salt Index of Fertilisers Characteristics of Ammonium Sulphate Reaction in Soil and Use of Ammonium Sulphate Characteristics, Reaction in Soil and Use of Ammonium Chloride Characteristics, Reaction in Soil and Use of Ammonium Nitrate Characteristics and Use of Calcium Ammonium Nitrate Characteristics and Use of Ammonium Sulphate Nitrate Characteristics of Urea Reaction of Urea in the Soil Characteristics of Anhydrous Ammonia and its Application Nitrogen Solution Slowly Available Nitrogenous Fertilisers Nitrification Inhibitors Choice of Nitrogenous Fertilisers Evaluation of Phosphatic Fertilisers Characteristics, Reaction in Soil and Uses of Single Superphosphate and Triple Superphosphate Bone-Meal Characteristics and Uses Characteristics and Uses of Basic Slag Dicalcium Phosphate Reaction in Soil and Uses of Rock Phosphate Residual Effects of Phosphatic Fertiliser Characteristics, Reaction in Soil and Application of Muriate of Potash Characteristics, Reaction in Soil and Application of Sulphate of Potash Complex Fertilisers Characteristics and Use of Nitrophosphate Characteristics and Use of Ammonium Phosphate Urea Ammonium Phosphate and Complex NPK Fertilisers Mixed Fertilisers Development of NPK Fertiliser Free from Chloride Using Ammonia, Phosphoric Acid and Potassium Chloride Desired Characteristics of Granulated Fertilisers Liquid, Suspension and Slurry Fertilisers Sulphur Containing Fertilisers Calcium and Magnesium Fertilisers Fritted Micronurrient Fertilisers Iron Fertilisers Copper Fertilisers Zinc Fertilisers Manganese Fertilisers Boron Fertilisers Molybdenum Fertilisers Slow Release Micronurrient Fertilisers References 4. Manures and Fertilisers: Applications Enrichment of Manures with Fertilisers Use of Fertilisers in Conjunction with Manures Time of Application of Fertilisers Methods of Application of Fertilisers Fertiliser Management and Water Availability Economics of Fertiliser Use Crop Production under Fertiliser Constraint Long Term Fertiliser Experiments in India Fertiliser Application to the Paddy Crop Fertiliser Application to the Wheat Crop Fertiliser Application to the Sorghum Crop Fertiliser Application to the Maize Crop Fertiliser Application to the Sugarcane Crop Fertiliser Application to the Cotton Crop Fertiliser Application to the Jute Crop Fertiliser Appiicarion to the Groundnut Crop (Peanut) Fertiliser Application to the Mustard-Rapeseed Crop Fertiliser Application to the Mustard Raya Crop—Brassica juncea (L) Fertiliser Application to the Pigeon Pea Crop Fertiliser Application to the Chick Pea (Gram) Crop—Cicer arietinum Fertiliser Appbcation to the Green Gram Crop—Vigna radiata (Linn) Fertiliser Application to the Black Gram Crop—Vigna mungo Linn Hepper Fertiliser Application to the Lentil Crop—Lens culinaris Fertiliser Application to the Potato Crop Fertiliser Application to the Pearl Millet Crop—Pennisetum americanum References Author Index Subject Index