© This intellectual property belongs to Ved Prakash 2012

Email: ved.bakli@gmail.com

HOME – MADE FERTILIZER

a fertilizer is a chemical substance which is added to soil in order to replenish its lost

chemical fertility . One of the major demerits with inorganic fertilizers is its cost . A lot of

people, specially the farmers face problems due to the high prices of artificial fertilizers .

The reason for the high prices of fertilizers are :-

● manufacturing costs

● expensive raw materials

● labour charge

● transport charge

● personal benefits of retailors

the last three reasons almost double the prices . So, it would be much better & cost effective to

some how manufacture them at home and that also by using household waste ! It will also help in

reduction of environmental pollution.

In order to overcome above stated problems, i invented an artificial home-made fertilizer

using dead batteries & house-hold chemicals.

Chemicals added :-

● boric acid [B(OH)3]--- boron

● common salt [NaCl]----- sodium & chloride

● potash alum [K2SO4.Al2SO4.24H2O] {Phitkiri}------ potassium , aluminium & sulphate

● dry cell (torch battery) parts

● zinc chloride [ZnCl2] ------ zinc & chloride

● ammonium chloride [NH4Cl]----- ammonium & chloride ions

● manganese dioxide [MnO2 ]--- manganese

● iron rust [FeO.Fe2O3.xH2O]----- ferrous & ferric ions

● water

● urine [urea solution].

● Limestone [CaCO3]

the ions which were furnished are:-

Boron[B3+

] , Sodium [Na+ ] , Chloride [Cl

-] , Potassium [K

+] , Aluminium [ Al

3+] , Zinc [Zn

2+] ,

Ammonium [NH4+

] , Manganese [Mn4+

] , Iron [ferrous Fe2+

& ferric Fe3+

].

This mixture was left undisturbed for 1 month . Then it was diluted 50 times & was then

added to soil. The plants suffering from various plant diseases such as purple colouration of

© This intellectual property belongs to Ved Prakash 2012

Email: ved.bakli@gmail.com

leaves, stunted growth, dull & deformed leaves, dieing nodes & buds, chlorosis (yellow

colouration of leaves) etc. were treated with this mixture.

They recovered within a week & beautiful , healthy & fleshy leaves sprouted out. Size of

the new leaves were almost four times the diseased ones ! Within a month, the plant recovered

completely form the diseased conditions . This showed the effectiveness of the fertilizer even

under such crude experimental conditions.

Very soon this experiment will be conducted at NISER under much more controlled

conditions so as to know the merits & demerits further improvements of this fertilizer .

References:

1. Wikipedia

2. NCERT class XII text book

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copied material from internet. Boron

Stunted growth, foliage small, yellow and puckered at tips.

Symptoms include dying growing tips and bushy stunted growth.

Boron is believed to be involved in carbohydrate transport in plants; it also assists in metabolic

regulation. Boron deficiency will often result in bud dieback.

Calcium

Symptoms

Calcium deficiency symptoms appear initially as generally stunted plant growth, necrotic leaf

margins on young leaves or curling of the leaves, and eventual death of terminal buds and root

tips. Generally the new growth of the plant is affected first. The mature leaves may be affected if

© This intellectual property belongs to Ved Prakash 2012

Email: ved.bakli@gmail.com

the problem persists

iron

Symptoms include leaves turning yellow or brown in the margins between the veins which may

remain green, while young leaves may appear to be bleached. Fruit is of poor quality and

quantity.

Magnesium

Symptoms include, yellowing between leaf veins, which stay green, giving a marbled

appearance. This begins with older leaves and spreads to younger growth.

Manganese

yellowing of leaves with smallest leaf veins remaining green to produce a ‘chequered’ effect. The

plant may seem to grow away from the problem so that younger leaves may appear to be

unaffected. Brown spots may appear on leaf surfaces, and severely affected leaves turn brown

and wither. Manganese activates some important enzymes involved in chlorophyll formation.

Manganese deficient plants will develop chlorosis between the veins of its leaves. The

availability of manganese is partially dependent on soil pH.

Nitrogen

Symptoms include poor plant growth, leaves are pale green or yellow in the case of brassicas.

Lower leaves show symptoms first. Leaves in this state are said to be etiolated with reduced

chlorophyll. Flowering and fruiting may be delayed.

Phosphorus

Symptoms include poor growth, and leaves that turn blue/green but not yellow—oldest leaves

are affected first. Fruits are small and acid tasting.

Potassium

Plants require potassium ions (K+) for protein synthesis and for the opening and closing of

stomata, which is regulated by proton pumps to make surrounding guard cells either turgid or

flaccid. A deficiency of potassium ions can impair a plant's ability to maintain these processes.

The deficiency most commonly affects fruits and vegetables, notably potatoes, tomatoes, apples,

currants, and gooseberries, and typical symptoms are brown scorching and curling of leaf tips,

and yellowing of leaf veins. Purple spots may also appear on the leaf undersides.

Chlorine is necessary for osmosis and ionic balance; it also plays a role in photosynthesis.

Cobalt is essential to plant health. Cobalt is thought to be an important catalyst in nitrogen

fixation. It may need to be added to some soils before seeding legumes.

Copper is a component of some enzymes and of vitamin A. Symptoms of copper deficiency

include browning of leaf tips and chlorosis.

Iron is essential for chlorophyll synthesis, which is why an iron deficiency results in chlorosis.

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Email: ved.bakli@gmail.com

Molybdenum is essential to plant health. Molybdenum is used by plants to reduce nitrates into

usable forms. Some plants use it for nitrogen fixation, thus it may need to be added to some soils

before seeding legumes.

Zinc participates in chlorophyll formation, and also activates many enzymes. Symptoms of zinc

deficiency include chlorosis and stunted growth.