• ISBN13: 9788126942695
• Binding: Hardcover
• Subject: Bio-Science and Agriculture
• Publisher: Atlantic Publishers & Distributors (P) Ltd
• Publisher Imprint: Atlantic
• Publication Date: November 22, 2025
• Pages: 184
• Original Price: INR 895.0
• Language: English
• Edition: N/A
• Item Weight: 540 grams
• BISAC Subject(s): Agriculture / Irrigation, Agriculture / Agronomy / Soil Science, and Agriculture / Sustainable Agriculture

Manures and Fertilizers is a comprehensive, reader-friendly textbook designed to spread essential knowledge on soil fertility management, particularly in developing countries like India, where many farmers still cultivate crops without adequate nutrient application, leading to low yields. With the demands of a growing population, maintaining soil fertility is vital to securing food and livelihoods. The book offers in-depth coverage of various manures, composts, fertilizers and agricultural by-products, discussing their preparation, properties, uses and effects, as well as their advantages and limitations. It explains the proper application of manures and fertilizers—both individually and in combination—across a wide range of crops, while also showing how their use can be adapted to different soils and farming methods. Supplemented with detailed references and indexes, it serves both as a practical study aid and as a guide for deeper research. Written in clear, accessible language, the book is ideal for undergraduate and postgraduate students of Agricultural Science, as well as researchers, teachers, farmers, geologists and soil surveyors.

A. K. Kolay, Msc (Agriculture), PhD, is a retired professor from the School of Agricultural Science and Rural Development at North-Eastern Hill University, Shillong. He also served with the Soil Conservation Department of the Government of Himachal Pradesh and the National Bureau of Soil Survey and Land Use Planning, New Delhi, further enriching his extensive expertise in the field. A prolific author, Dr. Kolay has devoted himself to writing books on soil science, specifically designed for students and educators in agricultural universities and institutions. His work reflects a lifelong commitment to advancing agricultural education and promoting awareness of soil management and conservation practices.

• Preface ……………………..iii
Manures …………………1-32
• 1.1 Farmyard Manure ……………1
• 1.2 Compost ………………………….4
• 1.3 Rural Compost …………………5
• 1.4 Urban Compost ………………..8
• 1.5 Mechanical Composting …………..9
• 1.6 Direct Application of Uncomposted Materials to Soils …………….9
• 1.7 Reducing Loss of Nitrogen from Organic Refuse during Composting Process ……10
• 1.8 Control of Flies in Manure Preparation ……………….11
• 1.9 Improvement in the Quality of Compost …………….11
• 1.10 Evaluation of Compost ……………………………………….11
• 1.11 Sewage and Sludge ………………………….12
• 1.12 Biogas and Manure ………………………….13
• 1.13 Oil Cakes …………………………………………15
• 1.14 Green Manure ……………………16
• 1.15 Economics of Green Manuring ………………20
• 1.16 Guano ……………………21
• 1.17 Fish Manure …………..21
• 1.18 Meat-Meal ……………..22
• 1.19 Blood Meal ………………22
• 1.20 Horn- and Hoof-Meal ………..22
• 1.21 Leather-Wastes ………………….23
• 1.22 Hair and Wool Wastes, Silkworm-Wastes …………..23
• 1.23 Waste Materials from the Sugar Industry ……………23
• 1.24 Cotton, Tobacco and Tea Wastes …………………………24
• 1.25 Water Hyacinth ……………………….24
• 1.26 Effects of Soil Organisms on Crop Growth ……………24
• 1.27 Biofertilisers ……………………28
• 1.28 Crop Rotation and Soil Fertility References …………….30
Fertilisers: Production and Consumption ………………33-77
• 2.1 Fertiliser Production around the Globe ………………33
• 2.2 Fertiliser Industry in India …………………….36
• 2.3 Fertiliser Consumption in India …………….52
• 2.4 Raw Materials Used for Manufacturing Ammonia …………55
• 2.5 Manufacture of Ammonia by Steam Reforming Process ………..56
• 2.6 Manufacture of Ammonia by Partial Oxidation Process ………….57
• 2.7 Manufacture of Ammonia from Coal ………………..58
• 2.8 Conversion of Ammonia to Ammonium Sulphate ……………..58
• 2.9 Conversion of Ammonia to Ammonium Chloride ……………….59
• 2.10 Conversion of Ammonia to Calcium Ammonium Nitrate …………59
• 2.11 Conversion of Ammonia to Urea ……………..60
• 2.12 Rock Phosphate …………….61
• 2.13 Manufacture of Single Superphosphate …………62
• 2.14 Manufacture of Triple Superphosphate ………….63
• 2.15 Bone-Meal ……………….63
• 2.16 Basic Slag ………………….64
• 2.17 Manufacture of Ammonium Polyphosphate …………64
• 2.18 Manufacture of Ammoniated Superphosphate ……….65
• 2.19 Manufacture of Ammonium Phosphates …………………65
• 2.20 Manufacture of Ammonium Phosphate Nitrate and Urea Ammonium Phosphate and Ammonium Phosphate-Sulphate ………….65
• 2.21 Manufacture of Granular Urea Nitrate Phosphate ………………66
• 2.22 Potential Advantage of Urea Nitrate Phosphate ………………….67
• 2.23 High Analysis Polyphosphate based Liquid Fertiliser Manufacturing Process …….68
• 2.24 Advantages of the Liquid Fertiliser and the Process Developed ………………..69
• 2.25 Manufacture of Nitrophosphate ……….69
• 2.26 Manufacturing of Muriate of Potash ………..71
• 2.27 Manufacture of Sulphate of Potash ……………..72
• 2.28 Manufacture of Potassium Nitrate ……………..72
• 2.29 Manufacture of Sulphate of Potash from Phosphogypsum ……………73
• 2.30 Conversion of Mica Waste to Potash Fertiliser ……………73
• 2.31 Manufacture of Potassium Schoenite ……………74
• 2.32 Definition of some Fertiliser Terms ………………..74
• 2.33 Granulation of Fertilisers ………………….75
• References …………..77
Fertilisers: Properties and Uses …………..78-116
• 3.1 Particle Size of the Fertilisers ………………..78
• 3.2 Critical Relative Humidity of Fertilisers ……….79
• 3.3 Caking of Fertilisers ……………..79
• 3.4 Physiological Acidity and Basicity of Fertilisers ………..80
• 3.5 Salt Index of Fertilisers ………………82
• 3.6 Characteristics of Ammonium Sulphate …….83
• 3.7 Reaction in Soil and Use of Ammonium Sulphate ………..83
• 3.8 Characteristics, Reaction in Soil and Use of Ammonium Chloride ……..85
• 3.9 Characteristics, Reaction in Soil and Use of Ammonium Nitrate ………..85
• 3.10 Characteristics and Use of Calcium Ammonium Nitrate ………………86
• 3.11 Characteristics and Use of Ammonium Sulphate Nitrate ……………..87
• 3.12 Characteristics of Urea ………………….87
• 3.13 Reaction of Urea in the Soil ……………..88
• 3.14 Characteristics of Anhydrous Ammonia and its Application ………89
• 3.15 Nitrogen Solution ………………90
• 3.16 Slowly Available Nitrogenous Fertilisers ……………….91
• 3.17 Nitrification Inhibitors ………………..94
• 3.18 Choice of Nitrogenous Fertilisers ……………94
• 3.19 Evaluation of Phosphatic Fertilisers …………95
• 3.20 Characteristics, Reaction in Soil and Uses of Single Superphosphate and Triple Superphosphate ………96
• 3.21 Bone-Meal Characteristics and Uses …………….98
• 3.22 Characteristics and Uses of Basic Slag ……………..99
• 3.23 Dicalcium Phosphate ……………..99
• 3.24 Reaction in Soil and Uses of Rock Phosphate ………..100
• 3.25 Residual Effects of Phosphatic Fertiliser ………………..100
• 3.26 Characteristics, Reaction in Soil and Application of Muriate of Potash ……….100
• 3.27 Characteristics, Reaction in Soil and Application of Sulphate of Potash ………101
• 3.28 Complex Fertilisers …………..101
• 3.29 Characteristics and Use of Nitrophosphate …………102
• 3.30 Characteristics and Use of Ammonium Phosphate ……….103
• 3.31 Urea Ammonium Phosphate and Complex NPK Fertilisers ………….103
• 3.32 Mixed Fertilisers ……….104
• 3.33 Development of NPK Fertiliser Free from Chloride Using Ammonia, Phosphoric Acid and Potassium Chloride ………….107
• 3.34 Desired Characteristics of Granulated Fertilisers ………….107
• 3.35 Liquid, Suspension and Slurry Fertilisers ………….108
• 3.36 Sulphur Containing Fertilisers ………………109
• 3.37 Calcium and Magnesium Fertilisers …………..110
• 3.38 Fritted Micronutrient Fertilisers …………………112
• 3.39 Iron Fertilisers …………….112
• 3.40 Copper Fertilisers ………..113
• 3.41 Zinc Fertilisers ……………….113
• 3.42 Manganese Fertilisers ………114
• 3.43 Boron Fertilisers ………………114
• 3.44 Molybdenum Fertilisers ……….114
• 3.45 Slow Release Micronutrient Fertilisers …………115
• References ………..115
Manures and Fertilisers: Applications ………..117-167
• 4.1 Enrichment of Manures with Fertilisers …………117
• 4.2 Use of Fertilisers in Conjunction with Manures ………….120
• 4.3 Time of Application of Fertilisers ………………..120
• 4.4 Methods of Application of Fertilisers …………….121
• 4.5 Fertiliser Management and Water Availability …………..124
• 4.6 Economics of Fertiliser Use ……………..125
• 4.7 Crop Production under Fertiliser Constraint …………..128
• 4.8 Long Term Fertiliser Experiments in India ………..131
• 4.9 Fertiliser Application to the Paddy Crop …………138
• 4.10 Fertiliser Application to the Wheat Crop ……………140
• 4.11 Fertiliser Application to the Sorghum Crop ………….142
• 4.12 Fertiliser Application to the Maize Crop ……………..142
• 4.13 Fertiliser Application to the Sugarcane Crop ………….142
• 4.14 Fertiliser Application to the Cotton Crop ………………143
• 4.15 Fertiliser Application to the Jute Crop ………………145
• 4.16 Fertiliser Application to the Groundnut Crop (Peanut) …………146
• 4.17 Fertiliser Application to the Mustard-Rapeseed Crop …………….147
• 4.18 Fertiliser Application to the Mustard Raya Crop-Brassica juncea (L)………148
• 4.19 Fertiliser Application to the Pigeon Pea Crop …………150
• 4.20 Fertiliser Application to the Chick Pea (Gram) Crop Cicer arietinum ……….150
• 4.21 Fertiliser Application to the Green Gram Crop-Vigna radiata (Linn) ………152
• 4.22 Fertiliser Application to the Black Gram Crop-Vigna mungo Linn Hepper ………..153
• 4.23 Fertiliser Application to the Lentil Crop-Lens culinaris …………….154
• 4.24 Fertiliser Application to the Potato Crop ………….155
• 4.25 Fertiliser Application to the Pearl Millet Crop-Pennisetum americanum …….158
• References ………..159
• Author Index ………169
• Subject Index ………173