Most of the water soluble fertilizers are acid forming fertilizers. Do they affect soil fertility with regard to microbial population?
Yes my dear Jeevan Kumar; application of fertilizer increased the fertility status and thus increase the yield. The acidity produced during the solublization of these fertilizer as such not affect the soil fertility status but in long term and continuous use of same fertilizer that too in huge quantity definitely affect the fertility status of the soil. Thanks
Hola Jeewan
Si los suelos son alcalinos combiene utilizar un fertilizante nitrogenado que deje residuo ácido en el suelo porque ayuda a solubilizar nutientes que para ese pH alcalino no estaría disponibles. La acidificación que pueden generar los fertilziantes en el suelo es de muy corta duración en el suelo, es el momento en que se solubiliza el fertilizante y después el suelo vuelve a su equilibrio.
Saludos
As emphasized by Haleem Shah the pH of the fertilizer itself is indeed irrelevant as far as long-term effects on soil pH is concerned. Consequences on miscibility (bulk blending, mixtures) are not discussed here.
Whether a fertiliser affects soil pH all depends on its reactions (conversions) in soil. For example, urea initially tends to increase soil pH around the urea granule because of hydrolysis combined with release of carbon dioxide, but in the long run the acidifying effect of the ammonium released during this reaction is overwhelming.
Whether the change of soil pH is beneficial or not largely depends on where soil pH is and how it is changing. Acidifying alkaline (calcareous) soils is certainly beneficial for trace nutrient availability.
Finally, I want to urge caution on the use of tables from fertilizer / soil textbooks that state the acidification induced by various fertilisers: For example, the acidifying effect of ammonium sulphate depends also on the fate of the nitrate being formed during nitrification. The more nitrate taken up by the crop in exchange for hydroxide/bicarbonate, the less acidifying the ammonium sulphate. In other word, the acidifying effect of N fertilisers also depends on the efficiency of that fertiliser, and this may differ and could be modified by fertilizer management.
Regards from India
Yes but it depends on how long the acidifying fertilizers are used. The chemistry of acidification has been explained by others who have answered the question. In my country its difficult to change farmers perception of acidifying fertilizers, but combining these fertilizers with organic manure can somehow correct the effects of acidity.
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