Urea is considered an organic fertilizer. Organic fertilizers are derived from natural sources, such as plants, animals, or minerals, and they provide nutrients to plants in a slower, more natural manner compared to synthetic or inorganic fertilizers. Urea is organic because it is derived from organic materials, specifically from the breakdown of proteins in animals or plants. It is a nitrogen-based fertilizer widely used in agriculture to provide plants with a readily available source of nitrogen, which is essential for their growth and development.
@ Naqshe, I consider urea is an inorganic fertilizer. Because it has man made formulae that can be formulated for various speeds of release. Although urea is also called carbamide, is an organic compound with chemical formula CO(NH2)2.
There are two very different definitions for the word "organic", one from chemistry and one from agriculture.
Organic is a system of farming and food production.
Food produced in this way can be labeled with the USDA symbol and sold as ‘organic.’
For organic material in chemistry, see https://www.snexplores.org/article/explainer-chemistry-organic-carbon
Urea is made in the reaction of carbon dioxide with anhydrous ammonia and is inorganic fertilizer but chemically is organic material.
Urea added in soil on hydrolysis gives inorganic compounds ammonia and carbon dioxide. Ammonia is converted to ammonium ions and then to nitrate ion which is uptaken by plants. Products formed in all these steps are inorganic species which justifies its inorganic character.
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