Compost and Chemical Fertilizer

Compost  Fertilizer: Compost is organic matter that has been decomposed in a process called composting.
This process recycles various organic materials otherwise regarded as waste products
and produces a soil conditioner (the compost).

Compost is rich in nutrients. It is used, for example, in gardens, landscaping, horticulture, urban agriculture and organic farming. The compost itself is beneficial for the land in many ways, including as a soil conditioner, a fertilizer, addition of vital humus or humic acids, and as a natural pesticide for soil. Compost is useful for erosion control, land and stream reclamation, wetland construction, and as landfill cover. Compost is either prepared by decaying soft plants on pit or from animal manure. The advantages of compost fertilizers are

• Provide humus in soil
• Act as natural insecticide for soil
• Preserve humidity of soil
• They contain most of all nutrients needed for plants
  
  
  
• Maintain acidity of soil
• No environmental pollution
• No harm to microorganism in soil

Drawbacks:

• Heavy and nuisance for transport
• Long term process of formation
• Expensive compared to chemical fertilizer

Chemical fertilizer: The fertilizers prepared from chemical process by use of different minerals is called chemical fertilizers.

• Nitrogen fertilizer: Ammonium nitrate, Ammonium sulphate and urea are known as nitrogen fertilizers.  Nitrogen fertilizers help plant to grow their tissues, protein synthesis and photosynthesis. Due to lack of nitrogen in soil plant leaves turn to yellow, flower and fruit become small and premature fall.
• Phosphorus fertilizer: ammonium phosphate, super phosphate and triple phosphate are examples of phosphorus fertilizers. It helps plant to develop fruit and seed properly.
• Potassium fertilizer: potassium chloride, potassium nitrate and potassium sulphate examples of potassium fertilizers. Potassium help protein synthesis and photosynthesis in plants.

Chemical fertilizers are cheaper and easier to transport than organic fertilizer but they have following drawbacks

• Pollution is created on air, water and soil
• Depreciation of fertility of soil
• Rivers and streams are polluted and aquatic animals are affected
• Unwanted weeds are grown heavily
• Ecosystem is affected