ORGANIC FERTILIZER: NEED OF INDIA

Organic fertilizers are naturally available mineral sources that contain moderate amount of plant essential nutrients. They are capable of mitigating problems associated with synthetic fertilizers. They reduce the necessity of repeated application of synthetic fertilizers to maintain soil fertility. They gradually release nutrients into the soil solution and maintain nutrient balance for healthy growth of crop plants. They also act as an effective energy source of soil microbes which in turn improve soil structure and crop growth. Organic fertilizers are generally thought to be slow releasing fertilizers and they contain many trace elements. They are safer alternatives to chemical fertilizers. However, the improper use of organic fertilizers leads to overfertilization or nutrient deficiency in the soil. Hence, controlled release of organic fertilizers is an effective and advanced way to overcome these impacts and maintain sustainable agriculture yield.[a]

有机肥（Organic fertilizers）是天然可获取的矿物类资源，蕴含适量植物必需营养成分。其能够缓解合成肥料（synthetic fertilizers）带来的各类问题，可降低为维持土壤肥力（soil fertility）而重复施用合成肥料的必要性。有机肥可将养分逐步释放至土壤溶液（soil solution）中，维持养分平衡以保障作物健康生长；同时可作为土壤微生物（soil microbes）的高效能量来源，进而改善土壤结构（soil structure）并促进作物生长。通常认为有机肥属于缓释肥料，且富含多种微量元素（trace elements），是相较于化学肥料（chemical fertilizers）更为安全的替代方案。然而，有机肥施用不当会引发土壤过度施肥或养分缺乏（nutrient deficiency）问题。因此，有机肥控释技术是克服上述弊端、维持可持续农业（sustainable agriculture）产量的高效先进手段。[a]