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Common Fertilizers Used in Virginia: Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potassium

ID

SPES-199NP

Authors as Published

Mark Reiter, Associate Professor and Extension Soils and Nutrient Management

Introduction

Macro elements are used in large quantities by plants for optimal growth. Ensuring an adequate nutrient supply over the growing season and applied at proper timings with correct rates is imperative for efficient fertilizer use efficiency. For fertilizers, fully understanding what nutrient sources are available and some fertilizer basic characteristics is imperative for using nutrients economically in Virginia production systems. For liquid materials, understanding the weight per gallon is needed in conjunction with fertilizer nutrient labeling (i.e. % N-P2O5-K2O) to calculate total nutrient applied. While not substantial, temperature can also impact liquid fertilizer density; which slightly changes application rates (Table 1). This publication will summarize commonly used fertilizers in Virginia for nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) (Table 2). Several fertilizer products have a range for nutrient concentrations, as raw products may vary. When possible, the most common form used in Virginia is presented. However, note that your local fertilizer dealers’ product may vary slightly and their label should be used instead of this document.

Table 1. Nitrogen fertilizer density and applied nutrient per gallon changes with temperature.

Material Supplying Nitrogen Fertilizer Nitrogen (%N) Density Temperature (°F) Density (lbs./gallon) Nitrogen (lbs. N/gallon) Salt Out Temperature (°F)
Urea-ammonium nitrate 28 30 10.76 3.01 1
    50 10.70 3.00  
    60 10.67 2.99  
    70 10.64 2.98  
    80 10.61 2.97  
    90 10.58 2.96  
           
Urea-ammonium nitrate 30 30 10.99 3.30 14
    50 10.93 3.28  
    60 10.90 3.27  
    70 10.87 3.26  
    80 10.84 3.25  
    90 10.81 3.24  
           
Urea-ammonium nitrate 32 30 11.14 3.56 28
    50 11.09 3.55  
    60 11.05 3.54  
    70 11.02 3.53  
    80 10.99 3.52  
    90 10.95 3.50  

Table 2. Common fertilizer sources used in Virginia for nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium nutrient applications.

Material Supplying Synonyms Chemical Formula Nitrogen (%N) Phosphate (%P2O5) Potash (%K2O) Other
Nutrients
Physical
State
Weight per gallon for liquids (lbs./gal.)
Nitrogen                
Ammonium nitrate --- NH4NO3 33-34 0 0 --- solid ---
Ammonium sulfate AMS (NH4)2SO4 21 0 0 24% S solid ---
Ammonium sulfate, liquid --- (NH4)2SO4 8 0 0 9% S liquid, salt out at 15°F 10.14
Ammonium thiosulfate --- (NH4)2S2O3 12 0 0 26% S liquid, salt out at 20°F 11.18
Anhydrous ammonia --- NH3 82 0 0 --- gas 5.15
Calcium nitrate Lime nitrate, nitrocalcite, lime saltpeter, Norwegian saltpeter Ca(NO3)2 15 0 0 21% Ca solid ---
Sodium nitrate Chilean saltpeter, Chilean nitrate NaNO3 16 0 0 26% Na solid ---
Urea Carbamide CO(NH2)2 45-46 0 0 --- solid ---
Urea-ammonium nitrate Liquid nitrogen, UAN28 CO(NH2)2·NH4NO3 28 0 0 --- liquid, salt out at 1°F 10.66
Urea-ammonium nitrate Liquid nitrogen, UAN30 CO(NH2)2·NH4NO3 30 0 0 --- liquid, salt out at 14°F 10.88
Urea-ammonium nitrate Liquid nitrogen, UAN32 CO(NH2)2·NH4NO3 32 0 0 --- liquid, salt out at 28°F 11.06
Urea-ammonium nitrate, sulfur blend UANS Various 24 0 0 3% S liquid 10.68
Urea-ammonium nitrate, sulfur blend UANS Various 28 0 0 5% S liquid, salt out at 10°F 10.76
Phosphorus                
Ammonium polyphosphate APP, Polyphosphate [NH4PO3]n(OH)2 10 34 0 1.4% S liquid, salt out at -10°F 11.63
Ammonium polyphosphate APP, Polyphosphate [NH4PO3]n(OH)2 11 37 0 1.6% S liquid, salt out at <32°F 11.99
Bone, ground and raw Raw bone meal --- 4-6 16-27 0 --- solid ---
Bone, steamed meal Bone flour meal --- 2 20-28 0 --- solid ---
Diammonium phosphate DAP (NH4)2HPO4 18 46 0 --- solid ---
Ground rock phosphate Phosphorite, mineral phosphate [Ca5(PO4,CO3)3(F,OH)] 0 5-48 0 --- solid ---
Monoammonium phosphate MAP NH4H2PO4 11 52 0 --- solid ---
Poultry litter Litter, chicken litter --- 2-4 2-4 2 0.4% S solid ---
Superphosphate, single SSP, ordinary supersphosphate, normal superphosphate Ca(H2PO4)2·H2O 0 16-20 0 18-21% Ca; 11-21% S solid ---
Superphosphate, triple TSP Ca(H2PO4)2·H2O 0 44-48 0 13-15% Ca solid ---
                 
Potassium                
Polyhalite --- K2SO4·MgSO4·2CaSO4· 2H2O 0 0 14 19% S, 4% Mg, 12% Ca solid ---
Potassium chloride Muriate of potash, KCl KCl 0 0 60 48% Cl solid ---
Potassium magnesium sulfate Langbeinite, Sul-Po- Mag, K-Mag K2SO4·2MgSO4 0 0 22 11% Mg, 22% S, <2.5% Cl solid ---
Potassium nitrate Nitrate of potash, NOP, saltpeter KNO3 13 0 44 --- solid ---
Potassium orthophosphate Potassium phosphate solution --- 0 20 20 --- Liquid, salt out at 10°F 12.04
Potassium sulfate Sulfate of potash, SOP K2SO4 0 0 48-54 17-20% S, <2.5% Cl solid ---
Potassium thiosulfate KTS K2S2O3 0 0 25 17% S liquid, salt out at <15°F 12.18

References

AdvanSix. 2019. “Liquid Fertilizer Formulation Guide.” Last Accessed April 2, 2020. https://www.advansix.com/ammoniumsulfate/?document=liquid-fertilizer-formulation-guide-203-kb&download=1

Alley, M.M. 2000. “Part VIII: Fertilizers.” Agronomy Handbook. Publication 424-100. Virginia Cooperative Extension, Blacksburg.

Binford, G.D. 2006. “Chapter 8: Commercial Fertilizers.” The Mid-Atlantic Nutrient Management Handbook. Gowariker, V. 2009. “The Fertilizer Encyclopedia.” John Wiley & Son, Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey. Havlin, J.L.,

J.D. Beaton, S.L. Tisdale, and W.L. Nelson. 1999. “Soil Fertility and Fertilizers, 6th Edition.” Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle River, New Jersey.

International Plant Nutrition Institute. 2019. “Nutrient Source Specifics.” Last Accessed April 3, 2020. http://www.ipni.net/specifics-en

Liquid Products, LLC. 2020. “Agriculture – Liquid Nutrients.” Last Accessed April 3, 2020. 
https://liquidproducts.net/agriculture/liquid-nutrients/

Leikam, D.F. 2020. “Fluid Fertilizer Density.” Fluid Fertilizer Foundation. Last Accessed April 3, 2020. https://fluidfertilizer.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/Fluid-Fertilizer-Density-1.pdf

Mosaic. 2020. “Single Superphosphate.” Last Accessed April 3, 2020. https://www.cropnutrition.com/resource-library/single-superphosphate

Nutrien. 2018. “Ammonium Polyphosphate.” Last Accessed April 3, 2020. 
https://www.nutrien.com/sites/default/files/products/datasheet/Nutrien_SS_FER_POLY11.pdf

Publication MAWP-0602. Last Accessed April 3, 2020. https://extension.psu.edu/programs/nutrient-management/educational/nutrient-management-general/mid-atlantic-nutrient-management-handbook

Reiter, M.S. and C.E. Ervin. 2020. “Fertilizer: The Many Forms You Can Use.” Publication SPES-187NP. Virginia Cooperative Extension, Blacksburg.

Sirius Minerals, LTD. 2019. “POLY4 Granular Product Specification Sheet.” Last Accessed April 2, 2020. https://www.poly4.com/site/assets/files/1224/granular_specifcation_sheet_-_october_19.pdf

Acknowledgements

I would like to thank Taylor Clarke, Mecklenburg County Extension, and Scott Reiter, Prince George County Extension, for their guidance on fertilizer products and document review. Funding for this work was provided in part by the Virginia Agricultural Experiment Station and the Hatch program of the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, US Department of Agriculture.


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Publication Date

April 7, 2020