What are the advantages of using suspension fertilizers?

Question

What are the advantages of using suspension fertilizers?

Answer 1

In Clear solutions, the nutrients are completely dissolved in water. The major advantage is ease of handling. In addition, the phosphorus in these materials is highly water soluble. The disadvantages are that only relatively low analyses are possible, especially when the material contains potassium, and the cost per unit of nutrients is generally higher. Clear solutions are equal in agronomic effectiveness to other types of fertilizers, ehen equal amounts of plant food are compared.

Suspension fertilizers are fluids in which solubility of the components has been exceeded and clay has been added to keep the very fine, undissolved, fertilizer particles from settling out. The major advantage is that they can be handled as a fluid. Another advantage of suspensions is that they can be formulated at much higher analyses than clear solutions. Analyses as high as those of dry materials are possible. The major disadvantages ae that suspensions require constant agitation, even in storage, and suspension fertilizer cannot be used as a carrier for certain chemicals, for example Paraquat. As in the case of clear solutions, the agronomic effectiveness of suspensions is equal to other types of fertilizer materials when equal amounts of plant food are compared.

they are relatively unstable in cool climates. (These products must be used soon after purchase; if they are not, they tend to coagulate.) The short storage time of suspension grade fertilizers makes them unattractive to many farmers

Answer 2

Basically these are fertilizers in liquid form, or fertilizers dissolved in liquid, mainly water.

There is slight difference in liquid fertilizers and suspension fertilizers. Fertilizers that don’t dissolve in water; suspend their particles in liquid; these are Potash, phosphate fertilizers and usually clay is mixed to aid suspending of the particles. Liquid fertilizers can be used in flood, drip, sprinkler; pitcher systems of irrigation, suspension can only be used in flood irrigation system or applied directly in to the plant root zone, making it labour intensive.

Advantages of liquid fertilizers are many,

1.One can make exact amount in terms of ppm of specified dose of particular element. Over doses are avoided.

2.Major, minor and micro elements can be supplied.

3.Easy to apply

4.Spreads evenly underground; under the plants or in the root zone of trees. They go where ever water goes.

5.Can mix various elements (If not clashing with each other), even pesticides and fungicides can be added. Saving in labor.

6.Can mix useful bacteria and fungi that will aid in digestion and absorption of given fertilizers in to the plants.

7.Can be sprayed over leaves, on ground etc.

8.Plants readily absorb such supplies.

9.Environmental friendly; chances of drainage in to ground water and precipitation in to atmosphere are reduced to great extent.

10.Technique can be used by chemical farmers, bio-dynamic farmers and organic farmers too. (Compost teas, animal dung slurries, bio-dynamic preparations etc. can be supplied through water.)

Answer 3

Suspension fertilizers are fluids in which solubility of the components has been exceeded and clay has been added to keep the very fine, undissolved, fertilizer particles from settling out. The major advantage is that they can be handled as a fluid. Another advantage of suspensions is that they can be formulated at much higher analysis than clear solutions. Analysis as high as those of dry materials are possible. The major disadvantages are that suspensions require constant agitation, even in storage, and suspension fertilizer cannot be used as a carrier for certain chemicals, for example Paraquat. As in the case of clear solutions, the agronomic effectiveness of suspensions is equal to other types of fertilizer materials when equal amounts of plant food are compared.

Answer 4

Is it me or is it that many contributors site/ paraphrase the same sources, almost verbatim, kind of like bought and sold school papers.

Anyway, all forms of fertilizers/ agro-chemicals have strong and weak points. All need to be judged on content and environmental effect as well as the nutritional needs of a crop. In the soil solution and it's relationship to the plant, the nutrients and the plant don't care. But in the environment and it's relationship to us we do/ should. Organic and sustainable agriculture is about the soil and environment and the long term relationship we have with that piece of land. Very little has come along in the form of suspensions that meets that criteria, except to say that organic materials in concentration would almost have to be a suspension.

To directly answer the question, everything is dependent on the product, intended use, cost comparison, and the location.  Does it get the job done with minimum labor/ cost and how is the crop compared to other products? Do you need to buy special equipment to use it small or large scale? It is all in the cost/ harvest/ acre.