Solution Fertilisers: The Crucial Properties

Keywords: solution fertilisers, solubility, compatibility, eutectic, viscosity, wettability, crystallisation temperatures, colligative properties.

This paper reviews those properties which are particularly important to manufacturers, distributors and end-users of solution fertilisers. A comprehensive survey of solubility data covering a wide range of plant nutrient ratios is a special feature. The paper also addresses the properties of solutions which influence the application process including the actual generation of droplets at nozzles and their interaction with foliage. In this context the contributions of viscosity and surface tension are explored in some depth. Parameters like density, pH, electrical conductivity, etc, which can be measured on a routine basis are correlated with composition to illustrate reliable quality control procedures.

Derek A Palgrave, Crosfield House, Stanton, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk IP31 2DY, UK.

32 Pages, 38 Figures, 34 References.