Relationship between Balanced Fertilization and Healthy Agricultural Products (A Review)

Subject Areas : Journal of Crop Ecophysiology

M.J.  Malakouti ¹ (Professor, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Tarbiat-e-Moddaress, Tehran, Iran)

Received: 2010-06-17 Accepted : 2011-05-02 Published : 2011-01-21

Keywords: Soil quality, Balanced fertilization, Producing agricultural products with low nitrate (NO3) and cadmium (Cd) content, Promotion of human health,

Abstract :

Based on World Health Organization (WHO) report, our society’s health ranks 123 among 192 countries. Unfortunately, this ranking position is very low and its main reason is malnutrition due to imbalanced fertilization. Although more than 85% of Iranian people are not hungry, about 90% of them are suffering from cell hunger, because agricultural authorities and hence producers do not pay attention to food security. According to the latest information, about 86.5% of applied fertilizers in our country appertain to urea and triple super phosphate. In fact, this is an alarming issue in respect to the production of healthy agricultural products and it remains a threat to food security. At present, a total subsidy of more than 7,000 billion rials is paid for nitrogen (N) and phosphate (P) fertilizers. Whereas, it should be considered that, firstly, the efficiency of these fertilizers, due to different reasons such as mismanagement and existing subsidy level, is low and, secondly, the overuse of these fertilizers causes the accumulation of nitrate (NO3) and cadmium (Cd) in agricultural products. Furthermore, according to the law of minimum, the overdosed fertilizers do not have any special positive effect on sustainable production and society’s health. Paying for such high-cost subsidy just for N and P-fertilizers has caused farmers to overuse and waste these fertilizers in the country and moreover not having any tendency to apply biologic, organic and micronutrient fertilizers. Whereas, the application of these fertilizers, beside their adaptability with the environment, has a very positive effect on the human health. Therefore, at this time scientific management of production and application of all kinds of fertilizers is inevitable. In this case, by improving the quality of all types of fertilizers, and following the principle of balanced fertilization, besides achieving the desired yield increase, the quality of agricultural products will be enhanced and the level of society’s health will be promoted automatically. Furthermore, there is a close and positive relationship between balanced fertilization and production of healthy agricultural products. The authorities of  the Ministry of Jehad-e- Agriculture are supposed to consider this important principle for a) supplying suitable kinds and amounts of fertilizers during  application seasons in producing agricultural products; b) banning  the act of burning the plants' residues; c) considering the rules of balanced fertilization; d) enrichment of agricultural products on the farm; e) scientific management of production and application of all kinds of fertilizers; f) implementing the criteria set for Article 61 of the Fourth Development Plan; g) avoiding the import of P-fertilizers which contain Cd in excess of 25 mg/kg and h) removing the subsidy on N and P-fertilizers in order to increase the yield and quality of agricultural products and enhance society's health.