- the growth of the plant can be achieved in farming by the application of fertilisers to the soil
- fertilisers normally take the forms of Nitrates, Phosphates or both.
- these compounds go down into the soil and taken up from the roots. It is then moved into the transpiration stream up to the leaf and used in the leaf. (nitrates go on to form proteins, phosphates are involved in DNA and membrane structure)
- the fertilisers can be divided into two groups: organic and artificial
- produced from animal waste on farms, e.g. cow faeces
- collected by the farmer and goes through the process of decomposition and fermentation
- it forms a substance known as 'slurry'
- it is applied to the fields, giving the crop plants a supply of nitrate and phosphate to promote growth
2. Artificial fertilisers- take forms of chemicals that are synthetically produced
- Potassium Nitrate and Ammonium Nitrate - can be bought by farmer
- applied to the field
- go into solution in the soil water and this will release the nitrates
- promotes growth in the same way as organic compounds
problems caused through the fertilisers
- leaching: if the nutrients in the fertilisers aren't taken up, they could be washed out of the soil by the rain and enter streams and rivers. This then causes eutrophication
- Eutrophication: process that takes place when freshwater is enriched by nutrients, especially nitrates and phosphates
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