Difference between Manure and Fertilizer

Difference between Manure and Fertilizer

Manure

Manures are natural fertilizers. They are bulky sources of organic matter which supply nutrients in small quantities, and organic matter in large quantities. Manures are prepared by the decomposed animal excreta and plant waste. Manures include farmyard manure (FYM), compost, green manures, vermicompost, etc.

Advantages of manures

Manures affect the soil in following three ways:

1. Manures enrich the soil with nutrients. They replenish the general deficiency of nutrients in the soil. Since manures contain less nutrients they need to be used in large quantities.
2. Manures add organic matter (called humus) to the soil which restores the soil texture, for better retention of water and aeration of soil. For example, organic matter present in the manures increases the water holding capacity in sandy soils and drainage in clayey soil. They also prevent water logging in clay soils.
3. The organic matter in manures provides food for the soil organisms, (decomposers such as bacteria. fungi, etc.) which help in providing nutrients to plants.

Thus, organic manures help to improve the physical properties of soil, reduce soil erosion, increase the moisture holding capacity of soil and low cost nutrient carriers. Using biological waste material is a way of re-cycling the farm waste. Manures protect our environment from synthetic chemicals (i.e., fertilizers).

Disadvantages of manures

Manures are bulky with low nutrient content. The nutrients get released slowly, unable to fulfill the high and rapid demand of nutrients required by improved high-yielding hybrid varieties of crops. Being bulky and voluminous, they are inconvenient to handle, store and transport. Moreover, manures are not nutrient specific and, hence, are not much useful when a particular nutrient required in the soil for a particular crop.

Difference between Manure and Fertilizer

Fertilizer

Fertilizers provide plant nutrients, commercially manufactured using chemicals. Fertilizers supply Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potassium (NPK). Used for good vegetative growth (i.e., growth of leaves, branches and flowers), giving rise to healthy plants. Fertilizers are one of the major components for obtaining higher yields specially in expensive farming practices. Fertilizers contain much higher amount of nutrients in comparison to the manures and are, therefore, used in very small quantities. A Complete fertilizer is one which contains all the three critical elements or minerals, nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. These fertilizers may supply one or more nutrients. Chemically they may be inorganic compounds (e.g., ammonium sulphate) or organic compounds (e.g., urea).

Difference between Manure and Fertilizer

Manure	Fertilizer
A manure is a natural substance. Obtained by the decomposition of animal wastes such as dung (gobar) of cattle and buffaloes and plant residues.	A fertilizer is a human-made substance. It is an inorganic salt or an organic compound.
A manure contains small amounts of essential plant nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium.	Fertilizers are very rich in plant nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium.
A manure adds a great amount of organic matter in the form of humus in the soil.	A fertilizer does not add any humus to the soil.
Nutrients present in the manure are absorbed slowly by the crop plants, since manure is not soluble in water. Nutrients exist locked inside the organic compounds of humus.	Being soluble in water, a fertilizer is readily absorbed by the crop plants.
A manure is not nutrient specific and it tends to remove the general deficiency from the soil.	Fertilizer is nutrient specific. It can specifically provide nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium to the soil according to the need.
A manure is voluminous and bulky so it is inconvenient to store, transport, handle and apply to the crop.	A fertilizer is compact and concentrated so it is easy to store, transport and apply to the crop.
A manure is cheap and is prepared in rural homes or fields.	A fertilizer is costly and is prepared in factories.