The purpose of this book is to provide the state of the art of some important topics on subsistence agriculture, modern agronomy, and technological improvements which have sharply increased yields from cultivation, with special emphasis on the sustainable management and environmental impact of commercial and nontraditional fertilizers. We are really sure that this book provides cutting-edge knowledge in both theoretical and applied aspects of fertilizer management for undergraduate and postgraduate students, researches, and other professionals in agricultural disciplines. This book is divided in five sections: Section I (Traditional fertilizers), where you can find two chapters about mineral fertilizers such as nitrogen and phosphorus, and their effects on the environment (atmospheric pollutants and dispersion in water bodies). The Section II (Organic fertilizers) presents two chapters about fishery wastes and biochar as an important alternative of fertilization and their effects on soil fertility and crop productivity. In the Section III (Biofertilizers), we provide two interesting chapters that compare the bio- and chemical fertilization with the biofertilizers as complements to chemical or organic fertilization. Section IV (Non-conventional fertilizers), where you can find interesting themes on silicon fertilizers, Nanofertilizers, and Non-traditional ameliorants, as others important sources of agricultural fertilizers. Finally, Section V (Improving fertilizer applications), we select this important topics as a complement for fertilizer application, that include topic as the modified natural rubber as controlling release of fertilizers, the effect of mulch materials on crop yield, and the radiological impact of fertilizers.
Certainly, this book is a valuable contribution to the agricultural sciences and it would not have been possible without the invaluable contribution, immeasurable acknowledge and recognized expertise from the authors. The Editors

Preface vii

Section I. Traditional Fertilizers 1

Chapter 1 Mineral Nitrogen Fertilizers: Environmental Impact of Production and Use 3

Chapter 2 Environmental Impact of Phosphate Fertilizers and By-Products on Agricultural Soils 45

Section II. Organic Fertilizers 67

Chapter 3 Achievement of Zero Emissions by the Bioconversion of Fishery Wastes into Fertilizer 69

Chapter 4 Biochar 95

Section III. Biofertilizers 125

Chapter 5 Comparative Study of Bio- and Chemical Fertilization in Strawberry Production 127

Chapter 6 Biofertilizers As complements to Synthetic and Organic Fertilization 155

Section IV. Non-Conventional Fertilizers 181

Chapter 7 Silicon Fertilizers: Agricultural and Environmental Impacts 183

Chapter 8 Non-Traditional Ameliorants 199

Chapter 9 Effects of Nanofertilizers on Plant Growth and Development, and Their Interrelationship with the Environment 211

Section V. Improving Fertilizer Applications 225

Chapter 10 Modification of the Properties of Natural Rubber by Copolymerization with A BiopoJymer for A Controlled Release of Urea Fertilizer 227

Chapter 11 Effect of Various Mulch Materials on Sod-Podzolic Soil and Field Crops Yield 263

Chapter 12 Radiological Impact of Fertilizers: Production and Use 277

Editors' Contact Information 299

Index 301

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