Fertilizer Specifications

Specifications are the requirements with which a fertilizer should conform, as agreed upon between buyer and seller. Fertilizer specifications meet differing requirements depending on the use or intent of the specification information. 

Specifications are normally used in the contract between the buyer and seller of a fertilizer to ensure agreement on product characteristics or more often to define the product in sufficient detail to effect the satisfaction of both buyer and seller. 

Normally a farmer (consumer) gets a specification on the fertilizer bag or, for a bulk delivery, on the invoice. Tills type of specification typically consists of the fertilizer grade, a guaranteed analysis, the net weight, and sometimes additional information about the product. This information is typically that which is required by government regulations, not necessarily by the customer. 

More commonly, when one refers to specifications, it is to specifications that have legal implications for buyers and sellers of large quantities of materials. A well-written fertilizer specification should include the following 

Special limitations pertaining to phytotoxic production byproducts or additives. 

---

Fertilizer Specific pressing force (kN/cm) Water content (%) Feed particle size (mm)... 

Reference strains must be labelled, stored, handled and used according to adapted and defined procedures. The quality (fertility, specificity, etc.) of the reference strains must be verified periodically. 

Fertilizer specifications that include all of the above items may or may not meet the buyers standards when bids are received. Usually when the buyer issues invitations to bid accompanied by the product s desired specifications, the seller tries to meet all items in order to... 

Dicalcium phosphate is insoluble in water but soluble in ammonium citrate solution and is therefore regarded as a source of available P2O5, at least in the United States. However, fertilizer specifications often require high water solubility, and this type of product is limited to 50% water solubility of the P2O5. 

Table 8. Specifications of Fertilizer-Grade Granular Diammonium Phosphate ...

Europe, the USA and Japan are under way. In these studies, semen analysis methodology and subject selection criteria have been standardised to address whether there are region-specific differences in semen quality. These data can then be used as a reference point for any studies on future decline in sperm counts. More importantly, it still remains to be demonstrated whether the reported decrease in semen quality is sufficient to compromise fertility. 

---