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Source: The post is based on the article “Scientists are unsure about how ‘Nano Urea’ benefits crop” published in The Hindu on 4th September 2022.
What is the News?
Nano Urea (a fertilizer) has been approved by the government for commercial use because of its potential to substantially reduce the import bill, but several experts have questioned the science underlying its efficacy.
What is Nano Urea?
Why have experts raised questions about the efficacy of Nano Urea?
Firstly, plants need nitrogen to make protein and they source almost all of it from soil bacteria which live in a plant’s roots and have the ability to break down atmospheric nitrogen or from chemicals such as urea into a form usable by plants.
– Chemically packaged urea is 46% nitrogen which means a 45 kg sack contains about 20 kg of nitrogen. Contrastingly, Nano Urea sold in 500 ml bottles has only 4% nitrogen (or around 20 gm). How this can compensate for the kilogrammes of nitrogen normally required puzzles scientists.
Secondly, urea is highly water soluble and already reaches the lowest form of concentration when absorbed. How nanoparticles can increase the effectiveness of nitrogen uptake by being still smaller is unclear.
