Harmful Impact of Synthetic Fertilizers on Growing Agriculture and Environment

Abstract

Soil provides essential environmental benefits for life as well as crucial for nutrition and survival of plants. Management of soil health is a critical practice for the preservation of biodiversity and to ensure long-term agricultural production. Scientific management of soil health is an important step for ecosystem sustainability. Some of the important factors like physicochemical and biological parameters that influence soil health. Fertilizers are heavily used in modern farming practices to control unavoidable challenges being faced in Agriculture. Nonetheless, they remain critical tools for global food safety. Sustainable agriculture practices have been used on a global scale by reducing the negative consequences of chemical fertilizers because they drop in soil organic content as well as decline soil quality. They also harden soil, reducing soil fertility, depleting vital soil mineral nutrients, polluting air, water and soil all of which poses serious environmental hazard. Microbial activity in the cropping system has become low due to the application of chemical fertilizers alone. Regular application of chemical fertilizers can alter soil pH, increase resistance in pests, acidification of soil crust resulting in decreased organic matter and stunted plant growth. Hence, Long-term persistence of chemical fertilizers in the soil harms the biodiversity of soil. Present review paper deals with functioning and role of mineral elements in plant growth and development. Various types of organic and synthetic fertilizers are involved in fulfillment of basic needs of plants. Soil with poor nutrient content needs different types of fertilizers for regulation of physiochemical cycle of plants. The literature reviewed information suggested that our agriculture sector has not been dependent on synthetic fertilizers for plant growth and development i.e., directly linked with the crop productivity at industrial level. Chemicals associated synthetic fertilizers have been harmful for plant health and this will lead to drastic health damaging effect on new generations. In this way we again need to focus on development of natural fertilizers with their environmentally friendly inputs and health promoting activity.