Micronutrients are elements which are essential for plant growth, but are required in much smaller amounts than those of the primary nutrients; nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. The micronutrients are boron (B), copper (Cu), iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), molybdenum (Mo), zinc (Zn), and chloride (Cl). While chloride is a micronutrient, deficiencies rarely occur in nature, so discussions on supplying micronutrient fertilizers are confined to the other six micronutrients.
Deficiencies of micronutrients have been increasing in some crops. Some reasons are higher crop yields which increase plant nutrient demands, use of high analyses NPK fertilizers containing lower quantities of micronutrient contaminants, and decreased use of farmyard manure on many agricultural soils. Micronutrient deficiencies have been verified in many soils through increased use of soil testing and plant analyses.
A micronutrient fertilizer composition should fulfill the following criteria in order to secure the best effect and optimum plant growth: It should contain a number of the essential micronutrients, and preferably all of the essential micronutrients which are not readily available from the soil; It should be formulated and applied so as to ensure the best possible absorption of the micronutrients by the plant; It should be applied at the proper time in relation to the growth of the plant, i.e. especially at the beginning of the plant's growth cycle and when the soil temperature is at least about 5°C
It has now been found that crop plants can easily and inexpensively be provided with a suitable balance of the essential micronutrients in a readily available form by means of a novel solid micronutrient fertilizer composition comprising the micronutrients in the form of metal salts together with at least one water-soluble nitrate. As a whole it is a good project for entrepreneurs to invest.
Few Indian Major Players are as under
• Ajay Bio-Tech (India) Ltd.
• Aries Agro Ltd.
• Asian Fertilizers Ltd.
• Chambal Fertilisers & Chemicals Ltd.
• Gujarat State Fertilizers & Chemicals Ltd.
• Indian Farmers Fertiliser Co-Op. Ltd.
• Madras Fertilizers Ltd.
• Mangalore Chemicals & Fertilizers Ltd.
• Nava Bharath Fertilizers Ltd.
• Navkisan Bio Plaantec Ltd.
• Rashtriya Chemicals & Fertilizers Ltd.
• Recon Agrotech Ltd.
• Shivashakti Bio Technologies Ltd.
• Tata Chemicals Ltd.