PAU for other phosphorus-based fertilisers as alternatives to DAP

Chandigarh: Soil scientists at Punjab Agricultural University (PAU), Ludhiana, have advised farmers to replace diammonium phosphate (DAP) in wheat and use alternative fertilisers containing phosphorus.
Dhanvinder Singh, head of the soil science department of PAU, Ludhiana, said DAP is the fertiliser with the highest phosphorus content, which is used in paddy-wheat crop rotation. Due to its high phosphorus content, farmers prefer to apply more DAP to wheat crops. “But now there are many fertilisers other than DAP which can be used as alternative sources of phosphorus,” he said.

Dhanvinder said DAP contained 46% phosphorus and 18% nitrogen. Another fertiliser, NPK (12:32:16), contains 12% nitrogen, 32% phosphorus, and 16% potassium. “If DAP is not available, agricultural scientists said a-bag-and-a-half of NPK (12:32:16) can be added to wheat instead. He said NPK (12:32:16) can be the best alternative to DAP,” he said.
PAU scientists suggested that another alternative to DAP is single super phosphate (SSP), which contains 16% phosphorus. By applying three bags of single super phosphate, phosphorus deficiency in wheat can be compensated and the crop also gets 18kg sulphur, they said.
Experts said triple super phosphate (TSP), which contains 46% phosphorus, can be used as a new fertiliser. They said TSP has just come into the market and farmers can use it for wheat. Among other options, instead of DAP, 1.8 bags of NPK (10:26:26) can be added to wheat. PAU experts said if SSP or TSP is used, 20kg urea should be applied per acre at the time of sowing.