Published: 10th Aug, 2022
Context
As part of the AtmaNirbhar Bharat initiative to promote self-sufficiency in Fertilisers, Government of India has been advising and supporting the Indian fertiliser companies to strengthen their backend supply chain.
About
Diammonium phosphate (DAP):
- Diammonium phosphate (DAP) is the world’s most widely used phosphorus fertilizer.
- It is a preferred fertilizer in India because it contains both Nitrogen and Phosphorus which are primary macro-nutrients and part of 18 essential plant nutrients.
- Fertilizer grade DAP Contains 18% Nitrogen and 46% Phosphorus (P2O5).
- DAP is manufactured by reacting Ammonia with Phosphoric acid under controlled conditions in fertilizer plants.
Properties:
- It is a very popular fertilizer because of its excellent physical properties and nutrient content.
- It is free flowing, dust-free and does not normally give any storage problem.
- DAP is almost water-soluble and ultimately leaves acid effect on soils because of ammonia (NH4) it contains.
- DAP on incorporation into soil, reacts with water and gets converted into HPO4 and NH4.
- Ammonium (NH4) follows the same routes as in case of urea.
- Phosphorus in DAP is present in best available from (HPO4).
- Depending upon the soil reaction (pH), phosphorus exists in 3 forms which can be absorbed by plant roots.
- These are HPO4, H2PO4 and PO4. Phosphorus, which is immobile in soil, is not subjected to leaching losses.
Non-Agricultural Use:
- DAP also acts as a fire retardant.
- For example, a mixture of DAP and other ingredients can be spread in advance of a fire to prevent a forest from burning. It then becomes a nutrient source after the danger of fire has passed.
- DAP is used in various industrial processes, too, such as metal finishing.
- It is commonly added to wine to sustain yeast fermentation and to milk to produce cheese cultures.
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