A Historical Look at the Development of Fertilizer

Walk into any garden center today and next to the plants, pots, and gardening tools is a long aisle filled with fertilizers, additives, and soil treatments.

Contrary to what many people may believe, the use of fertilizers is not a new development. Fertilizer has a long history in agriculture, and has influenced and affected the world’s food supply ever since its discovery. The benefits are clear: fertilizers provide essential nutrients that are needed for healthy plant growth. To understand the impact of fertilizer on food supply, it is helpful to trace its usage from ancient times through the present day.

​Ancient History

​The earliest use of fertilizer dates back to the earliest days of agriculture. When humankind transitioned from nomadic societies to settlements based on farming, people began to search for ways to improve crop yields.

Originally, it was assumed that the use of fertilizer was happenstance, but a recent study revealed that as far back as 8,000 years ago, farmers were using manure as fertilizer to aid in crop production. Evidence has emerged that shows the use of manure at 13 early farming locations across the UK and Europe, dating between 7,900 and 4,400 years ago. New testing procedures revealed high levels of nitrogen in the remains of cereals and grains from these sites, giving credence to the idea that the farmers systematically spread manure on planting fields.

Originally, it was assumed that the use of fertilizer was happenstance, but a recent study revealed that as far back as 8,000 years ago, farmers were using manure as fertilizer to aid in crop production. Evidence has emerged that shows the use of manure at 13 early farming locations across the UK and Europe, dating between 7,900 and 4,400 years ago. New testing procedures revealed high levels of nitrogen in the remains of cereals and grains from these sites, giving credence to the idea that the farmers systematically spread manure on planting fields.

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​The 19th Century

Growing processes remained largely unchanged for hundreds of years, with farmers using organic substances to fertilize the soil. In the 19th century, however, scientists began studying fertilizers as a means of increasing crop yields to keep pace with growing populations. The Industrial Revolution was moreover causing a fundamental shift in Western society; more people were moving to cities and leaving their farms, leaving fewer farmers to produce more food. The demand for wheat, barley, and other staple crops was growing.

In the 1800s, European explorers in South America began studying guano, or bird excrement, which local populations used as a fertilizer. What followed was the “guano boom”—over the course of the century, massive deposits of guano were harvested from Peru, islands in the Pacific, and elsewhere. Peru in particular exported about 12 million tons of guano to Europe and North America in just a few decades. So important was guano to agriculture that the US passed the 1856 Guano Islands Act, which declared that US citizens could occupy and take possession of any unclaimed island with guano deposits.

Scientists tasked with finding new methods of crop improvement also began studying the effects of various types of manure on crops, which led to an understanding of the importance of certain nutrients in plant growth. German chemist Justus von Liebig, widely regarded as the “Father of Fertilizer,” began the modern fertilizer industry with his work detailing the impact of nutrients—particularly nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorus—on plants in the mid-1800s. He argued that plant growth would be impeded by the lack of nutrients. As a result, he is often credited with starting the chemical fertilizer industry. Over the next 100 years, scientists would look for methods to produce individual nutrients, with varied results and successes.

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​The 20th Century

​The post-WW1 era saw an increase in scientists and manufacturers working to create more effective fertilizers. Scientists were largely accepted as knowledgeable about the use of chemicals, and farmers began to place value on field testing, individualized soil assessments, and the use of fertilizers. With further growth in the world’s population, farmers faced still higher demands for food, and the modern global economy began to take shape. Food began to be shipped to various ports around the world, increasing the demand for a sustainable crop supply. As a result, fertilizer use soared.

​Modern Fertilizer

Today’s fertilizers are a far cry from early chemical additives. While these first chemical mixtures were created with little concern for their environmental impact, modern fertilizers can be both environmentally safe and effective. 

Understanding the development of fertilizers can lead to a greater understanding of not only these products, but their importance to the world’s food supply. As the world’s population continues to increase and climate change brings new challenges to farmers, fertilizers continue to evolve to meet these demands.

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