Difference Between Manure and Fertilizer (with Comparison Chart)

Agriculture is one of the primary occupations of all the countries around the world. Indeed, we are mainly dependent on agriculture for our daily needs. To increase the agriculture produce, the farmers work on improving the fertility of soil, which is possible by adding manure and fertilizer. Manure refers to the natural substance that is obtained from the decomposition of the waste of plant and animals such as cow dung, etc.

On the other hand, fertilizer is the chemical substances which can be added to the soil to increase its nutrient content. If you are planning for farming, you should be known about the ways to enhance the fertility of the soil. So, take a read of this article in which we’ve simplified the difference between manure and fertilizer.

Comparison Chart

Basis for Comparison	Manure	Fertilizer
Meaning	Manure is a natural material, obtained by decaying plant and animal waste, that can applied to the soil to enhance its fertility.	Fertilizer is a human-made or natural substance, that can be added to the soil to improve its fertility and increase the productivity.
Preparation	Prepared in fields	Prepared in factories
Humus	It provides humus to the soil.	It does not provide humus to the soil.
Nutrients	Comparatively less rich in plant nutrients.	Rich in plant nutrients.
Absorption	Slowly absorbed by plants	Quickly absorbed by plants
Cost	It is economical	It is costly
Side effect	There is no side effect, in fact it improves the physical condition of soil.	It causes harm to the living organism present in the soil.

Definition of Manure

Manure can be described as a natural substance, derived from the decomposition of animal dung or crop residue. To prepare manure, farmers dump waste of plants and animals in pits at open areas, for decomposing it, with the help of micro-organisms. The matter so obtained after decomposition is called organic manure. It is rich in organic material but contains little amount of plant nutrient.

Manure is considered very helpful in increasing the fertility of the soil, by enhancing its capacity to retain water, by improving the texture of the soil, and by increasing the number of friendly microbes. Moreover, manure makes the soil porous, that facilitates the exchange of gases.

Definition of Fertilizer

As it is evident from the name, fertilizer is a natural or synthetic substance that contains a lot of plant nutrients which are necessary for the growth and productivity of the plants. It is applied to the soil to increase the yield of crops, like wheat, maize, paddy, etc.

There are two types of fertilizers, i.e. organic fertilizer and synthetic fertilizer. Organic fertilizers are the ones made up of natural material like composted plant materials, peat moss, bone, seaweed etc. Synthetic fertilizers are the inorganic ones that are industrially manufactured chemicals, which easily dissolve in water and are used by plants instantly as they are added to the soil.

Fertilizer not only improves the fertility of soil but also replaces the chemical substances used by earlier crops from the soil. However, excessive use of synthetic fertilizer can harm the effectiveness of soil.

Examples of fertilizer are urea, superphosphate, potash, NPK (Nitrogen, Phosphorous, Potassium) etc.

Key Differences Between Manure and Fertilizer

The difference between manure and fertiliser can be drawn clearly on the following grounds:

Manure can be described as an organic material prepared by decomposition of crop residue or animal excreta, that can be added to the soil to improve its fertility. Unlike, fertilizer is described as any substance (organic or inorganic), that is added to the soil, increase the yield of crops.
The manure is prepared in the field, by dumping the animal and plant waste in open pits, to decompose it. Conversely, fertilizers are produced in factories through the chemical procedure.
As manure is generated out of the decayed plant and animal waste, it provides humus to the soil, which increases the water holding capacity of the soil. Unlike, fertilizer does not provide humus to the soil.
Manure is not as much rich as fertilizers in terms of plant nutrients, as fertilizers are rich in plant nutrients.
As manure is insoluble in water, it is slowly absorbed by the soil. On the other hand, fertilizers get easily dissolved in water, and that is why it is used by the plants immediately.
While manure is economical, as it can be prepared by farmers themselves, fertilizers are industrially manufactured chemical; it is costly.
Manure does not cause any harm to the soil; in fact, it raises the quality of the soil in the long run. In contrast, use of fertilizer in excess can decrease the effectiveness of the soil, as well as it causes harm to the organism present in the soil.

Conclusion

As fertilizer is a chemical substance, there are special instructions which are to be complied with, at the time of adding it to the soil. On the other hand, there are no such instructions to be followed while adding manure to the soil.

Further, excessive use of fertilizer can reduce the fertility of the soil and also leads to water pollution, so it is better to replace fertilizer with manure, as manure is an organic substance, which is environment friendly and also recycles the waste of plants and animals.