Applied chemistry of food production: fertilizers, pesticides, soil amendments, plant protection chemicals. Substrate of industrial agriculture.
agrochemistry
Haber–Bosch ammonia synthesis
N₂ + 3 H₂ ⇌ 2 NH₃ over Fe (or Ru) catalyst at ~450°C/200 atm. Produces ~200 Mt NH₃/y globally; feeds ~50% of human population via…
NPK fertilizer
Macro-nutrient formulation (N-P₂O₅-K₂O w/w%, e.g. 10-10-10). N as urea/NH₄NO₃, P as superphosphate (Ca(H₂PO₄)₂) or DAP, K as KCl/K₂SO₄.…
Soil fertility management
Balance of macro-nutrients (N, P, K), secondary (Ca, Mg, S), and micronutrients (Fe, Mn, Zn, Cu, B, Mo, Cl) plus pH, CEC, and organic…
Pesticide classification
By target (herbicide, insecticide, fungicide, rodenticide, nematicide) and mode of action (HRAC/IRAC/FRAC codes). Resistance management…
Glyphosate
N-(phosphonomethyl)glycine; non-selective systemic herbicide inhibiting shikimate-pathway enzyme EPSPS (only in plants and microbes, not…
Neonicotinoids
Nicotinic-acetylcholine-receptor (nAChR) agonists (imidacloprid, thiamethoxam, clothianidin) with high insect/mammal selectivity. Extremely…
Biopesticide
Pest-control agents derived from natural materials: Bt Cry toxins (Lepidoptera-specific), Beauveria bassiana (fungal), RNAi dsRNA,…
Controlled-release fertilizer
Polymer-coated urea or sulfur-coated pellets release N over weeks via diffusion/hydrolysis, reducing leaching losses (typically from 40% to…