TYPES OF FISH FERTILIZER

Threre are 3 types of Fish Fertilizers available in the market. Normally the fish fertilizer are processed to FISH MEAL, HYDROLYZED MEAL and FISH EMULSION. This article I would likr to shate the info about this three fish fertilizer. 

(1) Fish Meal:
This fish fertilizer are made from ground-up dried fish byproducts, fish meal supplies nutrients, minerals, and organic matter that condition soil. It’s rich in nutrients but breaks down more gradually than other fish fertilizers, making it a great slow-release soil amendment during planting. Fish meal, or fishmeal, is a commercial product made from fish and the bones and offal from processed fish. It is a brown powder or cake obtained by drying the fish or fishtrimmings, often after cooking, and then grinding it. If it is a fatty fish it is also pressed to extract most of the fish oil
 

(2) Hydrolyzed fish:
Hydrolyzed fish is made by partially-digesting whole fish and fish waste with enzymes. The end product is a sort of compost tea that provides easily-absorbed, potent nutrients, plus amino acids and oils that aren’t present in fish emulsion. Hydrolyzed fish fertilizer is manufactured by a much different process. Basically, 100 percent of the fish product is used for the fertilizer, allowing for more nutrients in your soil and for your plants. A more useful product is obtained from this process, making it more cost effective and longer lasting. There are also more environmental benefits from this this type of fertilizer, as there is little waste and no chemical additives. Hydrolyzed fish fertilizers contain a very low count of N-P-K (nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium), which is ultimately better for the soil. The fertilizer creates no toxic minerals that many high-grade emulsion products tend to have. Seaweed or kelp extract is also often included in the fish fertilizer, which has also been proven to be beneficial to home gardens as well as large crops. The pure economic savings from such a product are worth the purchase, regardless of the more simplified production process and lack of waste. Not only does this type of fertilizer use every piece of the fish, it uses a cold pasteurizing technique that holds all of the most important micro and macro acids and nutrients naturally found in fish.
 

(3) Fish Emulsion:
This is the least potent but most economical form of fish fertilizer, made from the liquid that’s left over after the fish are processed. This liquid fertilizer is used for foliar feeding or soil drenching and provides readily-available nitrogen and small amounts of phosphorus and potassium. Liquid fish fertilizers usually come as a concentrate that you dilute with water and apply with a sprayer, or pour it onto the soil. Fish emulsion fertilizer is made several different ways depending on who is making it. The important thing to know is that fish emulsion goes through two stages of processing. The first stage breaks down the fish parts using enzymes, proteases, or chemicals. Then, and this is the important part, heat is used to break it down further and allow oils and other things like amino acids to be more easily removed. It’s this second stage of processing that makes fish emulsion less advantageous than fish hydrolysate. Fish emulsion fertilizer lacks many oils and proteins that fish hydrolysate fertilizer has in abundance.  
Thanks for reading.


By,
M Anem,
Senior Agronomist,
Taman Cendana, Bandar Melaka,
Melaka, Malaysia.
(30 Aprol 2016)