Fertilizer Research in Iran: A Glance at the Past, a Guide for the Future

The first Iranian chemical fertilizer was produced in1945 in a fertilizer plant in Karaj and the first known research report about the use of chemical fertilizers was published in 1961, one year after the establishment of Soil Fertility Office of Iran by Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). The primary objectives of the fertilizer research in those early years were to: a) demonstrate the beneficial effects of chemical fertilizer applications, and b) encourage the farmers to use as much chemical fertilizer as they could to obtain the highest amounts of crop yield. However, the harmful effects of over-fertilization on human and animal health and environment soon became apparent and forced the researchers to redefine the objectives and encourage the farmers to, at least partially, substitute chemical fertilizers with animal manures, biosolids, biofertilizers, etc. The latter materials are believed to be friendly to the environment. The present article reviews the reports of Iranian researchers during the last 50 years to highlight the past accomplishments and shortcomings in order to be able to draw a road map for the future research activities in the field of fertilizer production and use in Iran.