Question

Bone meal is a source of
(A). Ca
(B). N
(C). P
(D). Mo

Choose the correct answer from the options given below:

• A. (A), (B) and (D) only.
• B. (A), (B) and (C) only.
• C. (A), (B), (C) and (D).
• D. (B), (C) and (D) only.

Hint:

Bone meal is a slow-release fertilizer because its calcium phosphate must be dissolved by soil acids before the plants can absorb the phosphorus.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is B

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
Bone meal is an organic fertilizer produced by grinding animal bones, which is traditionally applied as a slow-release source of key plant nutrients.

Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
The primary chemical component of bone is calcium phosphate (\(\text{Ca}_3(\text{PO}_4)_2\)).
- Consequently, bone meal is an excellent source of Phosphorus (C) (containing approximately \(20\%\) to \(25\%\) \(\text{P}_2\text{O}_5\)) and Calcium (A) (containing around \(25\%\) to \(30\%\) \(\text{CaO}\)).
- It also contains raw organic proteins and marrow residues, which supply a small amount of Nitrogen (B) (typically \(1\%\) to \(4\%\)).
- It does not contain significant amounts of micronutrients like Molybdenum (D).
Thus, the correct nutrients are Calcium, Nitrogen, and Phosphorus.

Step 3: Final Answer:
The correct option is (B), containing (A), (B), and (C).