Nutrition management is the foundation of sustainable and successful agricultural practices. Plants need nutrients to grow and complete their life cycle. Nutrients may initially be present in the soil, but will deplete over time. Fertilizers are important to replenish nutrients needed for optimal plant growth. Growers and agriculture scientists need to balance the dual purpose of maximizing crop yields and minimizing environmental impacts. Responsible fertilizer use leads to healthier crops and higher yields, contributing to environmental conservation.
Controlled release fertilizers (CRFs) play an important role in achieving this balance by providing more efficient and sustainable ways to nourish crops. This allows farmers to accurately identify the nutrients needed at different stages of growth, improve crop yield, health and quality while minimizing unnecessary uses, and to include nutrient leaching, runoff, mineralization, and more. It can reduce the risk. In this context, CRFs manifest themselves as an essential tool for efficient nutritional management.
Why is CRF important in modern agriculture?
Nutrition management may sound simple, but the execution involves complex calculations. For example, simply adopting nitrogen does not guarantee the availability of the plant when it is needed, as it gradually assimilates nutrients over time. To address these challenges, farmers often meet crop requirements, such as schedule fertilizer applications to schedulers and splitting the applications throughout the season.
Techniques like fertilizers are useful, but not suitable for all crop systems. Nutrients from fertilizers can be lost through leaching, erosion, or other means, pose financial set-offs and environmental risks. The wise use of fertilizer is essential for farmers to maintain their crops. CRF provides a sustainable solution as nutrients are released in a controlled manner and targets different stages of growth in the plant.
What is a controlled release fertilizer?
Controlled release fertilizers have a semi-permeable coating that slowly releases nutrients into the root zone. Nutrients become gradually available to the plant as it grows, tailoring its nutritional needs throughout the period of growth. The amount of nutrients distributed is influenced by soil temperature and is adjusted to suit the growth rate of the plant. As soil temperature increases, plant growth and nutrient release from CRF increases accordingly.
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CRF differs from delayed release fertilizers (SLFs) in that SLF is influenced by multiple factors such as temperature, water, soil pH, and microbial activity. Nutrient release in CRFS is primarily influenced by temperature, making CRF more predictable. Controlled Release Fertilizer (CRF) increases the efficiency of nutritional management, eliminates the need for multiple split applications throughout the season, allowing growers to create a single application that lasts throughout the season.
History of controlled release fertilizers
In 1842, Sir John Bennett Rose made a groundbreaking contribution to agriculture by patenting the process of converting phosphate rocks into superphosphates, marking the birth of the artificial fertilizer industry. This innovation laid the foundation for the first controlled release fertilizer (CRF) osmocote®1967. Osmocote® Slow nutrient releases have revolutionized the fertilizer market, allowing for higher crop yields and more efficient land use.
Since then, the controlled release fertilizer market has expanded significantly in 2023 at a valuation of USD 2.2 billion. This growth reflects the substantial impact CRF has had on global food production.
Fertilizer coating technology
Various formulations of polymer or resin coatings determine the release rate and interaction of CRF within the crop system. This versatility allows growers to tailor their nutritional management strategies to suit their specific crop type and nutritional needs.
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Nutrition Release Monitoring and Evaluation
- Determine the nutritional needs of each crop.
- Understanding nutrient removal rates based on yield and field conditions.
- Soil and water testing to understand existing nutritional levels.
- In-season analysis with Leaf and SAP tests for real-time insights.
- It utilizes technologies such as NDVI, NDRE, and red edge sensors for early crop stress detection.
- Use planning and management tools for time-efficient fertilizer and crop protection applications.
ICL’s cutting edge CRF with biodegradable coating: eqo.x
ICL GroupThe leading global specialized minerals company marks important milestones in sustainable agriculture and introduces eqo.x. This pioneering controlled release fertilizer (CRF) technology has a biodegradable coating specifically designed for open field agriculture. Released on September 15th last year, this innovative product increases nutritional efficiency (NUE) by up to 80%, significantly reducing nutrient loss.
EQO.X supports 2030 EU farms with fork and soil strategies by consistent with the imminent European fertilizer standards set for 2026 and pledging to halve nutrient losses by 2030 I will. Applies to ICL’s Agromaster and Agrocoat brands. Protects applications, and soil and groundwater quality.
Conclusion
Nutrition management is essential for sustainable agriculture. Controlled release fertilizers with advanced coating technology represent important advances in plant nutrition. They provide cost-effective solutions that increase nutritional efficiency, reduce labor and fuel costs, and promote environmental sustainability.
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With the growing population, controlled release fertilizer is an example of how farmers do more in less ways, focusing on sustainable practices that maintain resources and the environment. As we continue to innovate our fertilizer technology, our commitment to sustainable agricultural practices ensures a healthier and more sustainable world for future generations.
