CU researchers invent slow-release fertilizers - Times of India
CU researchers invent slow-release fertilizers
TNN | Feb 10, 2020, 04.42 AM ISTKozhikode: Researchers at Calicut University have come up with an eco-friendly solution to a long standing problem faced by farmers of having 70% of nitrogen fertilizers, mainly urea, getting wasted before plants can absorb them.
Urea which makes up for around 50% of total nitrogen fertilizer consumption worldwide, is susceptible to nitrogen loss to the environment due to its fast and premature decomposition nature. It has also been causing environmental damage due to agricultural runoff of massive levels of fertilizers to water bodies often resulting in harmful algal blooms in waterways.
CU researchers have now developed a slow-release fertilizer composite by giving a glassy/crystalline coating to urea using sugar acetates (sucrose octaacetate (SOA)) by processing it in a CO2 solvent medium.
P Raveendran, professor of Chemistry and Dean (Faculty of Sciences) at CU, along with researcher Anu Antony of the varsity Chemistry department have jointly made the invention. Raveendran said that while urea takes around 15 minutes for total decomposition, the slow-release composite of urea and sugar acetates takes upto 90 hours for decomposition.
The SOA-urea composite prepared in CO2 medium forms an amorphous glassy solid which results in immobilization of urea, leading to slow-release to the soil.
The new fertilizer composite has a simple, green and non-hazardous preparation process as all materials used in the process, including the SOA coating material and CO2 solvent, are inexpensive and environmentally benign. “The slow-releasing fertilizer composites ensure efficient nutrient uptake by reducing loss of nutrients via leaching, runoff, volatilization etc., and thereby improving crop yield and reducing the amount of fertilizer needed,” said Raveendran.
He said that apart from urea, the technique can be applied to other fertilizers including ammonium nitrate, potassium nitrate, calcium nitrate etc.
According to researchers, a major drawback associated with the application of urea as a fertilizer is its fast and premature decomposition causing inefficient absorption of nitrogen by the plant.
In the initial stages, plants require only a very small amount of the nutrient. However, the demand for nutrients increases during the upcoming stages of growth. Leaching, surface runoff and vaporization of urea further lower the amount of urea present in the soil for uptake by the plants in their growing stages and about 40 to 70% of nitrogen escapes to the environment and only the remaining small amount of nitrogen is left for the uptake by the plants.
Also, the new invention will prevent fertilizer burning plants due to fast release of urea that can adversely affect the growth of the plant. Researchers have filed patent application for the new invention.
Urea which makes up for around 50% of total nitrogen fertilizer consumption worldwide, is susceptible to nitrogen loss to the environment due to its fast and premature decomposition nature. It has also been causing environmental damage due to agricultural runoff of massive levels of fertilizers to water bodies often resulting in harmful algal blooms in waterways.
CU researchers have now developed a slow-release fertilizer composite by giving a glassy/crystalline coating to urea using sugar acetates (sucrose octaacetate (SOA)) by processing it in a CO2 solvent medium. P Raveendran, professor of Chemistry and Dean (Faculty of Sciences) at CU, along with researcher Anu Antony of the varsity Chemistry department have jointly made the invention. Raveendran said that while urea takes around 15 minutes for total decomposition, the slow-release composite of urea and sugar acetates takes upto 90 hours for decomposition.
The SOA-urea composite prepared in CO2 medium forms an amorphous glassy solid which results in immobilization of urea, leading to slow-release to the soil.
The new fertilizer composite has a simple, green and non-hazardous preparation process as all materials used in the process, including the SOA coating material and CO2 solvent, are inexpensive and environmentally benign. “The slow-releasing fertilizer composites ensure efficient nutrient uptake by reducing loss of nutrients via leaching, runoff, volatilization etc., and thereby improving crop yield and reducing the amount of fertilizer needed,” said Raveendran.
He said that apart from urea, the technique can be applied to other fertilizers including ammonium nitrate, potassium nitrate, calcium nitrate etc.
According to researchers, a major drawback associated with the application of urea as a fertilizer is its fast and premature decomposition causing inefficient absorption of nitrogen by the plant.
In the initial stages, plants require only a very small amount of the nutrient. However, the demand for nutrients increases during the upcoming stages of growth. Leaching, surface runoff and vaporization of urea further lower the amount of urea present in the soil for uptake by the plants in their growing stages and about 40 to 70% of nitrogen escapes to the environment and only the remaining small amount of nitrogen is left for the uptake by the plants.
Also, the new invention will prevent fertilizer burning plants due to fast release of urea that can adversely affect the growth of the plant. Researchers have filed patent application for the new invention.