Nutrient Release, Plant Nutrition, and Potassium Leaching from Polymer-Coated Fertilizer

Abstract

ABSTRACT:The increase in food consumption and limitations in food production areas requires improved fertilizer efficiency. Slow-or controlled-release fertilizers are an alternative for synchronizing nutrient availability with the plant demands, reducing losses to the environment. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of polymer-coated KCl compared with conventional KCl. The products were incubated in soil under controlled conditions to evaluate the time required for nutrient release. A greenhouse experiment was performed with corn plants in pots with loamy sand-or clay-textured soil types to evaluate plant nutrition and losses due to leaching. The K application rates were 0, 18, 36, and 54 mg dm . The pots were irrigated, and the percolated liquid was collected. The plants were harvested 30 days after sowing to quantify dry matter (DM) and its K content. In the incubation study, the K release from the coated fertilizer was found to be 42 % over 154 days. The data were fit to a linear function from which a period of 315 days was estimated as required for the release of 75 % of the nutrient. Meanwhile, conventional KCl releases 85 % of the K nutrient in the first 48h. In the cultivation of plants in pots, the coating reduced K losses due to leaching in the loamy sand soil; however, only the application rate of 54 mg dm -3 promoted DM production equivalent to conventional KCl. It is possible that the need for K in the early stages of corn development was not met by a coated KCl.

Portable X-ray fluorescence (pXRF) spectrometry applied to the prediction of chemical attributes in Inceptisols under different land uses

“…The complete characterization of cultivated soils is important so that fertility correction recommendations can be properly made. Considering soil stoniness, texture, and depth can further help in decision making on application of soil amendments and fertilizers, reducing leaching loss (mainly for available K + ) which is strongly required by coffee plants and highly susceptible to leaching in tropical environments (Bley et al, 2017).…”

Outputs: Potassium Losses from Agricultural Systems

“…The main advantage of these is that the K release may more closely match plant requirements through the season, reducing the risk of losses. However, in a greenhouse experiment, Bley et al (2017) found that using slow-release (polymer coated) KCl reduced leaching compared to traditional KCl, but the slow rate of release was not sufficient to meet crop K demand during the initial phase of growth. The rate of adoption of technologies such as these is limited because of: the cost of the materials in comparison to traditional sources; the existence of regulatory policies (Gillman and Noble 2005); health and safety issues associated with their application (Timilsena et al 2015); and sometimes a lack of information available on its impacts on productivity at the farm level.…”

Nano-Fertilization as an Emerging Fertilization Technique: Why Can Modern Agriculture Benefit from Its Use?

“…Therefore, sustainable efforts are being made to synchronize nutrient availability and improve NUE values in agricultural systems without a further deterioration of surrounding environments [ 196 ]. The use of smart fertilizers like NFs has been proposed as a way to increase the overall NUE values of fertilizers through a more controlled, and slower nutrient release that could better match the sustained nutrient needs of crops across time [ 24 , 197 ]. The consistent and slow release of nutrients for extended periods of time can be achieved by using semipermeable coatings (which control the solubility of the fertilizers in water or soil solutions) on the surfaces of or within fertilizers [ 198 ].…”