Deakin University
Browse

File(s) under permanent embargo

Enhanced efficiency fertilisers: a review of formulation and nutrient release patterns

Version 2 2024-06-06, 20:07
Version 1 2017-05-16, 15:18
journal contribution
posted on 2024-06-06, 20:07 authored by YP Timilsena, R Adhikari, P Casey, T Muster, H Gill, B Adhikari
Fertilisers are one of the most important elements of modern agriculture. The application of fertilisers in agricultural practices has markedly increased the production of food, feed, fuel, fibre and other plant products. However, a significant portion of nutrients applied in the field is not taken up by plants and is lost through leaching, volatilisation, nitrification, or other means. Such a loss increases the cost of fertiliser and severely pollutes the environment. To alleviate these problems, enhanced efficiency fertilisers (EEFs) are produced and used in the form of controlled release fertilisers and nitrification/urease inhibitors. The application of biopolymers for coating in EEFs, tailoring the release pattern of nutrients to closely match the growth requirement of plants and development of realistic models to predict the release pattern of common nutrients have been the foci of fertiliser research. In this context, this paper intends to review relevant aspects of new developments in fertiliser production and use, agronomic, economic and environmental drives for enhanced efficiency fertilisers and their formulation process and the nutrient release behaviour. Application of biopolymers and complex coacervation technique for nutrient encapsulation is also explored as a promising technology to produce EEFs.

History

Journal

Journal of the science of food and agriculture

Volume

95

Pagination

1131-1142

Location

Chicester, Eng.

eISSN

1097-0010

Language

eng

Publication classification

C Journal article, C1.1 Refereed article in a scholarly journal

Copyright notice

2014, Society of Chemical Industry

Issue

6

Publisher

Wiley-Blackwell