What is happening with Enhanced Efficiency Fertilizers (EEFs) in Florida. Cheryl Mackowiak, NFREC (soil fertility, water quality)

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1 What is happening with Enhanced Efficiency Fertilizers (EEFs) in Florida Cheryl Mackowiak, NFREC (soil fertility, water quality)

2 Outline Fertilizer prices and trends for 2017 Reducing fertilizer inputs and the 4 Rs Enhanced Efficiency Fertilizers (N) Types and sources Studies in North Florida FDACS plans regarding use of EEFs

3 Local Fertilizer Prices AN = $300 to $400 Urea = $350 to $400 DAP ~ $430 MAP = $390 to $460 Potash = $295 to $ to 0.59 $/lb N 0.38 to 0.43 $/lb N 0.40 (N); 0.31 $/lb P 2 O to 0.43 $/lb P 2 O to 0.28 $/lb K 2 O Overall, fertilizer prices 10 to 30% lower than this time last year (and last year had similar drops). Prices in 2017 will likely remain low but watch commodity prices. North American N production will keep N prices low. Phosphate and potash supply will increase slightly; prices likely flat or up slightly. Potash Corp and Agrium mega-merger this summer?

4 There are multiple ways to achieve improved crop recovery and the overall efficiency and effectiveness of fertilizer N use: use of the correct form and time of application, use of continuous soil cover, correct tillage, drainage, and irrigation, greater knowledge on the effects of biomass burning on grasslands and croplands, use of foliar N fertilizer applications, use of slow or controlled release fertilizers, and use of urease and nitrification inhibitors. Freney (1997)

5 Reducing Fertilizer Inputs

6 Right place: Precision Ag tools help reduce fertilizer inputs

7 Right Time: Dry Yield (ton per acre) Bermuda 2006 N + K + S N only No Fertilizer 0.0 May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Evans et al., NCSU Fact sheet AG 452-4

8 Right Rate: and Right Source:

9 Enhanced Efficiency Fertilizers (EEFs) As defined by the Association of American Plant Food Control Officials (AAPFCO): fertilizer products with characteristics that allow increased plant uptake and reduce the potential of nutrient losses to the environment (e.g. gaseous losses, leaching, or runoff) when compared to an appropriate reference product (Halvorson et al. 2014). Reference products are: soluble fertilizer products (before treatment by reaction, coating, encapsulation, addition of inhibitors, compaction, occlusion, or by other means) or the corresponding product used for comparison to substantiate enhanced efficiency claims Cliff Snyder

10 Free PDF download

11 EEF Type Products

12 Nitrogen cycle

13 What happens to urea fertilizer

14 CRFs ESN In Focus, Market Insight, Oct. 2016:

15 Slow-release and bioinhibitors Super U; Agrotain Plus N-serve Agrotain Arborite

16 What is Nutrisphere? 40% maleic-itaconic co-polymer Binds Ni in urease enzyme Binds Cu in nitrification process Mixed to poor results in terms of bioinhibitor effects and yield response Perhaps material acidity slowing nitrification process

17 EEF fertilizer updates Mulvaney: Evaluation of ESN Controlled Release Fertilizer for Florida Corn Production (Jan 13, 2017 Panhandle Ag e- News) released 50% N in approximately 2-5 weeks (broadcast somewhat slower than incorporating) 65% increase in cost over UCU, with no appreciable yield difference.

18 EEF fertilizer updates Mackowiak et al.: Evaluation of ESN and Agrotain Controlled Release Fertilizer on bermudagrass and bahiagrass hay crops 2015/2016 Treatments (80 lbs per cutting; biosolids 240 total N) Control Uncoated urea Arborite ESN Class AA biosolids

19 Bahia Yield Response Treatment Bahiagrass total yield House field Low field (kg ha -1 ) CTL 4,567 b 4,324 b UCU 8,578 a 10,097 a ARB 7,342 ab 10,721 a ESN 9,043 a 10,055 a BIO 9,205 a 8,536 a SE p value < CTL=control; UCU=uncoated urea; ARB=Arborite; BIO=Biosolids

20 Bermuda Yield Response Treatment Bermudagrass total yield BC field JP field (kg ha -1 ) CTL 6,615 c 8,170 b UCU 11,903 b 17,386 a ARB 12,454 ab 15,420 a ESN 15,795 a 16,447 a BIO 11,275 bc 13,273 a SE p value < CTL=control; UCU=uncoated urea; ARB=Arborite; BIO=Biosolids

21 Ammonia Trapping

22 Ammonia losses over time (bahiagrass)

23 Ammonia losses over time (bermudagras)

24 Tissue N (g kg -1 ) Bahia Tissue N (Pat Pelt Low Field) Control Uncoated urea 5 Arborite ESN Class AA biosolids 0 Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 2015 Biosolids resulted in somewhat lower tissue N values 25 Bermuda Tissue N (Jeff Pittman Farm) 20 Tissue N (g kg -1 ) Control Uncoated urea Arborite 5 ESN Class AA biosolids 0 Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov 2015 No treatment effects on soil inorganic N but soils under bahiagrass higher (excess N fertilizer?)

25 Where we stand Metadata analysis trends Bioinhibitors have little to no effect on yield Polymer coated urea (PCU) resulted in -10 to 60% yield increase. Ammonia decrease 0 to 100% with urease inhibitors but nitrification inhibitors might increase NH 3 losses. Nitrification inhibitors decrease N 2 O losses by 20 to 60% (urease has little to no effect). PCU reduces ammonia losses up to 70% and N 2 O losses up to 40%. Nitrate leaching decreased from 0 to 40% with nitrification inhibitors and PCU. Cliff Snyder

26 State Support FDACS reviewing EEFs Funded review paper to assess the state of EEF use in Florida agriculture (Yucong Li et al., 2017) Potential for future (2018 and beyond) FDACS-supported studies and demonstrations using EEFs Development of cost-share programs 10%+ premium on bioinhibitos; 65% for PCU