Improving Nitrogen Use Efficiency in Sugarcane with Enhanced Efficiency Fertilizers

Bringing Earth s Resources to Life Improving Nitrogen Use Efficiency in Sugarcane with Enhanced Efficiency Fertilizers Terry A. Tindall Ph.D. J.R. Simplot Company AgriBusiness i ss

Bringing Earth s Resources to Life The Right Fertilizer Inputs Essential for Sugar Production AgriBusiness

Bringing Earth s Resources to Life Nitrogen Nutrition Is Especially Important for Sugarcane production, but challenges exist in managing N within the Nitrogen Cycle. Estimated Efficiency in Traditional production fields about 40 to 60%. Why and how can this be improved? AgriBusiness

IPNI 2008

Enhanced efficiency fertilizers Enhanced Efficiency is a term describing fertilizer products with characteristics that allow increased plant uptake and reduce the potential of nutrient losses to the environment such as gaseous losses, leaching, or runoff, as compared to an appropriate reference product (AAPFCO, T-70) Traditionally used in specialty applications (e.g., turf, ornamentals, etc.), but have been gaining in use and popularity in production agriculture Most EE technologies are applied to N, but some exist for phosphorus and others being developed.

History of Slow Release Nitrogen Fertilizers Year %N Product 1924 12-40 Urea-formaldehyde (European patent) 1955 12-40 Urea-formaldehyde (commercial use in USA) 1961 32-38 Sulfur-coated urea (TVA) 1960 s 32-34 Crotonylidene diurea (32-0-0) 1960 s 31 Isobutylidene diurea (31-0-0; IBDU) 1967 9-19 Osmocote 1985 14-22 Nutricote, Meister, Prokote, Escote 1990 37-44 Polyon 1990 10-42 Multicote 1990 s 44 VCote, TR2, ESN, Duration, FloriKote From 1967 products are now termed Controlled Release Fertilizers Adapted from Dr. James Robbins, University of Arkansas, 2005

Enhanced efficiency N Uncoated slowly available fertilizers containing N e.g., urea-aldehyde condensation products (e.g., urea-formaldehyde reaction products, IBDU), triazines, etc. Physical coating or barrier around soluble N fertilizer e.g., SCU, PCU, combination products Stabilized materials e.g., nitrification and urease inhibitors

Uncoated slowly available

Methylene Ureas (urea- formaldehyde reaction products) Temperature Soil ph Soil Moisture

IBDU (isobutylidene diurea) Factors Affecting N Release Rate (chemical degradation, hydrolysis) Particle size Soil moisture Soil ph (Temperature)

Coated materials

Sulfur Coated Urea Mechanisms of N Release pin holes, cracks Microbial degradation Is the result of the average behavior of many particles Factors affecting N release Coating thickness and uniformity effective coating thickness is equal to thinnest area of coating Temperature and moisture Catastrophic release

Polymer coated urea N release controlled by diffusion Major factors affecting release coating thickness temperature

Relative yield versus rate of N applied from PCU and urea/uan Relative Corn Yield (% of max 100 90 80 70 60 50 Urea and UAN R 2 = 0.36 Relative yield plateau occurred at 93% of maximum Relative Corn Yield (% of max 100 90 80 70 60 50 PCU (ESN) R 2 = 0.48 0 40 80 120 160 200 240 Relative yield plateau occurred at 98% of maximum N Rate (lbs/acre) Compilation of data from source-rate studies and trials in the US Corn Belt, 2000-2004 Blaylock and Tindall. 2006.

Stabilized materials

Nitrification a natural process in soils NH + -H 4 + NH 3 Nitrosomonas NO - 2 Nitrobacter NO - 3 +H + Nitrification inhibitors interfere with activity of Nitrosomonas bacteria, slowing the nitrification process

Urea hydrolysis CO(NH 2 ) 2 + H + urease + H 2 O 2NH 4+ + HCO - 3 NH 4 + NH 3 + H + Urease inhibitors interfere with the process of urea hydrolysis The slowing of conversion of urea to ammoniacal N can significantly reduce the potential for NH 3 volatilization

Effect of N source on irrigated no-till corn yield Kansas, Crete silt loam 200 175 Corn yield, bu/a 150 125 100 75 50 152 168 168 186 185 184 183 186 183 186 25 0 Control Urea UAN Amm. Nitrate ESN Urea+ NSN Urea+ Agrotain UAN+ Agrotain UAN+Agrotain+ UAN+NSN Gordon. KSU Fertilizer Report. 2010. 3-year average N applied broadcast preplant Average across 3 rates (80, 160, 240 lb/a)

Conclusions Enhanced efficiency fertilizer best suited for Traditional applications Turf, ornamentals, nurseries, etc. Production agriculture High value crops strawberries-vegetables In crops with shallow root systems Where there is high potential for nutrient loss or fixation Environmentally sensitive circumstances Now major crops like SUGARCANE benefit to cost ratios

Conclusions Familiarity with mechanisms of EE function is necessary for informed decisions Everything s on the table in today s marketplace

Conclusions Potential benefits of EE fertilizers include match the kinetics of nutrient release with the kinetics of plant growth (from Robbins, 2005) improved yields more applied nutrient used by plant reduction in nutrient loss (leaching, atmospheric, soil reactions, etc.) reduced application frequency more uniform plant growth

Some nitrification inhibitors Common name Chemical Brand name Inhibition Nitrapyrin 2-chloro-6- trichloromethyl pyridine N-Serve 82% by day 14 DCD Dicyandiamide Guardian 53% by day 14 DMPP 3,4-dimethyl pyrazole phosphate ENTEC 4 weeks + NutriSphere N Maleic/itaconic acid N-N 8-12 weeks Wieske, 2006; Frye, 2005; Zerulla et al., 2001

Bringing Earth s Resources to Life NutriSphere-N Modes of Action Product Strength vs. Weakness Comparisons to other Enhanced Efficiency Nitrogen Materials AgriBusiness

Bringing Earth s Resources to Life Nutrisphere-N Polymer Charge capacity 1800 meq./100 g Large Branched Polymer Butenedioicmethylenesuccinic acid co-polymer, partial Ca salt Water soluble and slowly biodegradable (temperature dependant) Exchangeable ion is Ca Applied to either dry granule or added to liquid solutions AgriBusiness

The Solution. NutriSphere N Bringing Earth s Resources to Life Nitrogen Manager for the 21 st Century Decreases Volatilization by slowing urea hydrolysis Inhibits nitrification thus reducing nitrate leaching and denitrification Increases the short term organic N pool Improves N Fertilizer Use Efficiency!! AgriBusiness

Cumulative NH 4 loss from a moist Silt Loam soil (ph 5.6) following the surface application of Urea (112 kg N / ha) a NutriSpere-N reduced ammonia volatilization of urea by 48% over a 8 day study period b b Treatments followed by the same letter are not significantly different (p=0.05) D. Dunn University of Missouri May 2010

Reduction in Greenhouse Gases University of MN Crookston-- 2009 Dr. Katy Smith

methods Greenhouse gas analysis Samples taken weekly from planting to harvest Static chambers using standard USDA ARS GRACEnet procedure. CO 2, CH 4, and N 2 O quantified by comparison to standard curves using gas chromatography.

Bringing Earth s Resources to Life AgriBusiness

2009 Daily N 2 O Soil Flux umol N 2 O m -2 min -1 1.5 1.0 0.5 0.0 Bringing Earth s Resources to Life Control ESN 50 ESN 100 NSN 50 NSN 100 SuperU 50 SuperU 100 Urea 50 Urea 100-0.5 May Jun Jul Aug Sep AgriBusiness

NUTRISPHERE-N NUTRISPHERE N also complexes iron (Fe) and Copper (Cu) Bringing Earth s Resources to Life Cu and Fe are needed for conversion of ammonium to nitrate on the other side of the N-cycle NUTRISPHERE - N 37 AgriBusiness

Soil NH 4 -N (mg/kg) 450 400 350 300 250 200 150 100 50 0 Bringing Earth s Resources to Life Effect of NutriSphere-N on Soil Ammonium Concentration on 10 Soils urea=42 NSN=55 (+31%) urea=97 NSN=116 (+20%) Control Urea NSN Sanchez, University of Arizona (2008) AgriBusiness

Fertilizer Derived Organic N (mg/kg) 16 14 12 10 8 6 4 2 0 Bringing Earth s Resources to Life Effect of NutriSphere-N on Soil Organic-N Charles Sanchez 2007 Loamy Sand 7 14 21 28 Days after Application Urea NSN-Urea AgriBusiness

Bringing Earth s Resources to Life Field Crop Observations Many, many field trials on various crops including sugarcane, rice, maze, wheat, sweet potatoes, forage, malt barley etc! AgriBusiness

Nitrogen Rate /ac Protein % Yield, bu/ac Revenue/ac @$7.00/cwt GSP Urea PP 100lb 11.7 113 $380 Urea + N-N PP (+$7.00/ac) Urea 80% PP, 20% Joint Urea + N-N 80% PP, 20% Joint (+$7.00/ac) NutriSphere-N Malt Barley 09 Aberdeen Research Center Variety: Conrad Spring Planted - Irrigated Urea: Broadcast Silt Loam soil, 15ppm soil N N-N Advantage /ac B : C 100lb 11.7 132* $444 +$57.00 9:1 100lb 11.9 123 $413 100lb 11.4 140* $470 +$50.00 8:1 GSP Urea PP 130 12.4 134 $450 *LSD 0.10 = 14 Dr. Jeff Stark

Winter Wheat NutriSphere-N Study Belleville, Kansas 2009 Fuller wheat planted Oct 2008 Broadcast urea application Feb 2008 Harvested Jul 2009 Barney Gordon, KSU 2009 Rate N/ha Yield bu/ac Gross Return /ac. @$5.48/ bu Urea 40 kg 85 $465.80 NSN Benefit Benefit : Cost Urea + N-N +$4.00/ac 40 kg 92 $504.16 +38.36/ac 9:1 Urea 60 kg 93 $509.64 Urea + N-N +$6.00/ac 60 kg 101 $553.48 +43.84/ac 7:1 All treatments received 30 lbs/ac P 2 0 5 pre-plant as DAP w/avail

Winter Wheat NutriSphere-N Study Belleville, Kansas 2009 Yield, bu / ac Gordon, KSU 2009

Effect of NutriSphereN and Avail on Corn Production in Kansas Bringing Earth s Resources to Life Yield bu/ac 300 275 250 225 200 175 150 * * * LSD (.05)=13 0 100 200 300 Nitrogen Rate Gordon, 2008 N+30 P2O5 NSN+Avail AgriBusiness

NutriSphere-N Effect on Rice Production in Missouri, USA 2008 Nitrogen Rate Kg / ha Yield, MT/ha Urea Yield MT/ha Urea N-N 0 5.95 5.95 39 8.22 9.12 78 8.62 9.73 118 9.37 9.63 157 8.92 9.22 Sharkey clay Dunn, University of Missouri

Sugarcane 10 AVAIL + NutriSphere-N (N-N) San Carlos MDDC, Mill District Philippines Variety: V88-947 Growers Standard Practice: 84 kg N + 3,628 kg of organic fertilizer AVAIL / N-N: 180N-140P-60K kg./ha. Treatments: 4x replicated plots Basal Applied Growers Standard Practice NPK + AVAIL + N- N (+P3,475 /ha) Yield Lkg./ha (Planters Share) Gross Income / ha Input Cost Fertilizer AVAIL / N- N Applicatio n / ha Net Income / ha 137.2 P274,400 24,000.00 P250,400 AVAIL / N- N Benefit/ha (Benefit: Cost) 152.6 P305,200 19,785.00 P285,415 +P35,015 (10:1)

Improving Phosphorus Use Efficiency in Fertilizers Terry A. Tindall Ph.D Part Two JAMAICA Nov. 4, 2011

TROPICAL SOILS SOME OF THE MOST CHALLENGING

Why Is Phosphorus Fertilizer So Inefficient? Forms insoluble precipitates of Ca, Mg, Al or Fe making P fertilizer unavailable

Conventional Phosphate Root Interception Phosphorus only gets into the plant when the root contacts the phosphorus

What Can be Done to Improve P Use Efficiency? Banding Starter In-Season Drip ADVANCED POLYMERS--AVAIL

AVAIL Mode of Action Highly Charged Polymer (CEC=1800 meq/100gm) sequesters antagonistic cations in soil solution around P fertilizer granule or in fluid band. P remains unfixed and available for plant uptake. Results in highly concentrated zones of available P for the plants (microenvironments). A soil chemistry phenomenon -- not related to plant species

AVAIL Active Ingredient - Minimum 40% maleic-itaconic copolymer H O O O O H maleic acid itaconic acid

Hard water Hard water + 10-34-0 (one drop) ph = 6.8 Hard water + AVAIL [AVAIL] = 0.5% v/v Hard water + 10-34-0 +AVAIL ph = 6.8

Field Data Excellent source of field research to support applications

Avail / DAP Corn ** University of Minnesota Waseca, MN Contributor: Dr. Gyles Randall Ph.D. Soil ph: 7.3 kg P 2 0 5 / ha t/ha * Gross Income Per ha @$111.60/t GSP 18-46-0 28 10.9 $1504.80 Avail Benefit Per ha 18-46-0 + Avail 28 11.3 $1564.50 +$59.53 (+ $6.18/ha) GSP 18-46-0 56 11.3 $1563.90 Grower b:c 9:1 18-46-0 + Avail 56 12.1 $1664.20 + $100.28 (+ $10.08/ ha) *Note the efficiency factor of phosphate w/avail (28kg vs. 56kg) _lsd @.10* ** Mean Composite of 3 year study at 56kg P 2 0 5 rate: 02, 03, 04 Grower b:c 9:1

AVAIL / N-N Philippine Sugarcane 11 SRA LGAREC, La Carlota City, Negros Occidental Trial Run: 5/10 5/11 Sandy Loam Soil Randomized Block Design Trial 4x reps AVAIL / N-N applied at 6 mos. Stage Yield Sugar LKg/Ha Net Income/Ha (including cost of AVAIL And N-N) Peso s AVAIL / N-N Benefit/Ha (Peso) GSP - NPK (105-105-240) Split Application 136 143,596 GSP + AVAIL 151 162,894 +19,298 GSP + AVAIL and N-N 147 156,629 +13,033

Bringing Earth s Resources to Life 10-34-0 Grower Standard Practice Avail w/10-34-0 AgriBusiness

Relationship of cost/benefit (US$/kg), trials 1 and 2, according to treatment, Dominican Republic, May 2010 Bringing Earth s Resources to Life Treatment Benefit Increase kg/ha COST US$/ha Relationship Cost/Benefit US$/kg* Trial 1 (NPKSZB+NSN y Avail) vs (NPKSZnB) (NPKSZB+NSN y Avail) vs (NPKS) 1,273 32 1:40 1,818 41 1:44 (NPKSZnB) - (NPKS) 545 9 1:61 Trial 2 (NPKSZB+NSN y Avail) vs (NPKSZnB) 2,364 27 1:88 *KGS of paddy rice produced for every dollar invested in NSN and Avail. AgriBusiness

Trial 2: Treatment: NPKSZnB without NSN and Avail Date of Picture: February 23, 2010 (27 days after transplanting) Bringing Earth s Resources to Life AgriBusiness

Trial 2: Treatment: NPKSZnB + NSN and Avail Date of Picture: February 23, 2010 (27 days after transplanting) Bringing Earth s Resources to Life AgriBusiness

NutriSphere Enhanced N Bringing Earth s Resources to Life Fine Textured Soils N-N can reduce or eliminate in-season N applications Apply N-N in fall after cooler temperatures (<15 degrees C) AgriBusiness

Bringing Earth s Resources to Life NutriSphere-N Management Sandy Soils NSN cannot eliminate all inseason N applications, but can reduce them. Split apply N on sandy soils. Pre-treat and allow to dry NSN treated urea. AgriBusiness

Bringing Earth s Resources to Life NUTRISPHERE-N Decreases Volatilization Inhibits Denitrification Inhibits Nitrification Reduces N Leaching Potential IMPROVES FERTILIZER USE EFFICIENCY Reduces Environmental Concerns and Green House Gases AgriBusiness

Bringing Earth s Resources to Life EE Fertilizers (N-N and AVAIL) Show Promise for Sugarcane AgriBusiness

Bringing Earth s Resources to Life THANK-YOU terry.tindall@simplot.com AgriBusiness