Improving Nitrogen use efficiency with E-Max Release Technology (coated urea) Presenter: Cristian Terrones, Agronomist ICL-Specialty Fertilizers Research done by: Luca Incrocci, University of Pisa Department of Agriculture, Food and Environment (DAFE), ITALY
ICL: from source to solution Raw minerals processing Minerals Fertilizers Innovation Formulation Technologies, Products & Advise 2
Pollution with Nitrogen Improving Nitrogen Use Efficiency (NUE) is a important key factor for crop yields.but also for the pollution! 3
How can we reduce the N leaching from the soil? Make accurate fertilization planning, considering the N supply from soils and organic fertilizers. Divide the total N dose in many small doses Localized placing of fertilizers. With the use of fertilizers with nitrification inhibitors (NH4-->NO3 (i.e. 3 4- dimethylpyrazole phosphate, DMPP) With the use of Controlled Release Fertilizers (E-MAX) 4
What is E-Max? E-Max release technology is a polymer coating which improves nutrient use efficiency. The release of nutrients is based upon moisture and temperature, offering predictable longevities.
How does E-Max work?
Leaching trial 2015-2016 Commissioned by ICL, the University of Pisa, Italy Department of Agriculture, Food and Environment (DAFE), executed a trial to measure the amount of leaching. Trial was supervised by professor Lucca Incrocci. Objective of trial: Quantifying the reduction of Nitrogen losses in an tomato crop (grown in a sandy soil), comparing traditional N fertilizers vs N-coated (E-Max) and vs N-fertilizers containing N-inhibitors 7
Materials and methods Two trial with round tomato crop (cv F1 Optima, Royal Seeds) Spring: 20 th March - 7 th July 2015 (110 days) 4 trusses harvested average soil temperature 24.4 C average global radiation 10.9 MJ m2 day-1 Autumn: 21 th September 2015-28 th January 2016 (129 days) 3 trusses harvested average soil temperature 17.3 C average global radiation 2.4 MJ m2 day-1 Containers, filled with 130 liters of sandy soil, hosted four tomato plants Drip irrigation (discharge rate: 2 L/h) The water drainage was completely collect and analyzed 8
Measured parameters 1. Crop yield: Number and weight of fruits, which will be picked weekly and separated in marketable and non-marketable fruits. 2. Fruit quality: Dry matter content determined in fruit samples collected at the middle of the harvest period; 3. Shoot dry green biomass production, determined at the end of the experiment. 4. Nitrogen Nitrate and ammonium, and urea, but only for E-max treatment in drainage cumulatively collected. 5. Climate parameters Daily average of relative humidity, air and soil temperature, daily cumulated solar global radiation 9
Leaching trial 2015 Nitrogen fertilization: Treatment Base fertilization Top dress fertilization CONTROL 20* or 25** % of N as (NH 4 ) 2 SO 4 (NH 4 )NO 3 Ca(NO 3 ) 2 KNO 3 Total N supplied: 360* and 300** kg/ha DMPP 20 % of N as DMPP (NH 4 )NO 3 Ca(NO 3 ) 2 KNO 3 * Spring trial **Autumn trial E-Max 40% 40% of N as coated urea Ca(NO 3 ) 2 KNO 3 E-Max 75% 75% of N as coated urea Ca(NO 3 ) 2 10
Leaching trial 2015 % N leaching reduction CONTROL Nitrogen run-off was 127 kg/ha for spring and 46 kg/ha for autumn Conclusion: E-Max Release technology is able to reduce the Nitrogen leaching in soil without reducing the yield and the quality of tomato crop (on average 65% less leaching compared to control). 11
Average temperatures Pisa Spring trial Autumn trial 12
Ongoing 2016 experiment A new leaching tomato trial started on 24 August 2016. Two main goals will be investigated: to verify the performances of a new coated Potassium Sulphate/Chloride fertilizer for Potassium fertilization in the sandy soil to verify the possibility to reduce (-25%) of the total Nitrogen supply in the treatment of E-Max compared to the control 13
E-Max Release Technology trial on Potato 2016 PPO-Vredepeel, Netherlands
Location
Treatments Code Base Fertilizer Top dressing N K2O CAN 150N 323 kg/ha CAN 306 kg/ha SOP 200 kg/ha NK 16-32 200 kg/ha NK 16-32 151 287 CAN 100N 130 kg/ha CAN 306 kg/ha SOP 200 kg/ha NK 16-32 200 kg/ha NK 16-32 99 287 ICL 100N 231 kg/ha E- Max 306 kg/ha SOP 107 kg/ha KCl 107 kg/ha KCl 99 288 *All treatments received 20 m3/ha of pig manure -> 80 kg N/Ha Levels according to new Dutch nitrogen legislation (2015)!! Type of soil: Sandy Calcium ammonium nitrate (CAN) treatment had 3 N applications ICL s E-Max Release technology treatment had only one N application
Results- Yield 50 49 48 47 46 45 44 43 42 41 40 Yield (ton/ha) bc b a CAN 100N CAN 150N Agrocote E-Max 100N p-value: <0.001 There was a significant increase in yield when using E-Max Using E-Max resulted in a yield increase of 9% over CAN-100N The only CAN treatment which had similar results to E-Max was the one which added 50% extra N. Increased Nitrogen Use Efficiency with just one application!
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