A competition to find the next generation of enhanced efficiency fertilizers (EEFs) for use in corn production has been launched through an EPA-USDA partnership, in collaboration with other industry bodies.
The entry details of the two competitions under the Next Gen Fertilizer Challenges were presented in a webinar on 24 September 2020. The official start date was 26 August. The supporting agencies are The Fertilizer Institute (TFI), the International Fertilizer Development Center (IFDC), The Nature Conservancy (TNC) and the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA).
The aim of the two competitions is to stimulate the development and uptake of affordable EEFs to reduce the environmental impacts of corn production.
The first competition is for EEFs currently on the market or near to market launch. Companies, or “solvers”, as the entrants are called, submit their product to the judging panel, providing evidence how the product reaches the environmental and agronomic requirements.
The environmental requirements include reduction in ammonia volatilization, N2O emissions, run-off and leaching of nitrogen and/or phosphorus.
The purpose of the EEFs: Environmental and Agronomic Challenge is to identify the EEFs that meet or exceed these requirements. There is no age restriction on the products already on the market, and in both competitions the solvers maintain all IP rights. The judging panel consists of members from industry, academia and relevant agencies.
The agronomic benefits must be specifically for corn, and the product compatible with current machinery and practices. Submissions closed 30 October. Those that are short-listed will be recognized as Stage 1 winners, and they will be invited to participate in a greenhouse trial (Stage 2) in 2021, and following those results there is advancement to field trials (Stage 3). There is no cash price for this competition. Winners of Stage 1 receive recognition, although it was made clear in the webinar Q&As that this is not an endorsement, and these winners will be invited to a showcasing event, with a date to be announced.
The second competition has been given the title of Next Gen Fertilizer Innovations Challenge. As explained in the webinar, this competition is looking to identify technology not currently on the market and can be more conceptual in nature. The EPA website states these entries may include “technology concepts that are not traditional EEFs and not in commercial use as a fertilizer.”
Solvers need to present an idea for an innovative EEF that could improve on the same environmental requirements mentioned above, and deliver agronomic benefits such as not increasing net farm costs. IP rights are retained by the entrants. The solutions must also be compatible with current equipment for corn production.
The closing date for entries is 30 November 2020, with the winners announced in 2021. Entrants are required to register with this competition, but not with the other challenge.
With the Next Gen Fertilizer Innovations Challenge, there is a US$65,000 cash pool, which can be allocated to different entries, with a minimum award of $10,000.
Multiple entries are possible, and in the Q&A at the end of the webinar it was confirmed that companies from outside the U.S. were eligible to enter, but that cash prizes were reserved for U.S. entrants only.
The approved term for what constitutes an EEF is based on the definition from the Association of American Plant Food Control Officials (AAPFCO). In 2013, AAPFCO defined EEFs as “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 run-off) when compared to an appropriate reference product.” During the Q&A, it was clarified the definition also includes fertilizer products containing stabilizing products, such as urease inhibitors.
Lara Moody
The first thing that is striking about this initiative is the number of collaborators spearheaded by the EPA-USDA partnership. Can you elaborate on how this has come about, obviously with reference to TFI?
Launching the Next Gen Fertilizer Challenges was almost a year in the making. Initially U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Department of Agriculture (USDA) staff engaged TFI to gain insight into the industry’s perspective and to assess interest in the effort. For more than a decade, TFI has led efforts to increase adoption for 4R practices, which includes supporting the role enhanced efficiency and other fertilizer product technologies and formulations have in 4R implementation on the farm to address agronomic and environmental goals. TFI collaboration and the ability to provide industry and academic input to develop the challenge was valuable to EPA and USDA, as well as to TFI. The expertise of the International Fertilizer Development Center was also called upon early in the process as it became clear they could support assessment and planned greenhouse trials. Collectively, we desire to increase awareness of these products for increased use on the farm, and for that reason it was important to collaborate with a grower and conservation group, thus bringing in the National Corn Growers Association and The Nature Conservancy.
Was there a particular driver that meant now was the right time to launch the initiative? There were several drivers motivating TFI’s involvement in the initiative. First, there is growing evidence of the effectiveness of these products in advancing agronomic and environmental benefits on the farm. Additionally, we see a need to increase use of these products on the farm. And finally, it is important to further support emerging product development and innovation within the fertilizer industry. In a farm’s conservation system, these products can reduce agriculture’s impacts on the environment while maintaining or increasing productivity and profitability. For many in the food supply chain, these products can be an important element for reaching sustainability goals that focus on improving water quality and mitigating climate change. With an ever-increasing focus on reducing the environmental footprint of the agricultural system, the role and value of industry innovation is elevated and something we should use advantageously.
What's been the initial reaction to the competition from the industry? A significant amount of interest has been expressed by industry, both within and external to the fertilizer industry. Combined, the two challenges create opportunities for products we traditionally think of stabilized, slow-, or controlled-release products – as well as other products that enhance nutrient use efficiency of nitrogen and phosphorus, which could include biostimulants. This is a great opportunity for industry members to gain recognition for their specific product formulations by U.S. federal agencies. Personally, I hope many industry members pursue participation as it will positively demonstrate and draw attention to innovation efforts already underway in the industry.
Where did the idea for a competition come from? It's reminiscent of the early days of industrial revolution in UK when competitions were held for fastest steam train design. Is that the reason for going for a competition format, to accelerate the ideas and provide an impetus?
For several years now, the U.S. government has used challenges to draw attention to and advance desired outcomes for specific issues. The competition aspect is a way to push the expectation for environmental and agronomic outcomes and, at the same time, narrow in on potential successors.
Why the exclusivity to the corn crop? Obviously, it's an important crop to the U.S., but are there other reasons for limiting the competition to one crop? The idea to focus on corn stems from its importance and scale as a crop and for its use of nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizer. In the United States, corn is the largest user of phosphorus and potassium. And, as a commodity crop, economics of production are important. It’s likely that solutions that advance nutrient use efficiency in corn would be feasible and applicable to other cropping systems.
This probably makes this one of the largest agri-tech competitions globally. How important was it to have an international dimension? The international dimension acknowledges that there are contributors to U.S. agriculture beyond our borders and that solutions can come from unknown entities. The ultimate winner in the challenge is U.S. agriculture as the challenge seeks solutions to improve the sustainability of our crop production systems.
Where do you see some of the EEF disruptive technologies coming from in the Next Gen Fertilizer Innovations Challenge? I can’t predict where the most exciting and potentially successful technologies will come from, and because we couldn’t, the Next Gen Fertilizer Challenge is open to non-EEF products. That’s why we are seeking other product formulations and technologies that improve nutrient use efficiency. Beyond traditional stabilized, slow-, and controlled-release products, I think we could see entries from emerging biostimulants, organic matrices, multi-nutrient combinations and maybe even some type of EEF-biostimulant combination. For me, it’s part of the fun and excitement of the challenges. What can we expect as a future solution for modern agriculture?
The competitions provide a launchpad for technology providers. Is there a rough outline on how to capitalize on it afterwards? From TFI’s perspective, we are taking the opportunity to elevate policymaker and stakeholder awareness of industry innovation, and we are seeking to address some of the product registration challenges our members contend with for these products. We also want to ensure member awareness of emerging technologies, business opportunities and ideas that can advance sustainable agricultural systems. Beyond the challenges, we’ll use the outcomes to advocate for greater research, communication and incentive program support that will further advance on-farm adoption.
SCRSFs have a dedicated track at the digital NAI Brazil event that will be held 17-19 November 2020. It is free to register as a delegate.
The opening day looks at the role of SCRSFs in ensuring food supply with a special focus on coffee and tropical crops. The second session of the day looks at R&D in SCRSF industry.
On the second day there is a focus on SCRSF products and technology, formulation and application insight, which then continues into the third day. Presentations will be translated into Portuguese.
New Ag International asks some of the presenters from these sessions to give a quick-fire overview of their presentations.
What is the subject of your presentation at NAI Brazil (SCRSFs track) and what are the key take-away messages? The subject of my presentation is the benefits of using EEFs in tropical agriculture, especially in Brazil. The cultivation conditions are quite favourable to losses such as volatilization, nitrogen denitrification and phosphorus fixation. Among alternatives to mitigate losses, the use of EEFs has stood out. Real TURBO, a specialty fertilizers line from Adubos Real, contribute a lot in this regard. They are fertilizers with ingredients that reduce nitrogen and phosphorus losses. In this way, nutrients are available longer in the soil solution, contributing to nutrition. As the losses of nutrients in the environment are less, it is possible to work with adjusted fertilizer doses. This contributes to reducing environmental impacts and helps the rational use of inputs.
Where do you expect to see significant developments with SCRSFs in the next few years? For example, will the main drivers be technology, pricing or increased adoption rates? The greater the adoption of these technologies, the better for all agribusiness. Some challenges must be overcome, such as the prejudice that they are very expensive products. Indeed, they have a higher value than conventional fertilizers. However, the return on investment is greater than that of conventional fertilizers. In addition, there is greater certainty that the investment in fertilization will be returned with less influence from environmental factors in the success of fertilization. The technologies shipped in these fertilizers have been improving every year. It is important the product has its manufacturing and positioning appropriate to each particular crop where it will be used. That is why local validations are extremely important. The greater the use of SCRSFs, the smaller the difference between their prices and those of conventional fertilizers. And more benefits for the entire agribusiness chain, especially for the farmer.
If there was a particular crop or sector that you think would benefit most from SCRSFs and isn't currently used in any great volume, what would it be? Talking about the Brazilian market, phosphate fertilizers with enhanced efficiency can contribute a lot in the rational use of inputs in soy and corn crops. In terms of nitrogen fertilization, crops such as corn, coffee and the forest sector stand out. All of these crops can benefit from reduced greenhouse gas emissions and reduced environmental impact, as well as increased productivity.
What is the subject of your presentation at NAI Brazil (SCRSFs track) and what are the key take-away messages? One of the most investigated urease inhibitors is N-(n-butyl) thiophosphoric triamide (NBPT)*. So far, mainly applications on straight urea have been described in literature and little information is available on storage stability of NBPT containing urease inhibitors in urea based NPK and ammonium sulphate (AS) fertilizer mixtures. In this research the influence of AS and phosphate fertilizers on urease inhibitor stability have been investigated. Both phosphate and AS containing fertilizers significantly increased the degradation speed of NBPT. In my presentation I will discuss different ways to mitigate this degradation.
Where do you expect to see significant developments with SCRSFs in the next few years? For example, will the main drivers be technology, pricing or increased adoption rates? Initiatives to reduce emissions from fertilizers (e.g. NEC directive, European Green Deal, China’s zero-growth policy) are more and more being translated into regulations that also involve fertilizer use. Such regulations will lead to an increasing demand of technologies that increase the nitrogen use efficiency, such as SCRSFs. Among controlled-release, slow-release and stabilized fertilizers, the latter is the most affordable tool to reduce ammonia and nitrous oxide emissions from nitrogen fertilizers and improve nitrogen use efficiency (NUE). BASF´s nitrogen stabilizer portfolio includes both urease inhibitor (Limus, containing a patented synergetic mixture of NBPT and NPPT) and nitrification inhibitor (Vibelsol, containing DMPP) products. In addition, we are developing innovative and sustainable active ingredients to address the market need for nitrogen stabilizers that can be used on a broad range of fertilizers and crops.
If there was a particular crop or sector that you think would benefit most from SCRSFs and isn't currently used in any great volume, what would it be? The use of SCRSF in mineral fertilizer for row crops is currently very limited. Farmers would benefit from using urease inhibitors (UI) and nitrification inhibitors (NI) by improving the NUE of their fertilizer, resulting in higher yields and improved crop quality. Especially in Latin America, where farmers are using relatively low rates of nitrogen fertilizer, the use of UI and NI products often lead to a significant yield increase and improved profitability of farms. In addition, these stabilizers improve the ecological footprint of their business by reducing nitrate leaching and lowering greenhouse gas emissions.
(* Kiss, S. and Simihaian, M. (2002): Improving Efficiency of Urea Fertilizers by Inhibition of Soil Urease Activity. Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht, The Netherlands)
Maria Tais Buzzo Gomes
What is the subject of your presentation at NAI Brazil (SCRSFs track) and what are the key take-away messages? Our main subject is to present the slow release technology included at Ciclus NK product, from Café Brasil Fertilizantes Company, with its advantages and benefits to coffee areas, based on years of research. The most important message is to introduce a tool that can help the farmer to manage the fertilizing with great cost benefit, environmental sustainability and climate independence.
Where do you expect to see significant developments with SCRSFs in the next few years? For example, will the main drivers be technology, pricing or increased adoption rates? We expect a significant increase with the growing adoption of technology, due to better cost benefit and the agronomic results of the products, especially with citrus, forestry, banana and other perennial crops.
If there was a particular crop or sector that you think would benefit most from SCRSFs and isn't currently used in any great volume, what would it be? All the perennial crops at no mechanized areas have great potential to adopt SCRSFs, due to economy of labour and machine operations, reducing the production cost; and all the other crops can take advantages of the technology to manage climate changes and instability.
Matias Ruffo
What is the subject of your presentation at NAI Brazil (SCRSFs track) and what are the key take-away messages? The presentation will cover Koch Agronomic Services’ portfolio of SCRSFs, including AGROTAIN nitrogen stabilizer, with special emphasis on recently launched products such as ANVOL (urease inhibitor) and CENTURO (nitrification inhibitor) nitrogen stabilizers. ANVOL launched in Brazil in 2020 and is the technology behind SuperN PRO treated urea. ANVOL with the patented active ingredient Duromide delivers the longest-lasting protection against ammonia volatilization. CENTURO is a next-generation nitrification inhibitor for anhydrous ammonia and UAN. Featuring the patented active ingredient Pronitridine, CENTURO offers highly effective below-ground nitrogen protection. Where do you expect to see significant developments with SCRSFs in the next few years? For example, will the main drivers be technology, pricing or increased adoption rates? The most significant developments will most likely be the widespread adoption of more effective nitrogen stabilizers, particularly urease and nitrification inhibitors. The growth will mainly be due to an increasing grower focus on improving fertilizer efficiency especially with the challenging economics for commodity crops. The main challenge for controlled-release fertilizers still is the relatively high cost compared to stabilizers in markets that are more sensitive to input cost. If there was a particular crop or sector that you think would benefit most from SCRSFs and isn't currently used in any great volume, what would it be? There is still considerable growth potential for stabilized nitrogen sources in key crops like corn and sugarcane, as more urea is used in cropping systems that maintain a significant amount of residue on the soil surface (mechanical harvest, no-till cropping systems). Coffee is a key crop for slow- and controlled-release fertilizers due to the large planted area, high nutrient application rate, large number of manually operated farms and high value of the crop.
Hunter Swisher
What is the subject of your presentation at NAI Brazil (SCRSFs track) and what are the key take-away messages? The focus of my talk is on RhizoSorb, a patented nutrient delivery technology that releases nutrients like phosphorus more efficiently than current SCRSFs. It works by storing and releasing nutrients within the soil based on a chemical gradient, providing a more plant-dependent release profile. RhizoSorb is a soil amendment/fertilizer additive used to improve phosphorus use efficiency by increasing uptake and decreasing unwanted tie-up and leaching.
Where do you expect to see significant developments with SCRSFs in the next few years? For example, will the main drivers be technology, pricing or increased adoption rates? The main drivers will be cost, consumer demands for sustainably grown food, and environmental regulations. I believe nutrient use efficiency requires a combination of emerging technologies to maximize farmer profitability. I also believe the ag/food value chain monetizing the environmental benefit is an important driver for rapid adoption.
If there was a particular crop or sector that you think would benefit most from SCRSFs and isn't currently used in any great volume, what would it be? I believe the biggest impact (environmentally speaking) is in broadacre row crops (corn, soybean, wheat, etc.). Adoption of new technology is historically slow and requires a clear and compelling ROI to overcome a perceived risk. If farmer profitability is not significantly increased, the incentive to adopt new technologies is minimal until environmental regulation increases pressure or incentivizes farmer adoption.
What is the subject of your presentation at NAI Brazil (SCRSFs track) and what are the key take-away messages? Quantifying the nutrient recovered by agricultural crops using SCRSFs can help to recommend the best fertilization management practices, and to avoid economic losses and pollution. The subject of my presentation is to provide information about the quantity of nitrogen-fertilizer recovery in maize and common bean in a specific site in Brazil using blends of controlled-release and NBPT-treated urea.
Where do you expect to see significant developments with SCRSFs in the next few years? For example, will the main drivers be technology, pricing or increased adoption rates? There are different types of SCRSFs around the world. It is interesting to research the nutrient recovery by crops and other analyses applying SCRSFs in different soil, weather conditions and crop systems. It can provide knowledge to improve the SCRSFs technologies for different situations and crops, and reduce acquisition costs or even fertilizer rate. If there was a particular crop or sector that you think would benefit most from SCRSFs and isn't currently used in any great volume, what would it be? SCRSFs normally have higher costs than conventional fertilizers and, depending on the soil, weather conditions and crop systems, it would be an alternative to reduce the number of mechanized operation and nutrient losses, improving the synchronism of nutrient release and recovery by crops. Economic research involving agronomic analyses in annual and perennial crops (maize, common bean, sugarcane, coffee, eucalyptus and other crops) would help to increase the use of SCRSFs.
New AG International will be producing an e-book on SCRSFs – the next generation of fertilizers and beyond, scheduled for launch in January 2020, which will draw on the latest trends from the NAI Brazil track in November, and updates from the EPA-USDA competition.
The e-book will also feature interviews with industry participants, a summary of products on the market and new ones recently released, coating substances and technology to maximize effectiveness, and coating equipment for bulk fertilizers.
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New AG International NOV/DEC 2020
Black soldier fly larvae. Photo: Entocyle
The waste from larvae production could be used as a crop fertilizer should commercial insect farms get off the ground in the UK. This is the concept that researchers at the University of Warwick and Durham University are investigating as part of a major government-funded project to look at the viability of rearing insects for animal feed in the UK.
The project will take the waste material, known as frass, from black soldier fly larvae reared in a commercial set up by London start-up company Entocycle. Researchers at Warwick and Durham will characterize the frass, where the larvae have been fed on different types of food waste, and investigate its use as a plant fertilizer and growth stimulant. Glasshouse and field-based trials will be undertaken at the University of Warwick’s Crop Centre at its Wellesbourne Campus.
“Frass is a byproduct of producing insects and is likely to contain many of the essential elements required for plant growth,” said Rob Lillywhite, project lead at the University of Warwick. “Finding a value-adding use for the frass will add to the sustainability of using insect protein in the food system as an alternative to products like soya.”
Still in its early days, the project collaborators will test the frass and investigate its plant nutrient potential, both in its natural form and then look at any possibility of processing it as an ingredient in plant feeds.
“At Durham we will conduct complementary fundamental research to explore how frass can be used to boost plant immunity and will seek to explain the molecular mechanisms underpinning enhanced plant responses to pathogen attack,” said co-investigator at Durham University, Elaine Fitches.
The research is part of a £10m funding package from the UK Government’s Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund (ISCF) to help fund the construction of the UK’s first large-scale industrial insect farm and accelerate the development of sustainable food production systems.
The ambitious project, led-by Entocycle, will deliver a plan to rapidly convert food waste into insect-based animal feed for the aquaculture and pet food industries, reducing CO2 emissions related to the sourcing and production of traditional sources of protein, and helping the UK improve its food and feed security in the future through more localized supply chains.
The project is led by Keiran Whitaker of Entocycle and the consortium involves Better Origin and Beta Bugs, AIC (Agriculture Industries Confederation) AB Agri Ltd, Fera Science, Insect Technology Group UK, University of Stirling’s Institute of Aquaculture, Cooke Aquaculture Scotland, the Scottish Aquaculture Innovation Centre (SAIC) and Zero Waste Scotland.