Microencapsulated fertilizers for improvement of plant nutrition

Abstract

Given the need to reduce the impact of the use of chemical fertilizers on the quality of food crop production, it is necessary to develop fertilizer formulations enabling the gradual and controlled release of the active substance, which could be achieved by encapsulation, thereby allowing its almost complete metabolization by plants. The study reported herein was intended to test such fertilizer compositions with controlled release, achieved by encapsulation in polymeric structures, by monitoring the biological activity of the new products, using maize and sunflower crops as the target plants, i.e., crops having a major impact in the agricultural sector. To achieve this objective, solid microstructures were obtained, which allowed, on one hand, the incorporation of the fertilizing composition and, on the other, the controlled release of the active components over a period of time chosen so that advanced absorption in the plants could occur. Based on the presented findings, the tested fertilizers could ensure high quality fertilization in terms of a greater degree of nutrient recovery, lower doses without reducing plant productivity and reduced chemical pollution of soil. © 2014 SCS. All rights reserved.