Controlled Release Fertilizers : Increasing Crop Production While Reducing Environmental Pollution

Kwon Oh Yeon, Nousbo Chief Research Officer, PhD

(2023.05.26.)

Fertilizers play a vital role in agricultural food production, providing plants with essential nutrients crucial for their growth and development. However, it is important to remember that conventionally used fertilizers have drawbacks despite their many advantages. In particular, inorganic fertilizers can cause environmental issues, such as greenhouse gas emissions and water algal blooms. Understanding the unavoidable need of fertilizer use, we have been searching for a fertilizer that minimizes environmental pollution while maintaining optimal crop yield. After careful consideration and analysis, we have discovered a promising solution: Controlled Release Fertilizer.

(Kwon Oh Yeon, Nousbo Chief Research Officer, PhD)

Controlled Release Fertilizer (CRF) is a specialized type of fertilizer that releases its components in a controlled manner, ensuring a long-lasing fertilizing effect. Typically, CRF is a fertilizer in the form of granules coated with a material that effectively controls the rate, pattern and duration of nutrient release to plants. Conventional fertilizers, when applied to the soil, dissolve in water. However, only about one-third of the applied amount is absorbed by plants, while the rest is lost, contributing to greenhouse gas emissions or water pollution as it flows into groundwater or rivers. Inorganic fertilizers usually require frequent application, typically every 30 days, leading to repeated environmental pollution. In contrast, CRF is designed with a coating that allows the absorbed water to dissolve the fertilizer inside the granule, and the dissolved nutrients are then gradually released outside the coating. This unique feature enables CRF to exhibit its efficacy for an extended period of time. As a result, even a single application of CRF can supply nutrients to crops throughout their entire growth cycle.
[Link: What Are Controlled Release Fertilizers and How Do They Work? - Nousbo]

The development of CRF technology requires the Sigmoid Type coating technique, which is not widely available. However, Nousbo has successfully developed and applied this coating technology to field crops.
[Link: Nousbo CRF for Climate-smart Agriculture] We are dedicated to continuous improvement and the production of customized fertilizers adapted to particular crop characteristics. Nousbo CRF provides long-lasting effects, leading to a reduction in labor required for fertilization. While other fertilizers need to be applied multiple times, our fertilizer only requires a single application, resulting in an average labor reduction of 70% (refer to the table below).

Consequently, the application of CRFs can lead to significant reductions in environmental pollution and labor, thereby making a substantial contribution to sustainable agriculture. With a deep contemplation of the environmental pollution issues that can arise in the agricultural sector, we are dedicated to continuing our research and development efforts. Our goal is to grow as an environmentally friendly global agricultural company based on CRF technology. One of our recent achievements is the development of an eco-friendly biodegradable fertilizer coating that can be fully decomposed by microorganisms in the soil. [Link: Biodegradable Fertilizer Coating Development (nousbo.com)]

Innovative technologies in the agricultural sector bring benefits to everyone. With the adoption of eco-friendly fertilizers, farmers can produce certified low-carbon products while improving their income, governments can reduce the burden of environmental policies, and customers can take pride in consuming agricultural goods produced using these fertilizers, knowing that they are helping to protect the planet.

I believe that many people will be able to enjoy a better tomorrow through our small innovations today

- Kwon Oh Yeon, Nousbo Chief Research Officer, PhD -

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