There is a need for a more innovative fertilizer approach that can increase the productivity of agricultural systems and be more environmentally friendly than synthetic fertilizers. In this article, we reviewed the recent development and potential benefits derived from the use of nanofertilizers (NFs) in modern agriculture. NFs have the potential to promote sustainable agriculture and increase overall crop productivity, mainly by increasing the nutrient use efficiency (NUE) of field and greenhouse crops. NFs can release their nutrients at a slow and steady pace, either when applied alone or in combination with synthetic or organic fertilizers. They can release their nutrients in 40-50 days, while synthetic fertilizers do the same in 4-10 days. Moreover, NFs can increase the tolerance of plants against biotic and abiotic stresses. Here, the advantages of NFs over synthetic fertilizers, as well as the different types of macro and micro NFs, are discussed in detail. Furthermore, the application of NFs in smart sustainable agriculture and the role of NFs in the mitigation of biotic and abiotic stress on plants is presented. Though NF applications may have many benefits for sustainable agriculture, there are some concerns related to the release of nanoparticles (NPs) from NFs into the environment, with the subsequent detrimental effects that this could have on both human and animal health. Future research should explore green synthesized and biosynthesized NFs, their safe use, bioavailability, and toxicity concerns.

Nano-Fertilization as an Emerging Fertilization Technique: Why Can Modern Agriculture Benefit from Its Use?

NPK nanofertilizer was prepared by loading nitrogen (N), phosphorous (P) and potassium (K) into chitosan nanoparticles. The chitosan nanoparticles were prepared via ionic gelation of tripolyphosphate and chitosan solution. The chitosan nanoparticles were characterized by SEM, TEM, zeta potential and size distribution. The results showed that size distribution was from 300 to 750 nm and zeta potential of around 50 mV. The released kinetics of nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium in nanofertilizer were also investigated for 240 h. The nanofertilizer was applied to coffee seedlings in a greenhouse condition. The results showed that the nanofertilizer enhanced uptake of nutrients, photosynthesis and growth of coffee plants. Application of the nanofertilizer improved 17.04% nitrogen, 16.31% phosphorous and 67.50% potassium content in the leaves of treated plots compared to the control; total chlorophyll content increased up to 30.68% and 71.7% of photosynthesis net rate. Application of nanofertilizer also enhanced leaf number, plant height and leaf area of the coffee seedlings. Using the nanofertilizer may be a potential way to enhance use efficiency of fertilizers for coffee.

Preparation of NPK nanofertilizer based on chitosan nanoparticles and its effect on biophysical characteristics and growth of coffee in green house

Reducing the use of petrochemical products in coated controlled-release fertilizers while regulating the release rate is a popular research topic in the field of controlled-release fertilizers. In this study, a novel biobased polyurethane (BPU), epoxy resin (ER), and polyolefin wax (PW) composite coating method for the controlled release of urea was successfully established. The method involved: (1) the use of PW as a modified inner coating, which improved fertilizer surface performance and reduced urea surface roughness; (2) the degradable BPU film was synthesized with liquefied starch (LS) as the outer coating material; and (3) epoxy resin is a protective layer, which improved the hydrophobicity of the coated urea for controlled release. The chemical structure, thermostability and microscopic morphology of composite-coated urea (CCU) were examined by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), respectively. A central composite design of response surface methodology was used to examine the effects of different film percentage, PW contents, and BPU/ER ratios on nutrient release behavior. The results showed that PW optimized the fluidity, thermal insulation properties, and microscopic surface of the particles and improved the uniformity of the heating of urea. When the same amount of ER was used, the CCU showed a 3-fold increase in the release period compared to that of the cross-linked interpenetrating coated urea. Polynomial mathematical models were established for CCU preparation and could be an effective tool for manufacturing CCUs with specific nutrient release characteristics that could meet the nutrient requirements of crops in different cropping systems. The new coating method introduced in this study could guide the development of a new generation of biobased controlled-release fertilizers.

Biobased Polyurethane, Epoxy Resin, and Polyolefin Wax Composite Coating for Controlled-Release Fertilizer.

Nitrogen fertilization is important for improving crop yields, but excessive amounts lead to high N losses through nitrate (NO 3 − -N) leaching. Controlled-release urea (CRU) has been shown to increase crop yields, yet the long term effects of CRU on soil NO 3 − -N distribution are not well known. A 4-year field experiment applied 50% (100 kg ha −1 ), 100% (200 kg ha −1 ) and 150% (300 kg ha −1 ) of the local practice N rates with CRU and urea was conducted under cotton-garlic intercropping system in Shandong Province, China. The linear increase in garlic yield and curvilinear increase in cotton yield indicates that crop yields increased as the input N rate increased with both urea and CRU while exceeded N application decreased cotton yields. The successive release of N from CRU permitted the meeting of the full N requirements of crops grown. Consequently, the lint cotton yield of CRU treatments was increased by 5.2%-17.3%, and garlic bulb yield increased by 2.0%-7.4%, compared with urea treatment. Although the CRU100% supplied one-third less N than Urea150%, the CRU100% produced −0.6%-5.6% more cotton, and −4.0%-2.6% more garlic than Urea150%. The NO 3 − -N contents of CRU treatments were augmented in 0–40 cm soil, but the opposite trend was found in 60–100 cm soil. The organic matter and total N contents in 0–40 cm profile were increased with CRU fertilization over 4-year fertilization. However, no prominent difference of available P and K contents in 0–20 cm soil was observed between CRU and urea treatments. Thus a one-third decrease in the recommended N application rate of urea is possible with CRU while maintaining crops yield, decreasing NO 3 − -N leaching to deep soil layer and preserving the soil fertility in North China plain.

Controlled release urea improved crop yields and mitigated nitrate leaching under cotton-garlic intercropping system in a 4-year field trial

Long-Term Effects of Controlled-Release Urea on Crop Yields and Soil Fertility under Wheat–Corn Double Cropping Systems

Groundwater level prediction using machine learning models: A comprehensive review

The purpose of the present study was to study the effect of slow-release fertilizers on nitrate leaching, its distribution in soil profile, N-use efficiency (NUE), and yield in potato cultivation in the years 2012 and 2013. The treatments included nano-nitrogen chelate (NNC), sulfur-coated nano-nitrogen chelate (SNNC), sulfur-coated urea (SCU), and urea (U) at three levels of nitrogen input (46, 92, and 138 kgN/ha). For this purpose, a factorial experiment in completely randomized designs (CRD) was designed and conducted with three replicates. The results of variance analysis showed that each treatment had significant effects on yield, leaching, and soil nitrate. Comparison of nitrate leaching values due to the treatments showed that NNC, SNNC, and SCU fertilizers led to reduced nitrate leaching levels by 35.72, 41.56, and 9.94 % compared to U fertilizer application. In contrast, potato yield increased by 56.10, 59.61, and 49.76 % with NNC, SNNC, and SCU fertilizers, respectively, compared to U fertilizer application. The highest NUE value in both years was observed in 46 kgN/ha of nitrogen input treatment. This value in the years 2012 and 2013 was 1056 and 793 kg/kg and belonged to the SNNC and SCU treatments, respectively. Moreover, the maximum tuber nitrate concentration (228 mg/kg) was recorded with the third nitrogen level of urea.

Effects of slow-release fertilizers on nitrate leaching, its distribution in soil profile, N-use efficiency, and yield in potato crop

https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s11270-022-05592-y.pdf

Modelling Metribuzin Removal Efficiency Through Adsorption Using Activated Carbon of Olive-waste Cake

DRASTIC is a model used to reliably assess the pollution potential of aquifers at global location. Despite various criticisms of this model or its optimization, sometimes the territorial or geological conditions still must rely on this model approach based on its simplicity. The existence of sinkholes in the alluvial aquifer with an underlying karst aquifer is a clear example of the need to change or optimize the DRASTIC model to improve accuracy of prediction. In this study, the DRASTIC model was changed by adding two factors, the distance to a sinkhole and the sinkhole catchment factors. The modified DRASTIC model was then used to evaluate the pollution potential of Abarkouh aquifer in Yazd province, Central Iran. The intrinsic vulnerability index of Abarkouh aquifer was calculated by the weighted sum method in GIS. The resulting numerical values ranged between 62 and 176 for full study area. Without adding the two layers related to Sin-DRASTIC, the generic DRASTIC Index map showed summed values ranging between 54 and 130. The final Sin-DRASTIC map was divided it into 4 orders very low (<106; 722 km2, 78%), low (107-133; 186 km2, 20%), low to moderate (133-160; 15.3 km2, 1.7%), and moderate vulnerability (161-176; 1.7 km2, 0.3%) vulnerability. Both of the created maps showed high Area Under the Curve values at 76% and 78% for the generic DRASTIC and Sin-DRASTIC respectively. However, the area of the aquifer containing the sinkholes showed low and very low zones of contamination vulnerability on the generic DRASTIC map. The sensitivity analysis showed that the aquifer vulnerability to pollution is mainly controlled by the vadose zone impacts and the sinkhole catchment factor. Therefore, it is concluded that for geologic settings containing sinkholes that are open or contain higher vertical hydraulic conductivity sediment compared to the general matrix of the unconfined aquifer, the Sin-DRASTIC model method yields a superior prediction. 

M. Bayatvarkeshi

Papers

Groundwater level prediction using machine learning models: A comprehensive review

Effects of slow-release fertilizers on nitrate leaching, its distribution in soil profile, N-use efficiency, and yield in potato crop

Modelling Metribuzin Removal Efficiency Through Adsorption Using Activated Carbon of Olive-waste Cake

An Intrinsic Vulnerability Approach to Assess an Overburden Alluvial Aquifer Exposure to Sinkhole-Prone Area; Results from a Central Iran Case Study