A new polymer coating for increasing phosphorus use efficiency and crop responses to phosphorus fertilization

摘要

A family of patented dicarboxylic polymers has been developed that affect the availability and plant utilization of applied P fertilizers. These compounds are biodegradable and highly water-soluble. The technology known as AVAIL developed by SpecialtyFertilizer Products can be applied directly to granular P fertilizers as a coating or mixed into fluid fertilizers. From 1999 through 2004, an extensive program of university greenhouse and field investigations have evaluated polymer effects on crop responses to applied P with a wide range of variables including a number of crops, soil pH, rate of applied P, methods of P application and form of P fertilizer. Polymer effects have been highly positive with and theorized as due to delayed P fixation reactions in the soil. As in any other series of investigations of this type, not all locations have been responsive to polymer coalings on P fertilizers. However, out of all P-responsive sites, polymer coatings have produced positive responses approximately87 % of the time. Some of the studies are reported here.