A BRIEF REVIEW ON MATERIALS USED INCONTROLLED-RELEASE FERTILISER FORMULATIONS

摘要

The excessive use of fertiliser and uncon- trolled-release of nutrient into soil environment have caused a significant eutrophication issue and ground- water contamination. These scenarios have necessi- tated the development of eco-friendly controlled-re- lease fertilisers (CRFs) for agricultural purposes. In recent years, several materials have been developed and tested to control the release of nutrients particu- larly in agricultural soils. Although, a number ofcon- trolled-release fertilisers have shown a great poten- tial to sustain nutrients release, their performance is greatly influenced by the type of soil, plant species and climate. This review focuses on the development of controlled-release fertilisers using different start- ing materials or precursors. The technique of synthe- sis, the rate of nutrients release, the characteristics and drawbacks of controlled-release fertilisers de- veloped have also been highlighted in this review. This review is beneficial to scientists in the field of food science, especially innovative agrochemical formulations to improve food production as well asto mitigate the nutrients leaching to groundwater.