Next-generation fertilizer colourants

摘要

Agriculture generates a world of wonderful colour-from bold red tomatoes and deep green spinach to golden yellow com and vibrant purple grapes.Visual appearance-shape,colour or shade-is important in almost any product.Furthermore,decades of market research have shown that colour has a huge positive influence on consumer buying decisions.Yet,until now,due to several challenges,this rainbow of colours hasn't been a significant feature of fertilizers-the key products that allow us to grow agricultural produce.Traditionally,colourant technologies used in fertilizers have been crystalline,solid materials,most commonly dry and dusty powders.While undoubtedly good at imparting colour,powders can easily become airborne.This is a major disadvantage as,clearly,producers only wish to colour their fertilizers-not equipment,production plants,and the clothing and skin of their operators! Inevitably,any extra and unwanted colouration also leads to contamination,waste,long product transitions and downtime,which all translates into extra costs.