Nitrification Inhibitors, Urease Inhibitors and Stabilized Fertilizers: The promising future!

摘要

Almost twenty years ago, two Researchers -Shoji and Gandeza- trying to define the concept of an "ideal fertilizer", came to the conclusion that such fertilizer should have at least the following three characteristics: first, only one application wouldbe needed throughout the entire growing season. Second, the percentage recovery should be the highest, i.e. the losses through leaching, fixation, etc., should be as small as possible. And finally the detrimental effect on the soil, the water and the atmosphere should be minimum. Fertilizers associated to nitrification or urease inhibitors meet these requirements to a good extent. In contrast to CRF (controlled - release fertilizers) however, these products are still used almost exclusively on broad acre crops. Even though the economics of their use seem so far much more favourable to the end user than those of the CRF, their application had been restricted so far to a small number of crops -mainly corn and root crops - and to specific climatic conditions. However the interest for such products has been growing at a rapid pace, including in horticulture, a lucrative niche segment where fully soluble Ammonium-stabilized fertilizers have also been launched. At the same time, the concern about nitrous oxide emissions from various cropping systems using regular fertilizers has been growing and the positive effect of enhanced-efficiency fertilizers such as the ones containing nitrification or urease inhibitors in reducing such emissions has been highlighted. The market for nitrification inhibitors, urease inhibitors and fertilizers incorporating such technologies is set to continue growing.