Nutrient Use Efficiency
The need to produce more food for the growing global population, increasing production costs, and climate uncertainty demand the implementation of new technologies and practices that enhance input use efficiency and agricultural productivity.
Nutrient losses due to edaphoclimatic factors or application management can be reduced by adopting new technologies that allow for optimal nutrient use by the crop, resulting in increased agricultural productivity. Discover some of the technologies that DISAGRO offers in its fertilizers.
Use of Nitrogen in Soil Applications
Among nitrogen fertilizers, urea is the most widely used, not only for its high concentration but also for its ease of use. However, its chemical nature leads to nitrogen loss after application in amounts that can vary depending on soil type and climatic conditions.
These losses occur during the hydrolysis of urea in the soil, which is catalyzed by the enzyme urease, resulting in the formation and release into the atmosphere of ammonia gas (NH3) and ammonium ions (NH4+).
Nitrogen Use Efficiency Technology
NITRO XTEND® is DISAGRO’s nitrogen technology, which can be applied at the exact moment when the plant requires the most nitrogen. Under most climatic conditions and similar management practices, the use of nitrogen provided by NITRO XTEND® will be higher compared to conventional urea.
The technology provided by NITRO XTEND® works by temporarily blocking the hydrolysis of urea, significantly reducing nitrogen losses due to ammonia gas volatilization.
Greater Protection for Its Application
When NITRO XTEND® comes into contact with the soil, its technology blocks the active site of the urease enzyme, thereby delaying the hydrolysis of the fertilizer and reducing nitrogen loss through volatilization.
Compared to urea, NITRO XTEND® reduces application costs by optimizing the cost per effective unit of nitrogen, increasing nitrogen use efficiency by the plant, which translates into higher production.
The advantages of this technology are:
- More nitrogen available for the crop.
- Lower cost per unit of effective nitrogen.
- Reduced application costs, as the fertilizer does not need to be incorporated.
DISAGRO
Micronutrients
When soil levels are insufficient and the crop’s demand is unmet, micronutrient supplementation is required. The ELEMENTUM® technology allows farmers to apply a micronutrient formulation more effectively, as it is added to the fertilizers that farmers already use. ELEMENTUM® features particle size ideal for absorption, and its formulation prevents the fixation of micronutrients in the soil, allowing them to remain available to the plant for a longer period.
Delivery Efficiency
ELEMENTUM® is a highly effective dispersible micronutrient technology designed to ensure that each granule of the fertilizer is coated with the micronutrient, guaranteeing better availability and distribution at the time of application. This results in closer proximity to plant roots and effective absorption by the plant.
Uniform Distribution from Formulation to Application.
The ELEMENTUM® technology provides essential advantages for the farmer:
Ensures better dispersion of micronutrients in the physical mixture (no segregation).
Guarantees improved field distribution once applied, with ‘blanket micronutrient distribution’ (each NPK granule will contain micronutrients), translating into benefits without incurring additional application costs.
No additional application costs are incurred as each fertilizer granule contains micronutrients.
Versatility
ELEMENTUM® has the advantage of being able to modify and create any combination of micronutrients according to the crop’s needs, unlike chemical complexes that contain micronutrients in preset formulations.
Mineral fertilizers have helped sustain the growing global population, saving millions of hectares of natural and ecologically sensitive systems that would otherwise have been converted to agriculture. Additionally, nutrient losses that impact air and water quality can be reduced by improving nutrient use efficiencies, particularly for nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P).
Improvements in nutrient use efficiency should be evaluated in the context of maintaining their effectiveness in relation to crop efficiency across four major elements: minimizing disturbances, maximizing soil coverage, maximizing the presence of live-functional roots, and maximizing biodiversity.
Soil Health
Soil is a living and life-giving natural resource. As the population increases, the need to produce more food grows, making it critical to maintain healthy and productive soils.
Although there are still many aspects to discover about soil and the microorganisms present in it, better understanding our soils and their processes allows us to develop tools to improve soil health and, consequently, crop productivity.
Beneficial bacteria present in the soil perform functions such as converting chemicals like nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and iron into forms usable by crops.
Nutrient Enhancer and Biological Stimulator
BIOSMART® TECH technology can enhance, reinforce, or help revitalize the natural activities of the soil’s native microbiome. A healthy soil microbiome contributes to more efficient nutrient availability for plant use, improves the physical and chemical functioning of the soil, and helps balance microbial populations to better control pathogen pressure.
This technology increases nutrient efficiency by facilitating their solubilization and assimilation by the crop. It stimulates the plant through a dynamic interaction between the root, soil, and microbiome.
Advantages:
Optimizes the mineralization of organic matter in the soil.
Increases root mass and proliferation of absorbing roots.
Enhances the plant’s ability to tolerate stress.
Improves nutrient availability.
Promotes better interaction between the soil and the crop.