São Paulo – Researchers from the Instrumentation unit of the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation (Embrapa) teamed up with scientists from the German institute Forschungszentrum Jülich to develop a new type of phosphate fertilizer. The product was tested in Brazilian soybean crops and can increase biomass by up to 10 times compared to conventional fertilization systems.
The product’s formula includes sulfur from oil waste to release a natural source of phosphorus called struvite, originating from urban waste. The compound, called struvite-polysulfide (St/PS), was evaluated in soybean due to its agronomic importance and high dependence on fertilizers.
According to Caue Ribeiro (pictured above), head of Embrapa Instrumentation’s Nanotechnology Network for Agribusiness (AgroNano), the use of the inputs separately was already known but had much lower efficiency than jointly. Projections are for the new fertilizer to gain scale within the next decade.
In an interview with ANBA, the researcher explained the new product is an alternative to bring sustainability and better crop yield performance. “Sulphur could come from Brazilian oil, from which a high volume of the chemical component is already removed. In oil refining, sulfur already needs to be removed. Struvite could be produced from phosphorus recovery in domestic sewage, with greater agricultural efficiency than conventional fertilizers. Thus, this fertilizer production could recover the compounds that would go into the water; it is a source of phosphorus that would have been lost,” he said.
The new product also offers greater absorption, according to the survey. This is due to the release of the fertilizer being controlled, allowing the incremental delivery of nutrients according to the plant’s cycles.
Ribeiro explained the search for a fertilizer of this type has been happening for a long time. “The study that led to the new product began with a Ph.D. research by my supervisee Stella Fortuna do Valle. But we have been looking for ways to meet this demand for about seven to eight years,” he said.
Greater domestic supply of fertilizers
One innovation highlight is the product’s potential to reduce Brazilian dependence on imported fertilizers. Despite being assessed solely in soybean plantations, the input could be used for any harvest requiring phosphate and sulfur, which, according to Embrapa, is the case for most crops.
Brazil is one of the biggest global consumers of fertilizers and the foremost importer of the product. Dependence on the foreign market makes the country susceptible to soaring prices or supply disruptions caused by conflicts impacting fertilizer exports, such as the ongoing war in Ukraine.
Monoammonium Phosphate (MAP), a phosphate rock derivative, is one of the three fertilizers most imported by Brazil from countries such as Saudi Arabia, Morocco, and Russia.
Despite this, Embrapa recalls the newly developed solution still needs joint work, including with Brazil’s water and sewage agencies. Despite its abundance, struvite needs to be separated from domestic sewage, which requires a more significant effort concerning basic sewage disposal. “I often insist we confuse emergency with urgency. At times like these, there is an emergency, so we need to publicize what is on hand for quick action. But the fertilizer issue in Brazil goes beyond that; the National Fertilizer Plan itself already plans to reduce dependence on imports to 60% by 2030, to illustrate the urgency,” pointed out Ribeiro.
Ultimately, the researcher recalled the importance of investment for the continuation of the research. “Embrapa will not produce in scale. Today, our main interest is attracting companies operating in producing fertilizers or seeking to produce struvite. The integration between urban sanitation and fertilizers will generate this development,” he concluded.
Translated by Elúsio Brasileiro
