Abstract SYMPHOS 2011

132
Andrews DUNCAN,
Lake International Technologies, UK
Coatings have long been used by the fertiliser industry for a variety of purposes which can be broadly defined as
follows.
1. Coatings for anti-caking
2. Coatings to prevent moisture uptake
3. Coatings for anti-dusting
4. Coatings to value add (i.e. colour, slow release)
For the purpose of this paper, we will focus on the potential for Trace Element Attachment (or TEA) using polymer
coatings. Up to 6% 50- 200 micron powder can be added in a controlled fashion and so attached to the surface of a
fertiliser granule by using a polymer coating.
TRACE ELEMENT ATTACHMENT
Uncoated Fertiliser or carrier granule
POLYMER COATINGS.
WS3 - 3
Trace Element, inoculants or yield boosting nutrients coated
onto each and every granule in the correct ratio.
TEA is extremely versatile and can be adopted by the agronomist in crop-led farming in applying E.g. zinc to onions
or boron to sugar beet. It can thus be used to value-add fertiliser, increasing both farmer yield and manufacturer
margin.
By fixing nutrient to each and every granule, this method of Trace Element Attachment is immensely more efficient
than simply blending in the required pellets, increasing the crops roots chance of finding the nutrient by twentyfold.
Further, it is proactive as opposed to reactive versus foliar application (with the e.g. Manganese added before leaf
decolourisation occurs) and it can also be used to achieve specific outcomes, such as to prevent volatilisation of
Nitrogen in Urea.
With 40% population growth projected by 2050, and less arable land and water available, there is pressure on
the farmer to increase his yield on a scale similar to that achieved by the Green revolution. We at Lake see a trend
towards ‘Intelligent Agriculture’ and believe that TEA will most certainly have a role to play.