Agronomic, environmental, and economic evaluation of cyanobacterial bio-fertilizer for small and mid-size farms growing high-value crops

Modern agriculture is highly dependent on nitrogen (N) fertilization to maintain high yields and profitability. In organic agriculture, cover crops and bulky organic amendments supply N; transport costs can be prohibitive, and energy used in transport is substantial. In conventional agriculture, industrial N fixation uses natural gas, high temperatures, and high pressures to convert atmospheric N to ammonia; ammonia is then used to create other N fertilizers. Nitrogen supply is therefore very energy-intensive. Demand for N remains strong as the human population continues to grow and consume more food. Unlike industrial N fixation, biological N fixation takes place at ambient temperature and pressure, and the energy required is supplied from the Sun rather than fossil fuels. Cyanobacteria are photosynthetic N-fixing organisms that can be used for a new, N-rich bio-fertilizer in a distributed on-farm or community-scale system. Such a system would greatly reduce the need for fossil fuels in N fertilizer production and transport, improve energy efficiency in American agriculture, and create new economic opportunities for small farms, mid-size farms, and entrepreneurs in rural communities. The development and commercialization of locally-produced, sustainable cyanobacterial N bio-fertilizer is an important opportunity that could revolutionize 21st century agriculture. The research team at Thin Air Nitrogen Solutions LLC has worked with cyanobacterial bio-fertilizer since 2008 and has deployed several on-farm prototypes, but further technical refinements are necessary to bring the system to a commercial product stage. Most importantly at this point, the bio-fertilizer must be field-tested to ensure its effectiveness. Cyanobacterial bio-fertilizer will be applied both in dry form and as a liquid fertilizer (via fertigation) to kale (Brassica oleracea var. Acephala), lettuce (Lactuca sativa), and sweet corn (Zea mays) in replicated field and greenhouse experiments. Bio-fertilizer will be compared to other fertilizers commonly used in conventional (urea and urea-ammonium-nitrate) and certified organic (compost and fish emulsion) production. Additionally, a computer model and farmer decision tool will be created to quantify the bio-fertilizer C footprint as compared to other fertilizers. Water use will also be quantified to evaluate the bio-fertilizer production in semi-arid areas where water is precious. Finally, the economic impact of bio-fertilizer will be determined by enterprise budgets and cost/benefit analysis for a variety of model farms. Anticipated results include: field test results for cyanobacterial bio-fertilizer versus other common fertilizers across a variety of crops; online farmer decision tools to evaluate the C footprint of many fertilizer options; and, an evaluation of the economics of bio-fertilizer across a range of model organic and conventional farms. Bio-fertilizer performance and economic feasibility research in Phase I will form an excellent basis for further work on refinement and commercialization in Phase II and beyond.