UreaHS—A New Humic-Based Enhanced Efficiency Urea Fertilizer

This proposal is in response to the need for a more environmentally efficient urea fertilizer in terms of providing optimum nitrogen (N) uptake while minimizing N loss that can occur via volatilization of NH3 and leaching of NO3- and the negative environmental impacts that can result. We propose the development and commercialization of a novel urea/humate fertilizer called UreaHS that is designed to replace pure urea for agricultural use. The name UreaHS is used to indicate that the efficiency of UreaHS is exponentially greater due to the intimate association of urea with a humate biostimulant that possesses beneficial plant effects, particularly on enhanced N uptake, but also reduced N loss. UreaHS has been produced in a process in which the urea are combined in a pastillation process. The result is a hard, dust-free, 6-mm pastille that has 36% N and 15% humic acid. Preliminary work demonstrated that a humate ore concentration of 25% provided the maximum suppression of NH3 volatilization while still maintaining sufficient hardness. Also, corn seedling grow room studies demonstrated that UreaHS with N reduced by 17% could produce plants with similar sizes but with more finally divided root systems and more active urea transporters. The objectives of the Phase I work are to (1) demonstrate the technical and economic feasibility of UreaHS pellet production, with low biuret and suitable hardness, using both extrusion and granulation technologies, and (2) compare the field performance, N use efficiencies and ROIs of UreaHS applied at a slightly lower N concentration and UreaHS applied at a 17% less N concentration to urea and urea treated with the urease inhibitor Agrotain. Technical efficiency of UreaHS production will be ass essed via a scaled-up UreaHS production demonstration at a commercial extrusion or granulation facility with selection based on small scale testing. Cost data for materials, labor, and process overhead will be collected to determine production cost. Field performance will be evaluated in a field investigation on corn, conducted at two separate locations with 6 replicates for treatment and 10’ by 40’ plots separated by 2 row buffer strips. If Phase I is successful, a Phase II project will be proposed in which the field performance of UreaHS will be compared to pure urea and other slow-release urea fertilizer in several different geographic regions and different tillage practices.