Role of polymer coated fertilizers (PCFS) an advance technology for improving nutrient use efficiency and crop productivity: A review

Abstract

Polymer Coated Fertilisers are one of the Promising of Control release and slow release fertilizer which, when added to moist soil, uses temperature-controlled diffusion to regulate N release in matching plant demand and mitigate environmental losses. Polymer-coated fertilizers (PCF) has great potential for increasing crop production and enhancing nitrogen (N) fertilizer use efficiency, benefiting the ecosystem. Control release fertilizers are coated fertilizers that release nutrients over an extended period of time at a rate driven primarily by temperature and moisture of the root zone. It has been estimated that slow-release fertilizers comprise only 8-10% of the total fertilizers used in Europe, 1% in the USA and only 0.25% in the World. Controlled release fertilizers (CRFs) is proposed consisting of three stages: i. A lag period during which water penetrates the coating of the granule dissolving part of the solid fertilizer in it ii. A period of linear release during which water penetration into and release out occur concomitantly while the total volume of the granules remains practically constant iii. A period of “decaying release”, starting as the concentration inside the granule starts to decrease. Polymer coated fertilizers are used for high value applications. Controlled-release is one of the modern application that has enhanced nutrient use efficiency. Fertilizer use efficiency can be increased by modification of fertilizer products. E.g. coated encapsulation. Controlled release fertilizers (CRFs) will bring revolution in agricultural industry in near future. In these review paper collected literature, importance of polymer coated fertilizers in agriculture production by enhancing the Nutrient Use Efficiency (NUE), Agronomic Efficiency and Physiological efficiency, they also increase the% recovery of nutrients and finally the growth and yield of crops.