Organic-based nitrogen fertilisers for crop production and soil health

Nitrogen fertiliser production and use contributes to climate change and environmental degradation. It is responsible for 5% of global greenhouse gas emissions and results in soil nitrogen losses through volatilisation and leaching.

In Australia, nitrogen fertiliser use has increased by over three-fold in the last three decades to meet food production demand. Less than half of nitrogen fertiliser is taken up by plants, so improving nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) is critical for delivering both food security and net zero emissions targets.

Soil CRC researchers have developed three novel organic-based slow-release urea fertilisers, using peanut shell biochar, cow manure, and green waste compost as an outer coating. These formulations have shown to have higher NUE, higher crop yield and less soil nitrogen losses than conventional urea-nitrogen fertilisers under small-scale glasshouse trials.

This project will scale up the manufacturing of these innovative fertilisers and carry out large-scale glasshouse and field trials to optimise usage and placement across different cropping systems, agroclimatic conditions and soil types. The project team will evaluate NUE, crop performance, soil health and environmental impacts.

Griffith University researchers will lead the project, with Charles Sturt University supporting the economic analysis. Soil CRC grower group participants Burdekin Productivity Services, Central West Farming Systems and Birchip Cropping Group will co-design, establish and manage the field trials in Burdekin Queensland, Condobolin New South Wales and Birchip Victoria.

The project will deliver recommendations for usage and placement of these fertilisers for broader application by farmers. The overall aim is to increase production, profitability and ecological sustainability for farming systems.