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(Reference retrieved automatically from SciELO through information on FAPESP grant and its corresponding number as mentioned in the publication by the authors.)

Nitrogen: from discovery, plant assimilation, sustainable usage to current enhanced efficiency fertilizers technologies – A review

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Author(s):
Bruno Maia Abdo Rahmen Cassim [1] ; Izaias Pinheiro Lisboa [2] ; Marcos Renan Besen [3] ; Rafael Otto [4] ; Heitor Cantarella [5] ; Tadeu Takeyoshi Inoue [6] ; Marcelo Augusto Batista [7]
Total Authors: 7
Affiliation:
[1] Universidade de São Paulo. Escola Superior de Agricultura “Luiz de Queiroz. Departamento de Ciência do Solo - Brasil
[2] Universidade de São Paulo. Escola Superior de Agricultura “Luiz de Queiroz. Departamento de Ciência do Solo - Brasil
[3] Universidade Estadual de Maringá. Departamento de Agronomia - Brasil
[4] Universidade de São Paulo. Escola Superior de Agricultura “Luiz de Queiroz. Departamento de Ciência do Solo - Brasil
[5] Instituto Agronômico de Campinas. Centro de Solos e Recursos Ambientais - Brasil
[6] Universidade Estadual de Maringá. Departamento de Agronomia - Brasil
[7] Universidade Estadual de Maringá. Departamento de Agronomia - Brasil
Total Affiliations: 7
Document type: Journal article
Source: Revista Brasileira de Ciência do Solo; v. 48, 2024-04-22.
Abstract

ABSTRACT From 1913 onwards, the global situation changed from a scenario of nitrogen (N) scarcity to an abundance of ammonia (NH3) produced synthetically via the Haber-Bosch process. Several N compounds have been synthesized since then, with urea becoming the main source of N, accounting for 55 % of current N consumption. However, N efficiency in agroecosystems is low and, normally, N recovery in cultivated plants is less than 50 %. This occurs because a large amount of reactive N is lost to the environment, inducing various forms of pollution, threatening human and environmental health, in addition to causing a negative economic impact on the farmer. The main processes responsible for low N efficiency are NH3 volatilization, leaching, and N denitrification. Considering global NH3 volatilization losses of 14 %, it can be assumed that up to 8.6 million Mg of urea are lost every year in the form of NH3. For each ton of NH3 produced, 1.9 to 3.8 Mg of CO2 is emitted into the atmosphere. Therefore, increasing N use efficiency (NUE) without compromising yield is a necessity and a challenge for crop improvement programs and current management systems, in addition to reducing greenhouse gas emissions. In this context, enhanced efficiency fertilizers (EEFs), which contain technologies that minimize the potential for nutrient losses compared to conventional sources, are an alternative to increasing the efficiency of nitrogen fertilization. Currently, EEFs are classified into three categories: stabilized, slow-release, and controlled-release. This study aims to understand the technologies used to produce EEFs and the factors that govern their availability to plants. This review covers the following topics: the discovery of N, N dynamics in the soil-atmosphere system, N assimilation in plants, strategies to increase NUE in agrosystems, NH3 synthesis, NH3 volatilization losses, N fertilizer technologies, the importance of characterization of EEFs, conventional nitrate or ammonium-based fertilizers to reduce gaseous losses of NH3 and future prospects for the use of N fertilizers in agriculture. (AU)

FAPESP's process: 20/11865-6 - Developing an enhanced-efficiency nitrogen fertilizer
Grantee:Izaias Pinheiro Lisboa
Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral