Micronutrients encapsulation by starch as an enhanced efficiency fertilizer

Area of Science:

• Agricultural Science
• Materials Science
• Soil Science

Background:

• Sustainable agriculture necessitates innovative solutions to enhance agrochemical efficacy.
• Effective Encapsulation Fertilizers (EEF) offer a method to reduce nutrient waste and environmental contamination.
• Limited research exists on EEF materials incorporating essential micronutrients.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop novel EEF materials using starch and micronutrients (Fe, Cu, Mn).
• To characterize the physical, thermal, and morphological properties of the developed EEF materials.
• To investigate the nutrient release behavior and kinetics in an aqueous medium.

Main Methods:

• Spray-drying of gelatinized starch dispersions with micronutrients.
• Thermal, structural, and morphological characterization of EEF materials.
• Evaluation of swelling degree, water-medium nutrient release, and release kinetics using the Peppas-Sahlin model.

Main Results:

• Micronutrients influenced the morphology, particle size, swelling degree, and release kinetics of the EEF materials.
• Larger particle sizes correlated with higher swelling degrees, leading to slower micronutrient release.
• The Peppas-Sahlin model effectively described the release kinetics, confirming that starch swelling delays nutrient release.

Conclusions:

• Starch-based EEF materials incorporating micronutrients were successfully developed.
• The swelling properties of the starch matrix play a crucial role in controlling nutrient release rates.
• These findings support the potential of EEF materials for improving nutrient use efficiency in agriculture.