1. Bringing added-value to farmers – introducing the contribution of additives
Wolfram Zerulla
BASF SE, Agricultural Center Limburgerhof
Fertilizers Europe Conference May 3rd 2016 Brussels

2. What are “agricultural additives”?
Definition according “Annexes to the “Proposal for a regulation of the European parliament and of the Council ( )
PFC 5: AGRONOMIC ADDITIVE
“An agronomic additive shall be a CE marketed fertilizing product intended to be added to a product providing plants with nutrients, with the intention to improve that product´s nutrient release patterns.”
PFC 5(A)(I): Nitrification inhibitor
PFC 5(A)(II): Urease inhibitor
PFC 5(B): Chelating agent
PFC 5(C): Complexing agent

3. What are “agricultural additives”?
Definition according “Annexes to the “Proposal for a regulation of the European parliament and of the Council ( )
PFC 5: AGRONOMIC ADDITIVE
“An agronomic additive shall be a CE marketed fertilizing product intended to be added to a product providing plants with nutrients, with the intention to improve that product´s nutrient release patterns.”
PFC 5(A)(I): Nitrification inhibitor
PFC 5(A)(II): Urease inhibitor
PFC 5(B): Chelating agent
PFC 5(C): Complexing agent

4. What are “agricultural additives”?
Definition according “Annexes to the “Proposal for a regulation of the European parliament and of the Council ( )
PFC 5: AGRONOMIC ADDITIVE
“An agronomic additive shall be a CE marketed fertilizing product intended to be added to a product providing plants with nutrients, with the intention to improve that product´s nutrient release patterns.”
PFC 5(A)(I): Nitrification inhibitor
PFC 5(A)(II): Urease inhibitor
PFC 5(B): Chelating agent
PFC 5(C): Complexing agent
Nitrogen fertilizer
Micronutrient fertilizer

5. What are “agricultural additives”?
Definition according “Annexes to the “Proposal for a regulation of the European parliament and of the Council ( )
PFC 5: AGRONOMIC ADDITIVE
“An agronomic additive shall be a CE marketed fertilizing product intended to be added to a product providing plants with nutrients, with the intention to improve that product´s nutrient release patterns.”
PFC 5(A)(I): Nitrification inhibitor
PFC 5(A)(II): Urease inhibitor
PFC 5(B): Chelating agent
PFC 5(C): Complexing agent
Nitrogen fertilizer
Micronutrient fertilizer

6. Fertilizer production
Simplified nitrogen cycle
Haber-
Bosch-
Process
NH4+
NO3- N2
NH3
urea
leaching
plant nutrition
N2O
urease
inhibitor
nitrification
N2O
NO, N
Fertilizer production
nitrification
inhibitor

7. Process of Ammonia NH3 Volatilization
Urease enzyme
Active site
Urea
NH3
Resulting in ammonia NH3 volatilization
Urea binds to the urease enzyme
Carbon Dioxide
Ammonia
Urease enzyme transforms urea into ammonia and carbon dioxide
Enzyme releases and is ready for the next cycle
Urease enzymes in soil catalyze the hydrolysis of urea resulting in ammonia NH3 volatilization. This leads to less available nitrogen in the soil.

8. Gaseous NH3-N losses from fertilized urea after 14 d under lab conditions depending on different European soils (D, F, I, E)

9. Mode of action of urease inhibitors and challenges with NBPT
Active Site
Urea
Urease enzyme is blocked
Urease enzyme
Limus functions as an urease inhibitor, meaning it blocks urease activity in the soil.
Urease inhibitors inhibit the activity of the urease enzymes for a certain period of time so that the nitrogen is longer available for plants.
Urease inhibitors work by binding to the active site and blocking the urea from binding to the active side. This prevents urea hydrolysis (conversion into ammonia and carbon dioxide) and therefore it reduces ammonia formation and therefore ammonia losses.
Urease Inhibitor
Urease inhibitors can block the active site

10. Gaseous NH3-N losses from fertilized urea after 14 d under lab conditions depending on different European soils (D, F, I, E)

11. Gaseous NH3-N losses from fertilized urea after 14 d under lab conditions depending on different European soils (D, F, I, E)

12. average yield increase (%) of urea plus Limus®
Yield performance of urease inhibitor Limus vs urea Field trial summary 2015
% yield difference of urea plus Limus® vs. urea only
average yield increase (%) of urea plus Limus®
This shows the yield effect of using Limus vs. using urea only for the grower.
The vertical axis shows the yield effect. The horizontal axis shows the different crops on which it was tested in trials.
This is the proof point for increasing yield on average by 3-5% for greater ROI.
Applying more urea as a way to deal with nitrogen loss is not recommended, as there is no control over how much nitrogen the plant can take up and how much leaches.
Using Limus® will pay back through more consistent and improved yield and greater flexibility of growers’ nitrogen management.
Different crops
On average Limus adds 5% more yield vs urea

13. Ureaseinhibitors may simplify application strategy
Chinese Agricultural University (CAU), avrg. of 4 trials in 2013, spring wheat, UI = Limus
Yield%
4 Erfolgsfaktoren
Ureaseinhibitors open the possibility to reduce N-rate and simplification of fertilizer application
CONFIDENTIAL

14. Nitrification process in soils
Nitrification inhibitor

15. Influence of soil temperature on the temporal development of NH4 and NO3 in the soil after application of ASN or ASN + DMPP (1 % of NH4-N; soil: Hannover, loam, pH: 6.4; CEC: 11.8 mEq 100 g soil-1, Ct: 1.2 %, Nt: 0.14 %; N-rate: 10 [mg/100 g soil])
4 Erfolgsfaktoren
CONFIDENTIAL

16. each irrigation plus ca. 20 mm additional water)
N-leaching in a pot trial with spinach after the application of ASN plus different nitrification inhibitors
(Mitscherlich-pots; soil Ruchheim; fertilizer application after emergence;
each irrigation plus ca. 20 mm additional water)
DAT 7
DAT 18
DAT 22 5 10
7,6
Auswaschung, % vom Dünger-N 15
16,1 20 25
21,7
ASN
ASN + DCD
ASN + DMPP
Significant reduction of NO3- leaching due to the addition on a nitrification inhibitor to N-fertilizer
9/22/2018

17. Impact of nitrification inhibitor DMPP on gaseous N2O-losses
N-losses g N2O-N/ha
Quelle: Ottow et al., 1999
Significant reduction of N2O losses to the atmosphere due to additional nitrification inhibitor

18. Impact of a Nitrification inhibitor in liquid manure on yield an quality of corn
Field trials Europe, 2014, Nitrification inhibitor = DMPP (Vizura® )

19. Impact of ASN + DMPP on yield and crude protein content of winter wheat, (University of Weihenstephan, Germany; n = 6, 2 sites: loam, pH 5.8, loamy sand, pH 5.6)
1)Values in a row followed by the same letter do not differ significantly, Duncan-Test  = 5 %)

20. Summary
Additives for nitrogen fertilizers are able to improve nitrogen use efficiency significantly by reducing the risk of nitrogen losses (NH3 = Urease Inhibitors, NO3- and N2O = Nitrification inhibitors)

21. Summary
Additives for nitrogen fertilizers are able to improve nitrogen use efficiency significantly by reducing the risk of nitrogen losses (NH3 = Urease Inhibitors, NO3- and N2O = Nitrification inhibitors)
Reduced nitrogen losses enables farmers to reduce the nitrogen rate for crops and simplify their nitrogen management

22. Summary
Additives for nitrogen fertilizers are able to improve nitrogen use efficiency significantly by reducing the risk of nitrogen losses (NH3 = Urease Inhibitors, NO3- and N2O = Nitrification inhibitors)
Reduced nitrogen losses enables farmers to reduce the nitrogen rate for crops and simplify their nitrogen management
Compared to the use of conventional nitrogen fertilizers with the application of “agricultural additives” higher yields are measured in many cases