Yield, quality and profitability are the primary focus for the modern potato grower. But these objectives need to be balanced against the need to reduce the environmental impacts that result from cultivating the world’s fourth-biggest food crop. Fertilizer International talks to David Marks of Levity Crop Science about how its unique approach to product development is helping farmers adopt more sustainable agricultural practices.
Dr Heike Thie l and Dr Wilm Fecke of K+S Minerals and Agriculture GmbH outline how better nutrient management can reduce potato yield losses during lengthy dry spells – and make better use of the available water.
Polysulphate is a new multi-nutrient fertilizer mined in the UK. Its unique characteristics and mix of nutrients make it especially suitable for potato crops, explains Patricia Imas, chief agronomist at ICL Innovative Ag Solutions (IAS).
As sulphur recovery units operate at progressively higher temperatures, creep stress in the furnace refractory lining can lead to deformation or even failure of the bricks and require the shutdown of the SRU. UK-based DSF Refractories have developed a product which minimises creep stress damage at high temperatures, for a longer-lived furnace lining.
Sulphur is becoming an increasingly important crop nutrient, due to a combination of lower airborne sulphur emissions, the increasing prevalence of high analysis fertilizers, and higher cropping intensities.
The latest developments in the recovery and commercialisation of fluorosilicic acid, rare earth elements (REEs) and uranium co-products associated with phosphoric acid production.
Boron is a key micronutrient required by fruit and vegetables and crops such as corn, cotton, rice, soybean and sugar cane. The agricultural importance of boron and the wide range of products on the market are described.
In an exclusive, broad ranging interview, Wendall Boehlje, technical sales agronomist at U.S. Borax (part of Rio Tinto), talks to Fertilizer International about the launch of two new agricultural market products by U.S. Borax earlier this year.
Potassium nitrate is an efficient speciality fertilizer, being able to produce more for less. Whether applied to soils, via fertigation or through foliar application, it improves water use efficiency while boosting the uptake of potassium and other nutrients. Katja Hora and Harmen Tjalling Holwerda of SQM International highlight the main advantages of supplying potassium nitrate to crops.
Polysulphate is an affordable, easy-to-use, multi-nutrient fertilizer with a low environmental impact. ICL’s chief agronomist, Patricia Imas, highlights the crop benefits of this natural and high-value product.