Research Develops ‘Greener ’ Method Of Making Fertilizer ALFRED, N.Y. It is iron ic that fertilizers that provide the nutrients necessary for plant growth sometimes pol lute the environment and de plete natural resources. But a new method of producing phosphate fertilizers, patented by an Alfred University re searcher, may help solve some of those problems. Dr. Alan Goldstein, the Rer er Professor of Biology and as sociate director of the biomedi cal materials engineering sci ences program at Alfred University, has developed technology he says “has the po tential to revolutionize phos phate fertilizer technology by providing an environmentally safe, slow-release method of delivering elemental phosphate to crop plants.” BINKLEY & HURST BROS., INC. INTRODUCING The NewKINZE 3000 SERIES PLANTERS Precision & Simplicity^ Stimulate fast, early seedling growth and lower fertilizer application costs with more efficiency, better placement and reduced trips. INTERPLANT* 1 AVAILABILITY CHART Model/Size Standard Harrow 3000 4 Row N 30” 7R-15" 4 Row W. 36". 38” 7R-18”, 19" 6 Row N 30" 11R-15" 6 Row W. 36", 38" 11R-18",19" 8 Row N ... 30" ... . 15R-15 3400 12 Row U-N*.. 20". 22" 23R-10", 11” 3500 6 Row N .... 30" 11R-15” 8 Row N... . 30" 15R-15" 3600 8 Row W . 36", 38"..... 15R-18", 19" 12 Row N. ..30" 23R-15" 12 Row W .. 36", 38”. 23R-18", 19" 16 Row N 30” 31R-15" *Ultra-Narrow 133 Rothsville Station Rd. (717)626-4705 1-800-414-4705 mm TIIS»*T P.0.80x 0395 Fax 717-626-0996 mm I MP Lititz, PA 17543-0395 www.binkleyhurst.com S f Phosphorus is second only to nitrogen as an essential inor ganic plant nutrient, Goldstein explains, making it the world’s second largest agricultural chemical product. Unfortun ately, current fertilizers are “wet-processed, meaning that concentrated sulfuric acid is used to extract phosphoric acid from rock phosphate ore. “This technology is both energy-intensive (one percent of the total energy consumed in the U.S. today is used to smelt phosphate ore) and environ mentally polluting,” said Gold stein. In research funded by the U.S. Department of Energy, Goldstein and his colleagues at the Idaho National Engineering & Environmental Laboratory have developed and patented a Twin-Line 0 Planters ...from the field to the road in seconds! KINZE's Exclusive Rotating In-Line Transport: the only system • UHMW plastic pads glide up and down against the smoothly that offers you narrow transport on large planters equipped with machined surface Absolutely no lubrication is required (3500 narrow row InterplanP or fertilizer options As narrow as most and 3600) tractor duals • a sell-contained counter-balance valve in the lift cylinder pro- The unique, patented hydraulic "lift & rotate" system features a vides additional safety when the planter is in the raised position rugged, heavy-duty stainless steel clad center post (on both The planter will not tower without hydraulic pressure from the 3500 and 3600 models) which rotates on large tapered bearings tractor (3400 and 3500) seated at the base of the post (Model 3400 uses a parallel link- * a spring-loaded lalch/hook secures the planter while it's in the age system with dual lilt cylinders) fully raised position by locking the toolbar in place (3600) new type of fertilizer that uses bacteria to “bioprocess” raw phosphate ore into fertilizer P (phosphate) right in the soil. Rather than using electricity, the energy for the bioprocess can come from waste biomass (cellulose from old newspapers or agricultural processing by products). As the bacteria grow inside the pellet, they use the cellulose as their energy sour ce, first converting the cellu lose to glucose and then con verting the glucose to 2-keto gluconic acid, one of the strongest naturally occurring organic acids, Goldstein ex plains. The acid, in turn, releas es soluble phosphate from the ore and this soluble phosphate diffuses out of the pellet to the plant root. “In addition to saving encr- - ■ ■ * ■# iX Grower and Marketer, Lancaster Farming, Saturday, December 11, 1999—Page gy and alleviating the pollution produced by current industrial processing the pellet will re lease soluble phosphate slow ly, because it’s controlled by the growth rate of the bacter ia,” said Goldstein. Right now, in order to en sure that plants get enough phosphate, farmers are often forced to apply excess fertilizer because the phosphate salts in them are highly water soluble, meaning they are easily wash ed away from the plant roots. When that happens, the excess phosphate salts either repreci pitate in the soil or move with ground or surface water, end ing up in streams and lakes. This, in turn, causes eutrophi cation. or overgrowth of algae that destroys wetlands and other ecosystems. I * * |V 5 -• While there are no immedi ate plans to produce biopellets on a commercial basis, a major agricultural chemical company continues to fund development work at Alfred University. Goldstein said he believes the growing demand for sustain able agriculture will ultimately make the biopellets a viable technology. “During the past 40 years, nearly one-third of the world’s arable land has been lost by erosion,” said Goldstein, “and fertilizer run-off from mid western farming has contribut ed to what may be the world’s largest oceanic ‘dead zone’ in the Gulf of Mexico.” The National Re search Council has is sued two reports in the past 10 years warning that we must develop new sustain able agricultural tech nologies. Sustainable agriculture, which protects and preserves the world’s natural re sources while allow ing it to grow the food necessary to support human and animal life, is inevitable, Goldstein believes. “This must be the next Green Revolution,” he says “and the tech nology we are devel oping here at Alfred University will ulti mately play an essen tial role.” single all! <e A LESSON WELL LEARNED... LANCASTER FARMING’S CLASSIFIED ADS GET RESULTS! 185
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