Monica Ozores-Hampton and Luther Carson

CONTROLLED-RELEASE FERTILIZER A BMP IN TOMATO PRODUCTION

CAN WE USE CONTROLLED RELEASE FERTILIZERS (CRF)IN TOMATO PRODUCTION?

Monica Ozores-Hampton, Eric Simonne, Kelly Morgan, Kent Cushman, Shinjiro Sato, Chris Albright, Eric Waldo, and Amir Polak

FRESH MARKET TOMATO PRODUCTION IN FLORIDA

Florida ranks first nationally in fresh market tomatoes production with 29,000 acres planted and depending of the season with a farm value of $400-600 million.

70% of the tomato production is in the Southwest Florida area: Collier and Manatee County in sandy soils susceptible to nutrient leaching.

FLORIDA VEGETABLES BMP’SThe Federal EPA and Florida DEP recognize the importance of water quality through the enforcement:

1. Federal Clean Water Act of 1972 2. FL Surface Water Improvement and Management (SWIM) Act of 1998 3. FL Restoration Act of 19994. Florida DACS authority to develop BMP 2002 5. BMP manual (www.floridaagwaterpolicy.com) 2006

A BMP must be technically feasible, economically viable, socially acceptable, and based on sound science.

The BMP program is “voluntary” Presumption of compliance by NOI

(BMP) NITROGEN RATES

• Grower Standard 293 ± 38 lbs of N/acre (2004)244 ± 44 lbs of N/acre (2014)

• UF/IFAS Recommendation & BMP200 lbs/acre pre-plant plus…..

• Controlled-Release Fertilizer (CRF) a BMP (No recommendation)

WHAT IS CONTROLLED-RELEASE FERTILIZER?

Controlled release-fertilizer (CRF) are soluble fertilizers (SF) encapsulated in a polymer, resin, or a hybrid of sulfur coated occluded in a polymer coating.

Several factors influence N release from CRFs including: 1. Soil temperature and moisture2. Material coated (Polyon or Resin)3. Coating thickness

CRF MANUFACTURESManufacturers measure CRF release duration as 75% N release at a constant temperature (e.g., 68 to 77 °C).

Recorded as high as 104 °F during the fall under white polyethylene mulch

Accelerated N release may be expected during the fall season

Increased electrical conductivity, elevated ammonium concentration

Loss of CRF benefits

1. Evaluate N release from CRFs buried pouches method (real-time field) in seepage-irrigated tomato mulched beds.

2. Evaluate selected CRF N and rate plus SNF in a “hybrid fertilizer system” in seepage-irrigated tomato mulched beds.

OBJECTIVES

MATERIAL AND METHODS

CRFs Abbreviation Release duration (Days)

Grade (N-P-K) Manufacturer

PC U PCU90 90 44-0-0 Agrium ATPC U PCU120 120 43-0-0 Agrium ATPC NPK PCNPK120 120 19-2.6-10.8 Agrium ATPC U PCU180 180 43-0-0 Agrium ATPC NPK PCNPK180 180 18-2.6-10 Agrium ATPSC U PSCU 180 37-0-0 Everris NARC NPK RCNPK 120 19-2.6-10 Everris NAPC N FL100 100 28-0-0 JCAM Agri Co.PC N FL140 140 28-0-0 JCAM Agri Co.PC KN FL180 180 12-0-33.2 Florikan ESAPC M FLMix 100 to 180 19.2-0-11.3 Florikan ESAFall Mix 100 M100 100 to 180 7.5-3.6-10.3 Florikan ESAFall Mix 150 M150 100 to 180 12.3-3.6-10.3 Florikan ESAFall Mix 200 M200 100 to 180 15-3.6-10.3 Florikan ESA

CRFS POUCHES

FIELD CRF POUCH STUDY

Fall 2011 and 2013 tomato season Randomized Complete Block Design, 4 replication Pouch: nylon mess screen (5x5 inches) with 3.5 g N and

placed 4” deep in the bed and collected at: 7, 14, 28, 42, 60, 90, 120, 150.

After samples are collected, they will be dried at ambient temperature. Remaining N in the prill will be measured using combustion.

Non-linear regression and R2

Percent N release = a – (a-b) * e – ct Days to 75% N release

CRF= Florikcote mix which was NH4NO3 and urea, coated (28N-0P-0K, 100 and 140 day release) and coated KNO3 (12N-0P-40K, 180 day release) plus all P and micronutrients.

Applied as a bottom mix or cold mix

Treatment (CRF/SNF) Bottom mix

Hot mix Total

(lbs/acre) SF CRF SF CRF SF CRF TotalGrower 21 10 219 0 240 10 250UF/IFAS 21 10 169 0 190 10 200100/50 (75% IFAS) 0 100 50 0 50 100 150150/50 (100% IFAS) 0 150 50 0 50 150 200200/50 (125% IFAS) 0 200 50 0 50 200 250

CULTURAL PRACTICESExperimental design RCBD, 4 replicationsBed spacing 6 feetBed width 30 inchesPlant spacing 20 inchesFumigant Methyl bromide/chloropicrin (50:50), 75 lb/acre Mulch White virtually impermeable film, 1.5 mil Variety BHN 726 Planted plot length 30 feet x 3 beds = 90 feetHarvest plot length 16.7 feet (10 plants)

DATA COLLECTION Bed temperature – 10 cm deep

Watchdog data logger (Spectrum Technologies Inc., Plainfield Ill.)

Leaf tissue N - seven timesCombustion using a NA2500 C/N Analyzer (Thermo Quest-CE Instruments, Waltham, MA)

YieldThree harvests, graded using USDA standards

PostharvestFruit firmness - Texture analyzer) and color (Model C125EB; Mitutoyo, Corp.; Aurora, ILL.)

Post-season soil samples- Soil and CRF prill: Nitrate, ammonium, urea

Analysis of Variance, Duncan’s Multiple Range Test 5% level

RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS

0

2

4

6

8

10

05

101520253035

Rain

fall

(cm

)

Soil

tem

pera

ture

(°C)

Rainfall Average Air Maximum Soil Average soil Minimum Soil2013

012345678910

05

10152025303540

Rai

nfal

l (cm

)

Soil

tem

pera

ture

(°C

)2011

0

50

100

0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140PSCU

0.990.86

0

50

100

0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140

N re

leas

e (%

)

PCU90

0

50

100

0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140

N re

leas

e (%

)

RCNPK

0.970.99

0

50

100

0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140PCNPK180

0.99

0

50

100

0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140PCU180

0.970.78

020406080

100

0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140PCU120

0.950.75

0

50

100

0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140PCNPK120

0.970.90

020406080

100

0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140

N re

leas

e (%

)

FL100

0.920.92

020406080

100

0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140FL140

0.950.88

020406080

100

0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140FL180

0.850.57

020406080

100

0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140

N re

leas

e (%

)

DAP

M112

0.940.98

020406080

100

0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140DAPM168

0.960.99

020406080

100

0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140DAPM224

0.930.89

020406080

100

0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140DAPFLmix

0.49

2011♦,dotted

2013▲, solid

10% 30 d30% in 46 d0

102030405060708090

100

0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140

N re

leas

e (%

)

PCU120

0.950.75

0

20

40

60

80

100

0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140

N re

leas

e (%

)

Days after placement (DAP)

FL100

0.920.92

0

20

40

60

80

100

0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140Days after placement

FL180

0.850.57

0

20

40

60

80

100

0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140

PCU180

0.970.78

Days after transplant0 20 40 60 80 100 120

Petiol

e sap

NO3-N

(ppm

)

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

1400

1600

1800

2000Grower IFASCRF100/SNF50CRF150/SNF50CRF200/SNF50IFAS UpperIFAS Lower

NS

NS

NS

NS

NS

NS

NS

PETIOLE SAP NITRATE CONCENTRATION

CRF= Controlled-release fertilizerSNF= Soluble nitrogen fertilizer

TOMATO YIELDSTreatments (CRF/SNF) First Harvest Season Total

(lbs/acre) Xlg Lg Med Total Xlg Lg Med Total Cull

2011

------------------------------ (25-lb boxes/acre) ------------------------------------Grower 330 62 21 413 773 537 521b 1,830b 350bUF/IFAS 368 63 13 445 627 586 881a 2,094a 547a100/50 400 66 21 487 811 675 689b 2,175a 375b150/50 280 82 18 380 689 697 665b 2,051a 424b250/50 306 77 23 406 701 675 675b 2,053a 549aP value 0.07 0.79 0.70 0.18 0.11 0.12 0.001 0.02 0.0002Sig. NS NS NS NS NS NS *** * ***

2012

Grower 610b 91 - 701cd 1,059 1,018 527 2,604 253 UF/IFAS 496b 55 - 551d 1,016 1,056 517 2,590 212 100/50 786a 101 - 887ab 1,134 853 473 2,459 295 150/50 808a 140 - 948a 1,261 981 448 2,690 217 200/50 627b 117 - 744bc 1,156 1,,110 451 2,717 272 P value 0.004 0.06 - 0.008 0.06 0.24 0.08 0.30 0.22Sig. ** NS - ** NS NS NS NS NS

RESIDUAL N IN SOIL AND CRF PRILLSTreatment (CRF/SNF) Soil (kg∙ha-1) CRF prills (kg∙ha-1) N release

(lbs/acre) NH4+-

N NO3--N Urea-N NH4

+-N NO3—N Urea-N Total N (%)

2011

Grower standard 4.3b 12.8a 0.0b - - - 17.0 -UF/IFAS 2.3b 14.2a 0.1b - - - 16.6 -100/50 4.3b 2.4b 0.8b 1.3 1.9 0.4 11.1 96.4150/50 4.2b 1.7b 0.4b 1.1 1.8 0.2 9.4 97.8200/50 7.6a 7.9ab 2.3a 1.0 1.3 0.2 20.4 98.7P value 0.006 0.016 0.004 0.78 0.52 0.64 0.12 -Sig. ** ** ** NS NS NS NS -Contrast linear (CRF) 0.04 0.10 0.05 0.59 0.31 0.49 0.04 -Sig. * ns * ns ns ns *

2012

Grower standard 6.7 9.3 0.0b - - - 16.0 -UF/IFAS 5.5 3.2 0.0b - - - 8.8 -100/50 6.0 2.7 0.0b 1.5 9.0 0.0 19.2 89.5150/50 4.6 2.9 0.1a 2.1 12.3 0.0 22.1 90.4200/50 3.8 5.7 0.1a 2.7 23.7 0.1 36.1 86.8P value 0.09 0.20 0.01 0.71 0.32 0.06 0.07 -Sig. NS NS * NS NS NS NS -Contrast linear (CRF) 0.13 0.29 0.04 0.43 0.16 0.03 0.20 -Sig. ns ns * ns ns * ns -

POSTHARVEST EVALUATION

Treatment(lbs/acre)

Color stage Firmness2011 2012 2011 2012----- (1 to 6) ----- -- Deformation (mm) --

Grower standard 5.0c 5.9 2.6c 2.1UF/IFAS 5.5b 5.9 3.0bc 2.2100/50 6.0a 5.8 2.6c 2.1150/50 5.0c 5.8 3.2ab 2.2200/50 6.0a 6.0 3.4a 2.2P value 0.0001 0.28 0.0002 0.89Sig. *** NS *** NS

1. CONCLUSIONS In the fall due to high soil temperatures CRF-N resulted in release duration reductions of 23% to 88% as compared to the manufacturers stated release.

0102030405060708090

100

0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140N

rele

ase

(%)

PCNPK120

Mixing CRF N release time, sources, technologies will achieved the desire release time.

So (fall), a CRF NPK 120 days 75% of the N will be release in 57 days (53% reduction), but the desire N release should be 89 days after placement (3 weeks fumigation + 8 weeks after transplant).

2. CONCLUSIONSHybrid Fertilizer Program: CRF 100 and 150 lbs/acre (bottom mix) plus 50 lbs/acre of SNF (150 to 200 lb/acre total N) will allows you an N reduction of up to 25% maintain yields with no impact in postharvest fruit quality.

Thus, CRF can be a considered a technically feasible fertilization practice, socially acceptable, and based on sound science.

However, CRF did not reduced potential N loss to the environment criteria to be considered a BMP for seepage produced tomato in south Florida. Also, need to be economically viable!!!.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Agrium FlorikanGargiulo, Inc.Luther CarsonAline and Kiran