Expanded global population and the consequent need for more food production have inevitably led to both an increase in the usage of synthetic fertilizers and a wider application of animal waste in agricultural soils. Most importantly, the applications of such nitrogen-based fertilizers and animal waste in many areas are excessive, with large proportions of the added nitrogen providing no benefit to crop yield, but elevated nitrogen loss (i.e., leaching or conversion to N2) and environmental impact (i.e., N2O emission). In this research, a combination of laboratory and field approaches will be adopted to evaluate biochar, hydrogel, nitrification inhibitor and slow-release fertilizer applications in increasing the efficiency of nitrogen assimilation. This project is designed to (1) improve the nitrogen utilization efficiency of nitrogen fertilizers and animal waste in agricultural fields, while minimizing nitrogen loss and environmental impact and (2) increase the understanding of nitrogen cycling in agricultural processes.

The goal of this project is to potentially provide long-range improvement in maintaining the sustainability of U.S. agriculture and food systems. Our objective of this project is to evaluate various approaches (i.e., biochar, hydrogel, nitrification inhibitor and slow-release fertilizer applications) in increasing the efficiency of nitrogen assimilation as measured by nutrient usage efficiency criteria in the production value chain and by improvement in impaired natural resources. We will develop prediction tools to accurately estimate nitrogen assimilation and loss from agricultural soils as well as environmental impact under different nitrogen conservation conditions.

Simeng Li, 253rd American Chemical Society National Meeting & Exposition, April 2-6, 2016, San Francisco, CA

Acknowledgement

The work was supported by Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture, Grant No. 2007-35102-18111 to Florida A&M University.

PFAS Chain Length

Hinkley Funded Projects Summary 2

Hinkley Funded Project Summary 3