Abstract
A porous iron-based oxalate-phosphate-amine metal-organic framework material (OPA-MOF) was investigated as a microbially-induced slow-release nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) fertilizer. Seedling growth, grain yields, nutrient uptake of wheat plants, and soil dynamics in incubated soil, were investigated using OPA-MOF vs standard P (triple-superphosphate) and N (urea) fertilizers in an acidic Ferralsol at two application rates (equivalent 120 and 40 kg N ha-1). While urea hydrolysis in the OPA-MOF treatment was rapid, conversion of ammonium to nitrate was significantly inhibited compared to urea treatment. Reduced wheat growth in OPA-MOF treatments was not caused by N-deficiency, but by limited P-bioavailability. Two likely reasons were slow P-mobilisation from the OPA-MOF or rapid P-binding in the acid soil. P-uptake and yield in OPA-MOF treatments were significantly higher than in nil-P controls, but significantly lower than in conventionally-fertilised plants. OPA-MOF showed potential as enhanced efficiency N fertilizer. However, as P-bioavailability was insufficient to meet plant demands, further work should determine if P-availability may be enhanced in alkaline soils, or whether central ions other than Fe, forming the inorganic metal-P framework in the MOF, may act as a more effective P-source in acid soils.
Highlights
Crop yields increased significantly after the green revolution due to the application of fertilizers, and breeding of fertilizer-responsive crop varieties
We investigate the potential of the urea-templated oxalate-phosphate-amine MOF (OPA-MOF) as a novel slow-release fertilizer
Plants grown in the absence of N- or P-fertilizer did not tiller and produced only 175 g of biomass pot-1 at 6 weeks after sowing (WAS) (Table 3)
Summary
Crop yields increased significantly after the green revolution due to the application of fertilizers, and breeding of fertilizer-responsive crop varieties. The two nutrients that tend to be most limiting for crops are nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P). N- and P-fertilizer applications are frequently required to sustain high crop yields[1]. The demand for N- and P- fertilizers has increased dramatically over recent decades and is projected to increase further over the PLOS ONE | DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0144169. Grant agreement); the funders had no role in data collection and analysis, or preparation of the manuscript The demand for N- and P- fertilizers has increased dramatically over recent decades and is projected to increase further over the PLOS ONE | DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0144169 December 3, 2015
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