Wayne E. SwannNutriGrown, LLC

TEDCO/Chesapeake Bay Foundation Showcase

Matrix Based Soil Additives for Reduced Nutrient Leaching

2

Fertilizer Use• 25 billion lbs of N: 8 billion lbs of P use in US/yr

Turf Grass: ~ 30 million acres - 1.5 million acres golf courses

• +400,000 acres lawn/yr

• 5 million lawns/CB area

Manure use• 5% of US cropland

• 400,000 tons chicken/yr/MD

LeachingNon-Point Source

pollution responsible for up to 90% of N and P

Problem

3

15 Percent of all American Fertilizer use is for Lawn Care

Did you know?

India, with a population more than twice that of the United States, used about the same amount of fertilizer on all of its food crops as Americans use on their lawns.

4

Matrix based soil additive to reduce nutrient leaching

• USDA/ARS Northwest Irrigation/Soils Res. Lab• ARS Researchers: James A. Entry, Robert E. Sojka

Eight Research Studies (partial list)• Water Air Soil Pollution (2007) 180:283-292• FLRC Symposium (2009) New Zealand

NutriGrown • Formed to commercialize the Matrix • TEDCO Grant/June 2010

Background

The Matrix

5

Natural organic and inorganic high ionic exchange compounds• starch, cellulose, lignin, chitosan, and others• + iron sulfate; iron citrate; aluminum sulfate

Matrix binds N and P Slowly degrades and

nutrients gradually become available to plants

Typical Greenhouse Trial Set up

6

MBF1 MBF2 MBF3

MBF2 +Al -

Fe

MBF3 +Al -

Fe

MBF3-Al +Fe

SRF CTRL

Matrix/Fertilizer

Eight Greenhouse Fertilizer Trials

7

Matrix Formulations reduced N and P leaching by over 80% vs. Osmocote, Avail, Polyon, and ESN

Reduced leaching shown in three soil types Plant growth

• similar to Osmocote

• lower than others

• additional nutrients –

greater plant growth

• SRF with Matrix

increases plant

growth minimizes

leaching

8

CTRL MBF1+Fe Citrate

MBF3+Fe Citrate

MBF1 MBF3

Matrix layerManure layer

Bermuda Grass

Manure Greenhouse Trials

9

c

a

c

a

c

+ Fe citrate

b bb

b a

NO3

NH4

+ Fe citrateControl MBF8

Fertilizer type

MBF9 MBF9+ Fe citrate

MBF8+ Fe citrate

aa

Nitrate and Ammonium Leaching

Manure Greenhouse Trials

10

b

a a a

a

Matrix

Sho

ot a

nd r

oot

wei

ght (

g)

Bermuda Grass

Manure Greenhouse Trials

baa a

a

Summary of Eight Trials

11

Matrix decreases nutrient leaching vs. commercial fertilizers

Nutrient leaching and plant growth varies with the matrix/nutrient formulation

Promising initial results: manure nutrient leaching and plant growth

12

Product Development FocusConvert From Lab to Commercial Formulations

• Lawn & Garden Matrix (with organic nutrients)

• Manure Nutrient Control MatrixMatrix Enhancements

• Balance leaching with plant growth requirements

• Optimize for different soil types and manure

Field Trials

NutriGrown, LLC

for the soil

13

wayne.swann@nutrigrown.com410-262-9253