Efficient delivery of nutrients to crops
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The use of synthetic complexing agents for delivery of nutrients to the crop is very common, and has its advantages.
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However, the use of synthetic complexing agents has some disadvantages: the synthetic complexing agents that are used are practically non degradable in the soil or else in the environment.
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Moreover, the common chelates used for this purpose (EDTA and similar chelates) may hold the metal too strongly, and this results in poor availability to the plant.
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On the other hand, the use of biodegradable (or chemically degradable) complexing agents is problematic because their activity is limited in time, since they exist as functional entities for a relatively short time.
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We are developing a completely novel solution to this problem: we are developing a tool for keeping the metal ions protected until the release is triggered by the plant itself.
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The protective molecule is readily degradable after the release of the fertilizer.