Field trial guidelines for evaluating enhanced efficiency fertilizers

Authors: LYONS, SARAH - Foundation For Food And Agriculture Research; ARNALL, BRIAN - Oklahoma State University; Ashford, Dana; BROUDER, SYLVIE - Purdue University; CHRISTIAN, ERIK - Pivot Bio; DOBERMANN, ACHIM - Non ARS Employee; HAEFELE, STEPHAN - Rothamsted Research; HAEGELE, JASON - Non ARS Employee; HELMERS, MATTHEW - Iowa State University; Jin, Virginia; MARGENOT, ANDREW - University Of Illinois; McGrath, Joshua; MORGAN, KELLY - University Of Florida; MURRELL, T - African Plant Nutrition Institute; OSMOND, DEANNA - North Carolina State University; PELSTER, DAVID - Agriculture And Agri-Food Canada; SLATON, NATHAN - University Of Arkansas; Vadas, Peter; Venterea, Rodney; VOLENEC, JEFFREY - Purdue University; WAGNER-RIDDLE, CLAUDIA - University Of Guelph

Submitted to: Soil Science Society of America Journal
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/1/2024
Publication Date: 10/30/2024
Citation: Lyons, S.E., Arnall, B.D., Ashford, D.L., Brouder, S.M., Christian, E., Dobermann, A., Haefele, S., Haegele, J., Helmers, M.J., Jin, V.L., Margenot, A.J., Mcgrath, J.M., Morgan, K.T., Murrell, T.S., Osmond, D.L., Pelster, D.E., Slaton, N., Vadas, P.A., Venterea, R.T., Volenec, J.J., Wagner-Riddle, C. 2024. Field trial guidelines for evaluating enhanced efficiency fertilizers. Soil Science Society of America Journal. 89(1). Article e20787. https://doi.org/10.1002/saj2.20787.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/saj2.20787

Interpretive Summary: There are many different types of fertilizers and fertilizer additives that aim to increase plant growth and reduce chemical losses to the environment. Here, we refer to these products as enhanced efficiency plant nutrition products (EEPNPs). However, there is often a lack of reliable information demonstrating that these products are effective under a given set of conditions. Therefore, a scientific committee was formed to develop a set of guidelines for evaluating EEPNPs in experiments that can be applied in agricultural fields across the world. The guidelines are composed of basic information about the site, crop and soil characteristics, environmental measurements, experimental design, and data management considerations. The approach allows for flexibility depending on the trial location, objectives, resources, and product type, while supporting consistency in experimental design and data collection. The guidelines also consider that EEPNPs may perform optimally when integrated with other proven nutrient management practices such as those included in the 4R Nutrient Stewardship framework. The overall goal is to provide common datasets of plant performance and environmental impact of EEPNPs. These datasets will test industry claims and provide researchers and producers with guidance on how these technologies function and perform, and thereby support large-scale impact and end-user confidence.

Technical Abstract: There are many fertilizer additives and alternatives that aim to increase plant nutrient use efficiency and reduce nutrient losses to the environment, here referred to collectively as enhanced efficiency plant nutrition products (EEPNPs). However, there is often insufficient published scientific field trial results across a variety of locations, climates, soils, cropping systems, and management scenarios to prove their efficacy and conditions for use. A common minimum dataset for evaluating the agronomic performance and environmental impact of EEPNPs is needed to ground industry claims and provide researchers and producers with guidance on how these technologies function and perform when integrated with other management practices within the 4R Nutrient Stewardship framework. A scientific committee was formed to develop a set of protocol guidelines for evaluating EEPNPs in replicated plot-based field trials on an international scale. The guidelines are composed of core meta data, crop and soil analyses, environmental loss measurements, and experimental design and data stewardship considerations. This approach allows for flexibility and adaptability depending on the trial location, objectives, infrastructure capacity, product type, and depth of understanding of the potential EEPNP efficacy while supporting consistency and compatibility in experimental design and data collection to support large-scale impact and end-user confidence.