Technology Description

Dr. Chandrika Varadachari (http://www.rcais.res.in/peopleofrcais.htm) is the Director of the Raman Center for Applied and Interdiscpinary Sciences (http://www.rcais.res.in/)and the inventor of the Slow-Release Micronutrient Fertilizer that we are seeking to commercialize. This technology is an environmentally friendly water insoluble slow release (bio-release) micronutrient fertilizer for farmers / agriculturists that can increase crop yields by 20-40% with dosages that are 1/10th to 1/4th of normal dosages.

Dr. Varadachari has an inspiring vision where she believes that new fertilizers are needed to sustain intensive agriculture without harming the environment. Dr. Varadachari says that micronutrient fertilizer use in India needs to improve particularly for food crops like rice, wheat and pulses. This improvement will not only improve agricultural productivity on the whole but also and equally importantly improve the nutritional quality of the crop thereby directly improving the health of India's population. Dr. Varadachari wishes to commercialize this technology globally by completely replacing the existing environmentally harmful materials with these environmentally friendly compounds. This would improve crop production globally, improve the nutritional quality of the food and dramatically improve the health and well being of people in developing countries all over the world.

The innovation and world beating part of the invention is the slow release (bio-release) functionality of the fertilizer. The fertilizer is like a nutrient storehouse for the entire duration of the plant's life. Due to the unique Bio-Release functionality of the fertilizer, a plant's root can absorb nutrients from the fertilizer according to its needs. This is especially beneficial in increasing yields since a plant requires different quantities of nutrients at different stages of its life cycle. As described below, Dr. Chandrika's solution is substantially better than the current Water Soluble and Water Insoluble micronutrient fertilizers present in the market today.

You can learn additional technical details about the new fertilizers in a research paper published by Dr. Varadachari and others located at http://www.rcais.res.in/research_publications2.htm

Here are some of the main features of the technology -

• a water insoluble, non-polluting, cost effective alternative to current fertilizers
  
• inorganic polymeric phosphate based compounds of zinc, iron,
  manganese, copper, molybdenum and/or boron
  
• can be produced as single nutrient as well as multinutrient (2 or more nutrients) materials
  
• Good physical properties - Powdery, free flowing, non-hygroscopic crystalline, nature
  
• Good chemical properties - Citrate and DTPA solubility (>90%), non-leaching.
  
• Water insoluble (<10%), but contain nutrients in plant available form
  
• Brand new invention, first of its kind worldwide
  
• 5 top measurable performance objectives that must be met or exceeded to be successful in commercial markets. (Our fertilizer beats all these objectives)
  
  
  • Water Solubility < 10% (100%)
    
  • Citrate solubility > 90% (75% - 99%)
    
  • DPTA solubility > 85% (100%)
    
  • Non-hygroscopic, free flowing (100%)
    
  • Increase crop yield by 20% at 1/5 of dosage of conventional micronutrient fertilizer. (100%)
    
    
• Patents granted in India and PCT's for the US filed.

Potential Benefits of The Technology

• The primary benefit (and selling point) of the fertilizer is the cost benefit advantage provided to large scale farmers. The cost benefit of the fertilizer will, for the first time make the use of micronutrient fertilizers economically feasible to large scale farmers.
  
• The fertilizers are non-polluting; unlike existing fertilizers these water insoluble fertilizers will not pollute ground water.
  
• Economically viable even for low value crops like cereals
  
• Can increase crop yields by 20-40% with dosages that are 1/10th to 1/4th of normal dosages
  
• Negligible leaching losses
  
• Easy application by broadcasting

Contact details:

Dr. (Ms) Chandrika Varadachari
Raman Center for Applied and
Interdisciplinary Science
Email:rcais@cal3.vsnl.net.in