Innovation Seminar on Efficient Use of Nitrogen Fertilizers Held to Discuss Strategies for Improving Its Efficiency

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Innovation Seminar on Efficient Use of Nitrogen Fertilizers Held to Discuss Strategies for Improving Its Efficiency Author/Source: Sinochem New Network Date: 2019-08-08 Clicks: 40 Over the past few decades, the important role played by nitrogen fertilizers in ensuring **food security is evident, but there are also issues such as improper application, low utilization rates of nitrogen, waste of resources, and environmental pollution. Currently, due to various issues such as resource utilization, increased food production, and environmental protection, how to use nitrogen fertilizers efficiently has become a global challenge. On August 5, in order to overcome the bottlenecks in the efficient use of nitrogen fertilizers, strengthen industry-university-research cooperation, promote the transformation and upgrading of the nitrogen fertilizer industry, and advance the green development of agriculture, the Innovation Center for Efficient Use of Nitrogen Fertilizers, jointly established by China Agricultural University, Henan Agricultural University, and Henan Xinlianxin Chemical Industry Group Co., Ltd., held an \"Innovation Seminar on Efficient Use of Nitrogen Fertilizers\" in Chongqing. More than 30 experts from agricultural universities and research institutions across the country gathered together to discuss strategies for improving the efficiency of nitrogen fertilizers and advancing the industry. In recent years, in response to the issue of low nitrogen utilization efficiency, Chinese researchers have carried out long-term efforts and investigations. Although some progress has been made, it remains relatively low compared to developed countries, posing a significant obstacle to the high-quality and sustainable development of agriculture. In response to this, Zhang Fusuo, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and director of the **Institute for Green Agricultural Development at China Agricultural University, said at the meeting that in terms of their contribution to increasing grain production, potassium fertilizers account for 10%, phosphorus fertilizers for 20%, and nitrogen fertilizers for 30%; therefore, nitrogen fertilizers still play a dominant role in global agricultural production. Due to the significant yield-increasing effect, farmers tend to apply excessive amounts of nitrogen fertilizer. Over time, this not only reduces the effectiveness of nitrogen fertilizer but also wastes resources, having an adverse impact on environmental protection and the improvement of the quality of agricultural products. The average utilization rate of nitrogen fertilizers in China is only 35%; researching and promoting technologies and products for the efficient use of nitrogen fertilizers is key to solving these problems. In May this year, Xinlianxin, together with China Agricultural University and Henan Agricultural University, jointly established the country’s first \"Innovation Center for Efficient Use of Nitrogen Fertilizers\". “After the establishment of the center, we initially set goals for short-term, medium-term, and long-term periods. ”Zhang Fusuo explained that the short-term goal is to rapidly transform the knowledge and techniques accumulated by experts in areas such as soil science, plant nutrition, crop production, and the efficient use of fertilizers into tools that can be used to optimize and improve Heart-to-Heart products. By tailoring products and adjusting their formulas according to local conditions, it is possible to achieve integration across research and development, production, sales, and service. The medium-term goal is to combine advancements in products, technologies, management, and applications with relevant policies in order to ensure that techniques for the efficient use of nitrogen fertilizers are actually put into practice in fields, thereby helping to improve the quality of agricultural products and increase farmers’ incomes. The long-term goal is to establish a national comprehensive platform for high-level innovation in nitrogen fertilizer technology, as well as for its efficient production and widespread application, so as to create a global influence for our brand. ” The center will serve as a supporting entity for the Innovation Alliance for Green Development in the fertilizer industry. It will conduct research in areas such as basic research on the efficient use of nitrogen fertilizers, the development of products for efficient nitrogen fertilizer use, the training of professionals in the fertilizer industry, and the demonstration and application of fertilizer products. This research will cover theoretical aspects, technical solutions, and large-scale applications, providing strong momentum for achieving goals such as the upgrading of Heart-to-Heart products, an increase in their influence, the expansion of the industrial chain, and sustainable development. Liu Xingxu, chairman of Xinlianxin Group, said that as a large domestic producer of urea, Xinlianxin will rely on the Innovation Center for Efficient Use of Nitrogen Fertilizers to increase research on new types of fertilizers and fertilization techniques. It will promote these successful innovations widely, so that farmers can benefit from them and achieve maximum yields with minimal input, thus truly realizing scientific fertilization practices that help reduce costs while increasing efficiency, and fostering a win-win situation for farmers, society, and the enterprise. In recent years, Xinlianxin has continued to increase its investment in research and development, accumulating a range of mature technologies and products in the field of efficient nitrogen fertilizer utilization. After its establishment, the Innovation Center for Efficient Use of Nitrogen Fertilizers will make greater contributions to the commercialization of relevant achievements as well as to the transformation and upgrading of the nitrogen fertilizer industry. In response, Liu Xingxu said that as a nitrogen fertilizer company with 50 years of history and a \"promoter of high-efficiency fertilizers in China,\" Xinlianxin has the responsibility and obligation to invest more human resources and assets to make greater contributions to the efficient use of nitrogen fertilizers. According to Liu Xingxu, in order to truly apply new technologies and products for improving the efficiency of nitrogen fertilizers in farmers’ actual production, thereby enhancing the quality and yield of crops and promoting green agricultural development, Xinxianxin will, building on the Innovation Center for Efficient Use of Nitrogen Fertilizers, focus its efforts on four areas. First, in terms of basic research, the center will concentrate on Xinxianxin’s existing new nitrogen fertilizer products, and by utilizing the existing testing and demonstration networks, it will study the mechanisms behind the effective release of these fertilizers, the ways in which they help increase crop yields while reducing fertilizer use, and the methods by which they improve crop quality. It will also determine the scientific application techniques for these products in different regions and for various crops. Secondly, in terms of product upgrading and application, the center will conduct research on nitrogen fertilizer enhancers, fertilizer formulation combinations, and the addition of medium and trace elements. It will develop specialized fertilizers and package fertilizers for various crops, and promote soil-testing-based fertilization by combining regional \"large-formulation\" specialized fertilizers with field-specific \"small-formulation\" intelligent fertilization systems. Third, in terms of talent development and service system construction, the center will build a network of senior experts from home and abroad to meet the needs of the Heart-to-Heart business development, and provide training for agricultural chemical service personnel, sales staff, mid-to-senior level technical personnel, and innovative talents. In addition, the center will also establish science and technology hubs in rural areas to cultivate versatile talents, and carry out innovations in regional agricultural application technologies, social service models, and their dissemination. These efforts aim to effectively assist local authorities and farmers in overcoming the technical challenges associated with green agricultural production, thereby facilitating a transition toward sustainable agricultural development. Fourth, in terms of experimental demonstration and promotion, the center will take advantage of the opportunity created by Xinlianxin’s establishment of 6,000 mu of high-standard demonstration fields in Xinxiang to turn it into a model county for the green development of agriculture there. It will innovate service models and product promotion strategies, develop solutions for major crops as well as techniques for the combined use of Xinlianxin’s products, and formulate technical guidelines and fertilization recommendations for these crops. At the meeting, Ye Liangyou, a professor at Henan Agricultural University, said that the center would focus on formulating and researching a number of open research projects; the implementation of these projects will provide important support for the transformation and upgrading of nitrogen fertilizer companies in China. Due to the influence of various factors such as soil properties, climate conditions, crop types, cultivation techniques, nitrogen fertilizer varieties, and fertilization methods, improving the efficiency of nitrogen fertilizer use is a complex systematic task that requires the combined efforts of multiple parties to overcome the challenges. It is understood that the roster of the first batch of members selected for the expert group at the Innovation Center for Efficient Use of Nitrogen Fertilizers is highly impressive; it includes 1 academician from the Chinese Academy of Engineering, 8 position scientists in the field of modern agriculture, 14 members of the Scientific Fertilization Guidance Expert Group under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, and 11 deputy deans or directors from renowned agricultural research institutions across the country. The research areas covered by these experts span almost all crop systems in the country. At this seminar, representatives of the expert group offered suggestions for the efficient use of nitrogen fertilizers and provided recommendations for the green development of agriculture. In addition, the expert group also held in-depth discussions on issues such as high-quality products and corresponding fertilization techniques, the matching of fertilizer products with agricultural machinery, nitrogen fertilizer efficiency enhancers, and the testing and demonstration of new products. In his concluding remarks, Zhang Fusuo said that going forward, the center will focus on some common issues and challenges related to the efficient use of nitrogen fertilizers, carrying out groundbreaking research in order to produce a number of results with global impact and contribute to the sustainable development of agriculture in China.