Next Generation Fertilizers

Overview

ICL is partnering with passionate entrepreneurs, startups, and researchers. Together we are developing new and sustainable technologies to produce next generation fertilizers for advanced crop nutrition in order to create stronger and healthier agricultural and ornamental crops and turf.

Unmet needs

We are looking for innovative solutions for next gen fertilizers in the following fields:

Focus areas

We are looking for innovative approaches in the following areas

Nitrogen is essential for plant growth and production, but the utilization of this element is challenging. Conventional methods of ammonia production through the century old Haber-Bosch process often have a high environmental cost and are energy intensive. ICL Innovation is exploring sustainable solutions for next gen fertilizers that are competitively priced, environmentally friendly, compliant with all current and anticipated regulations, and easy to manufacture.

We are looking for novel materials, biological means, and technologies to fix atmospheric nitrogen (N2) to plant-available nitrogen forms in order to reduce the need for N-based fertilizers. These technologies can include, but are not limited to:

  • Nitrogen fixation by photocatalytic means in proximity to the plant, in order to allow optimal utilization of the nitrogen source by the plant.
  • Endophytic diazotrophs with enhanced nitrogen fixation and the ability to deliver it to the plants.
  • On farm or near farm electrochemical production of ammonia or nitrates.

Bio-actives, such as bio stimulants, nutrients, signaling molecules, and other organic and inorganic molecules have tremendous potential for improving plant growth and yield. However, low and inconsistent bioavailability, limited mobility, poor solubility, and instability in various conditions makes it hard to achieve this potential. 

ICL Innovation is seeking to develop next gen fertilizers that provide sustainable delivery systems, to be applied via the plant canopy or through the soil. Such delivery systems should be competitively priced, patentable, and ones that can be scaled up industrially. Bio-actives should effectively reach sink tissues and end up in the cytoplasm.

P-fertilizers are in wide use in the industry, but much of this phosphorus is unavailable to plants for various reasons. Improving its availability to plants via the soil will offer increased nutrient use efficiency, reduce waste, and will lower agriculture related pollution. 

Technologies that increase nutrient use efficiency can be developed in various ways, including:

  • Additives to commercial P-fertilizers or standalone products such as granular Mono Ammonium Phosphate (MAP), granular NPK, Di-Ammonium Phosphate (DAP) and others.
  • Significantly increased phosphorus availability to plant roots when applied to acidic (pH 4-5), and alkaline (pH 7.5-8.5) soils, by developing a new generation of novel phosphorus fertilizers.
  • Products in the form of plant extracts, microorganisms (such as PSB = Phosphorus Solubilizing Bacteria) and chemical entities.

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