An experimental trial in Isabela showed that the use of FertiGroe® nanofertilizers for corn reduced use of conventional fertilizers (CF) by 50% during dry and wet seasons. This translates to potential savings in fertilizer inputs by half of the usual amount that farmers use in their corn fields.
This was the initial findings of one of the component projects of the program, “Optimization of the Production and Use of FertiGroe® N, P, and K Nanofertilizers in Selected Agricultural Crops.” Results of optimized rate and timing of application of FertiGroe® is being verified in the field.
The field monitoring and evaluation (M&E) visit to the projects sites was arranged by the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic, and Natural Resources Research and Development of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST-PCAARRD) to observe and check the yield and fertilizer use efficiency of FertiGroe® N, P, and K nanofertilizers on corn.
The visit coincided with the data gathering of the project team. At two-month crop stand, apparent differences in the yield were not yet visible among treatments. But after harvest, it is expected that the nanofertilizer treatments will perform better than CF treatments in terms of growth and yield, as what was observed in the last cropping season.
This DOST-funded R&D program, with seven project components, aims to optimize the production process and develop protocols for the application of Fertigroe® nanofertilizers. At its final completion, improvements in growth and yield of rice, corn, vegetables, sugarcane, coffee, cacao, and banana is expected.
Field visit is one of the M&E activities being coordinated in Regions CAR, II, III, IVA, VI, X and XI. The M&E team was led by OIC-Deputy Executive Director for R&D, Dr. Juanito T. Batalon, together with Adoracion B. Armada and Jacob B. Labita of PCAARRD’s Agricultural Resources Management Research Division (ARMRD). Others who participated in the activity are Jen Charmaine A. Lorenzo and Marlene A. Ang from the Institute of Crop Science of the College of Agriculture and Food Science of the University of the Philippines Los Baños (ICropS-CAFS, UPLB) and Roynic Y. Aquino and Robert M. Atalin from the Department of Agriculture-Cagayan Valley Research Center (DA-CVRC).