The specialized controlled-release fertilizer of Nongda Fertilizer has passed the appraisal.

Recently, the Shandong Agricultural University Fertilizer Technology Co., Ltd. and other institutions completed a Shandong provincial technological innovation project—research and development of crop-specific controlled-release fertilizer products—which has passed the technical appraisal organized by the Shandong Provincial Department of Economy and Trade. An expert panel comprising seven members, including Researcher Liu Rongle from the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences and Senior Engineer Li Yanfeng of the Shandong Chemical and Chemical Engineering Society, concluded that the project has achieved integrated innovation in both the technology and production of controlled-release fertilizers, reaching an internationally advanced level.

Controlled-release fertilizers are high‑tech products that integrate agronomic principles with advanced manufacturing processes, and they have become a major focus of fertilizer‑technology innovation and a key direction for the global fertilizer industry. The Fertilizer Research Institute of Shandong Agricultural University is among the earliest institutions in China to conduct research on coated controlled‑release fertilizers. Since 1997, it has undertaken national “948” projects, agricultural science and technology leap‑forward programs, and national “15th Five‑Year Plan” key scientific and technological projects, successfully developing small‑scale and pilot‑scale coated controlled‑release fertilizer products with independent intellectual property rights. To accelerate the industrialization of controlled‑release fertilizers, and based on an in‑depth analysis of domestic and international trends as well as China’s agricultural characteristics, Shandong Agricultural University Fertilizer Co., Ltd. has set its sights on large‑scale promotion and application of such products. The company has developed controlled‑release fertilizers tailored for field crops—including grains, vegetables, and fruit trees—while seamlessly integrating advanced technical performance with economic feasibility, thereby creating new products that are both technologically sophisticated and cost‑effective. The team selected modified sulfur‑based coating materials and corresponding production processes. These coating materials exhibit superior performance at lower costs, the production process is scientifically sound and well‑designed, product quality is stable, release characteristics are excellent, and nutrient ratios and release profiles align closely with crop nutritional requirements. In addition, the project has pioneered a novel continuous coating process using a rotary drum with dual fluidized beds and multilayer coating, along with core equipment, and has established one fully automated controlled‑release fertilizer production line, achieving industrial‑scale production.

Following extensive field trials and demonstration projects, the use of this controlled-release fertilizer on crops such as maize, vegetables, peanuts, and tobacco has increased nitrogen-use efficiency by 10 percentage points. Compared with non-coated fertilizers, under equivalent levels of economic input, it can boost yields by 6–10%, delivering significant social, economic, and ecological benefits.