Seaphos is a new farming fertiliser being launched at Fieldays from two New Zealand companies seeking to reduce costs and increase farm productivity and nutrient efficiency.
SeaPhos combines the minerals, trace elements, amino acids, vitamins, and growth promotants found in AgriSea NZ seaweed biostimulants with phosphorus, sulphur and calcium from fertiliser company Fertco in a granulated form.
This hybrid technology (fertiliser plus stimulant) allows farmers and growers to have sustained nutrient availability through a slow-release format while stimulating root growth and soil biology to aid in applied nutrient uptake and soil function, AgriSea CEO Clare Bradley said.
“As we uncover more and more about the role of soil biology to enhance yields and performance of our crops, we see this vital combination of biology and nutrients as a step towards helping farmers get the best out of their nutrient program for farm productivity, profitability while reducing the potential for nutrient runoff into rivers, lakes, and streams or loss to the atmosphere as greenhouse gases.”
The granular dicalcic phosphate in Seaphos provides a more controlled form of phosphate than water soluble super phosphate, resulting in higher nutrient efficiency and lower losses to the environment.
It has a much lower dust fraction, which reduces bridging and improves safety for aerial applications.
The product’s biostimulant improves nutrient use efficiency and nutrient cycling, improves soil health and stimulates interaction between plants and soil microbes.
However, it does not replace the macronutrients removed off the farm in livestock and crops. Seaphos replaces essential nutrients as well as improving availability. It can also be easily blended with other nutrients such as potassium and micronutrients.
Fertco CEO Warwick Voyce said the company invested in granulation technology for its dicalcic phosphate fertiliser range a few years ago.
“This improvement allowed us to consider including other products in our fertiliser granules. Biological stimulants is an area of particular interest to us, and the collaboration with AgriSea turbocharged our understanding and ability to innovate.
“Working with Agrisea has come very naturally as we share a vision to innovate to allow farmers to grow more and use less.”
Bradley said their collaboration with Fertco will be a key lever for the long-term sustainability of the farming industry.
“And it’s been great to see that all across the primary industry this has been happening both at government and industry level but also in businesses and areas of research collaboration.’’
Farmers are looking for ways in which they can reduce the total amount of nutrients applied while maintaining their productivity and SeaPhos provides that balance of economic and environmental outcomes.
Farmers are saving in application costs from either aerial or ground spread plus cartage with the reduced amount of applied product
It provides a hybrid product so working with the soil and the plants needs and getting an all round more efficient and eco-friendly product. Saving time and money with a one pass application.
The product will be on display at AgriSea’s main site in the Pavilion as well as the Innovations site, where the company has entered it into this year’s Innovation Awards.