The Future of Fertilizer Is Glass

Watch out traditional fertilizers…there’s a new fertilizer on the scene, and it’s made of glass.

Shattered glass: Researchers reported in ACS Agricultural Science & Technology that glass fertilizer beads control nutrient release and are environmentally compatible, whereas traditional fertilizers have sometimes been overused, contaminating waterways and creating a surplus of nitrous oxide at times.

Nitrogen, phosphorus, and calcium; oh my!: Traditional fertilizers contain all these elements, but are sadly lost as they leach through groundwater and are emitted into the air. This quite literally creates problems downstream with toxic algal blooms.

Shine bright like a diamond glass bead: That’s where glass beads can save the day. A team of Brazilian scientists created them with solid pieces of water-soluble oxide glass. Phosphorus, calcium, and potassium were mixed in and the glass was ground into particles between 0.85 to 2 mm in width (similar to a grain of sand). As these beads dissolve in moist soil, they gradually release nutrients. 

Scientists tested the beads with a liquid fertilizer containing the same amounts of nutrients as the beads on Palisade lawn grass. Over five harvests, the bead-fertilized grass produced about 70% more biomass.

Now you see them, now you don’t: The beads were consumed by the soil as they dissolved. When tested on lettuce and onion seeds, the particles had no effects on germination rates or cell health. #winning