美国农业部和环境保护署宣布下一代肥料创新挑战赛获胜者

华盛顿，2021 年 10 月 19 日——今天，美国农业部和美国环境保护署 (EPA) 宣布了下一代肥料创新挑战赛的获胜者，这是美国农业部和环境保护署联合举办的增效肥料 (EEF) 合作与竞赛的第二部分，旨在促进美国农业的可持续性。竞赛的目标是提高肥料的效率，增加作物产量，同时减少肥料对环境的影响。

挑战赛获胜者提交了新技术概念，这些概念可以减少现代农业中氮和磷对环境的影响，同时保持或提高农作物产量。获胜的解决方案使用纳米颗粒，这些纳米颗粒需要更少的肥料，并根据需要向生长中的植物释放养分，然后生物降解为无害物质甚至养分；以相同或更少的施肥量支持植物更快生长；以及其他方法。

“Farmers, ranchers, and foresters are well-positioned to be leaders in tackling climate change through technological innovation,” said Acting USDA Chief Scientist Hubert Hamer. “Through programs like the Next Gen Fertilizer Innovations Challenge, USDA is partnering with the private sector to find new climate-smart solutions that are good for farmers and good for the environment.”

“The goal of the challenge is to develop and use innovative and affordable technologies to reduce environmental impacts of modern agriculture on our air, land, and water, while maintaining agricultural productivity and profitability,” said Wayne Cascio, acting principal deputy assistant administrator for science for EPA’s Office of Research and Development. “We are excited about the possibilities and continued new work in this area.”

The winning concepts include a range of solutions that can improve environmental outcomes, including reduced nitrous oxide emissions—the largest source of greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture— while maintaining or increasing crop yields.

获奖者包括：

第一级解决方案（奖金 17,500 美元）：

犹他州德雷珀 Aqua-Yield Operations LLC 的 Christopher Hendrickson 博士介绍了一种纳米智能肥料。

Taylor Pursell, Pursell Agri-Tech, Sylacauga, Ala., for “Urea 2.0,” which replaces the conventional urea core with a customizable mixture of materials to provide fertilizers tailored to local needs.

第 2 级解决方案（奖金 10,000 美元）：

北卡罗来纳州卡里市 Verdesian Life Sciences 的 Kuide Qin 博士使用创新的混合技​​术来提高行业标准硝基吡啶的性能，从而延长其有效期、减少硝酸盐浸出并防止农用设备腐蚀。

Dr. Catherine Roue, Fertinagro Biotech International, Portage, Mich., for “Phosphate Liberation Booster” technology, which uses secretions from phosphate-starved plants to boost plant uptake so less fertilizer may be added and legacy phosphorus can be accessed.

Chandrika Varadachari, Agtec Innovations Inc., Los Altos, Calif., for “Smart-N,” which is a smart-fertilizer that releases nutrients on-demand by the crop and which creates a chemical “cage” for urea that dissolves into plant nutrients.

第 3 层解决方案（荣誉提名）：

捷克共和国捷克科学院实验植物学研究所的雅罗斯拉夫·尼斯勒博士使用植物生长激素 MTU 的衍生物，这有助于延长植物的生长期，保护植物免受压力，使植物体型更大，并且每单位肥料的养分损失可能更少。

Dr. Leanne Gilbertson, Civil and Environmental Engineering Department at the University of Pittsburgh, Penn., for creating a “protected fertilizer package,” which can carry nutrients through soil pores to the area around the plant roots.

Dr. Robert Neidermyer, Holganix LLC, Aston, Penn., for “Bio 800+,” a microbial inoculant that harnesses the power of over 800 species of soil microbes, kelp, and other soil amending ingredients to promote greater crop production and plant health.

Paul Mullins, Brandon Products Ltd., Ireland, for “BBS-1,” a biostimulant derived from seaweed extract that is applied as a fertilizer coating to improve nitrogen-uptake in root cells.

美国农业部和环境保护署正在与肥料研究所 (TFI)、国际肥料发展中心 (IFDC)、大自然保护协会 (TNC) 和全国玉米种植者协会 (NCGA) 协调应对 EEF 挑战。

The competition launched on August 26, 2020. Part two of the first challenge, “EEFs: Environmental and Agronomic Challenge,” is ongoing. More information can be found at: www.epa.gov/innovation/next-gen-fertilizer-challenges.

USDA touches the lives of all Americans each day in so many positive ways. In the Biden-Harris Administration, USDA is transforming America’s food system with a greater focus on more resilient local and regional food production, fairer markets for all producers, ensuring access to safe, healthy and nutritious food in all communities, building new markets and streams of income for farmers and producers using climate smart food and forestry practices, making historic investments in infrastructure and clean energy capabilities in rural America, and committing to equity across the Department by removing systemic barriers and building a workforce more representative of America. To learn more, visit www.usda.gov。