Factors affecting N release of urea from reactive layer coated urea

An experimental fertilizer called reactive layer coated urea (RLCU) has been developed by coating urea with a mixture of diisocyanate and polyol in the presence of a catalyst. The hard, durable layer that is formed on the granule conveys slow-release character to the product. A series of soil incubation tests were conducted under simulated upland conditions for periods up to 56 days to study the effect of factors such as temperature, pH, soil moisture, and organic C additions on N release. The N release rate from RLCU was shown to be increased with increasing temperature and decreasing coating thickness. It was unaffected by the addition of lime to raise the pH or organic carbon sources to increase microbial activity. Although a slight effect of soil moisture was noted, it was not pronounced. Urea release tended to be in two stages — a constant diffusive stage in which, it is postulated, urea was still dissolving within the granule and diffusing to the soil at a constant rate and a slower logarithmic stage where the rate of release decreased with time.