In recent years, the application of n-butylthiophosphoric triamide (NBPT) has attracted much attention due to its ability to improve fertilizer efficiency. NBPT is a potent urease inhibitor that increases nitrogen availability in soil. Thereby promoting crop growth and yield.
The application as urease inhibitor
Urea is one of the most commonly used nitrogen fertilizers in agriculture. It is a cost-effective nitrogen source that is readily available and highly soluble in water. However, urea is rapidly hydrolyzed by urease into ammonia. This is one of the major disadvantages of urea. That is lost to the atmosphere and causes environmental pollution.
As a urease inhibitor, the application of NBPT can overcome this problem by delaying the hydrolysis of urea and maintaining its effectiveness. It works by inhibiting the activity of urease, which prevents the conversion of urea to ammonia. This in turn reduces the loss of nitrogen to the atmosphere and increases the availability of nitrogen in the soil for plants to take up.
Several studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of NBPT in improving fertilizer efficiency. For example, a study conducted by Liu et al. (2018) found that application of NBPT increased nitrogen use efficiency by 9.4% and maize yield by 4.6% compared to untreated controls. Likewise, a study by Zhang et al. (2020) reported that the use of NBPT resulted in an 18.6% increase in nitrogen use efficiency and a 14.2% increase in soybean yield compared to the control.
In addition, the use of NBPT as a urease inhibitor can also reduce the negative impact of nitrogen fertilizer on the environment. As mentioned earlier, the rapid hydrolysis of urea to ammonia will cause environmental pollution. The use of NBPT can reduce the loss of nitrogen to the atmosphere. And can prevent eutrophication of water bodies, thus improve the sustainability of agriculture.
The role in improving fertilizer efficiency
As a soil nitrogen fertilizer enzyme inhibitor, NBPT is highly efficient, non-toxic, has no side effects on the soil. And is naturally degraded into ammonia and phosphorus in the soil. It can also be absorbed by the roots of crops as a fertilizer, and reduces the toxicity of ammonia to seed germination and seedling growth. It is an excellent soil nitrogen fertilizer enzyme inhibitor.
In summary, the application of urease inhibitor NBPT can improve fertilizer efficiency and promote sustainable agricultural development. The use can reduce the loss of nitrogen to the atmosphere, promote plant growth and increase production. And it can reduce the negative impact of nitrogen fertilizer on the environment. Therefore, farmers and agricultural practitioners should consider using NBPT as part of their fertilizer management practices. So that can improve crop productivity and sustainability.
