Dorogobuzh (a member of Acron Group) has produced the pilot batch of its new product, biofertilisers – two types of NPK with bio-additives, which will be tested on the fields of agricultural enterprises in Central Russia.
Acron Group is working on technical solutions and ways to apply them in order to expand its product portfolio and offer more product benefits to consumers. Since 2020, specialists from Acron Engineering Research and Design Centre, Acron’s Analytic and Engineering Centre and Marketing Department have been exploring such areas as the introduction of fertilisers enriched with micronutrients and new fertiliser formulas based on existing technologies, development and testing of the biomodified and slow-release fertilisers. The popular idea of using valuable micronutrients in agriculture has been implemented in the Company’s ESG strategy. The biomodified or biomineral fertilisers, which have the advantages of both conventional and biological nutrition, are expected to improve plant mineral uptake and cost effectiveness of Dorogobuzh’s fertilisers, while being environmentally friendly.
The new fertilisers contain a carrier treated with microorganisms in the form of spores, which have a number of agrochemical properties that are valuable to plants. The surface of the NPK granules is coated with bacterial strains in a special drum, where they are also treated with an anti-caking agent.
Experts from the Company’s quality control and technology research centre have conducted preliminary laboratory tests on the chemical and physical properties of the bio-additives, and confirmed that they meet the established quality standards. Microbiological testing of the new fertilisers was carried out by the Dorogobuzh’s industrial sanitary research laboratory headed by Svetlana Morozova. State registration of the new products is in progress.
‘The main objective of this project is to bring some of Acron Group’s standard products to a brand new level through the development and production of innovative fertilisers. The use of biomodified fertilisers will help reduce agrochemical impact on soil, thus contributing to the conservation of ecosystem, and improve plant nutrition to optimise agricultural production and protect soil fertility’, said Roman Dmitriev, Executive Director at Dorogobuzh.
Trials in Russia and abroad have demonstrated that with the application of biomineral fertilisers the rate of plant nutrient consumption from soil and fertilisers increased by an average of 15%, while yields were up 11%–35% depending on the crop and soil.
Dorogobuzh biofertilisers will be tested in Orel, Lipetsk, Tula and Bryansk regions to assess their impact on soil composition and future crop yields.