Bio-based materials for fabrication of controlled-release coated fertilizers to enhance soil fertility: A review

The utilization of fertilizers in agricultural fields offers benefits to enhance crop productivity, and former income and fulfill the need for food supply. However, the imbalanced use of chemical fertilizers can alter the basic soil properties including pH and moisture, which results in soil degradation, nutrient leaching, and loss of other essential soil properties. Additionally, It can even have various adverse effects on the environment. Therefore, to reduce environmental threats while preserving substantial agricultural yields of good quality, controlled-release fertilizers (CRFs) have been developed recently with various coating materials and techniques. Coatings on fertilizers are the key approach to enhancing soil fertility by providing nutrients (N, P, K, etc.) gradually to the soil in a controlled manner. This review study discusses recent advancements in the fabrication of CRFs using various bio-based materials for a better-controlled release rate of nutrients. In addition, basic concepts and mechanisms behind the process of nutrient release in a controlled manner are summarized. Based on the findings of the literature, it is noticeable that bio-based materials coated fertilizer will not only control nutrient release to match plant needs over time but will also lessen environmental pollution, promoting sustainable agricultural production.