THIN AIR NITROGEN SOLUTIONS LLC — Department of Agriculture SBIR Phase I: Modern agriculture is highly dependent on nitrogen (N) fertilization to maintain high yiel

Description

Modern agriculture is highly dependent on nitrogen (N) fertilization to maintain high yields and profitability. In organic agriculture, cover crops and bulky organic amendments supply N; transport costs can be prohibitive, and energy used in transport is substantial. In conventional agriculture, industrial N fixation uses natural gas, high temperatures, and high pressures to convert atmospheric N to ammonia; ammonia is then used to create other N fertilizers. Nitrogen supply is therefore very energy-intensive. Demand for N remains strong as the human population continues to grow and consume more food. Unlike industrial N fixation, biological N fixation takes place at ambient temperature and pressure, and the energy required is supplied from the Sun rather than fossil fuels. Cyanobacteria are photosynthetic N-fixing organisms that can be used for a new, N-rich bio-fertilizer in a distributed on-farm or community-scale system. Such a system would greatly reduce the need for fossil fuels in N fertilizer production and transport, improve energy efficiency in American agriculture, and create new economic opportunities for small farms, mid-size farms, and entrepreneurs in rural communities. The development and commercialization of locally-produced, sustainable cyanobacterial N bio-fertilizer is an important opportunity that could revolutionize 21st century agriculture. The research team at Thin Air Nitrogen Solutions LLC has worked with cyanobacterial bio-fertilizer since 2008 and has deployed several on-farm prototypes, but further technical refinements are necessary to bring the system to a commercial product stage. Most importantly at this point, the bio-fertilizer must be field-tested to ensure its effectiveness. Cyanobacterial bio-fertilizer will be applied both in dry form and as a liquid fertilizer (via fertigation) to kale (Brassica oleracea var. Acephala), lettuce (Lactuca sativa), and sweet corn (Zea mays) in replicated field and greenhouse experiments. Bio-fertilizer will be compared to other fertilizers commonly used in conventional (urea and urea-ammonium-nitrate) and certified organic (compost and fish emulsion) production. Additionally, a computer model and farmer decision tool will be created to quantify the bio-fertilizer C footprint as compared to other fertilizers. Water use will also be quantified to evaluate the bio-fertilizer production in semi-arid areas where water is precious. Finally, the economic impact of bio-fertilizer will be determined by enterprise budgets and cost/benefit analysis for a variety of model farms. Anticipated results include: field test results for cyanobacterial bio-fertilizer versus other common fertilizers across a variety of crops; online farmer decision tools to evaluate the C footprint of many fertilizer options; and, an evaluation of the economics of bio-fertilizer across a range of model organic and conventional farms. Bio-fertilizer performance and economic feasibility research in Phase I will form an excellent basis for further work on refinement and commercialization in Phase II and beyond.