Evaluating Carbon Sequestration and Soil Organic Carbon Enhancement with Innovative Slow-Release Micronutrient Products

This study investigates soil organic carbon enhancement and greenhouse gas mitigation using innovative slow-release micronutrient fertilizers in both greenhouse and field trials for wheat (Triticum aestivum) cultivation. In the greenhouse trial cultivating spring wheat, CO₂ and N2O emissions, soil carbon levels, yield, and above-ground biomass were measured to determine the relative carbon balance and to assess the viability of Soileos and Nutreos products, two innovative slow-release fertilizers designed for carbon sequestration. Additionally, four field trials were conducted using different wheat varieties, comparing total soil carbon in fields treated with the Soileos Zinc product to the Grower Standard Practice (GSP). In greenhouse trials, Soileos and Nutreos fertilizers promoted soil health by enhancing microbial activity, as evidenced by increased soil respiration rates and final soil carbon content. The relative carbon balance of treatments using slow-release Soileos micronutrient fertilizer and Nutreos micronutrient seed coatings improved by 15% - 25% over the GSP, compared to a 2% - 13% improvement in treatments using sulfate-based micronutrient fertilizers. In field trials, the average total soil organic carbon in soils treated with the slow-release Soileos fertilizer improved by about 11% compared to the GSP, aligning with greenhouse results. Additionally, wheat yield increased in three out of four field trials using Soileos Zinc micronutrient. Consequently, these findings suggest that Soileos and Nutreos slow-release fertilizers can enhance soil carbon sequestration. By enhancing soil health and promoting soil organic carbon in greenhouse and field trials within a single growing season, these fertilizers contribute to an improved carbon balance in agricultural production.