A single-application slow-release fertilizer developed by TISTR that maintains rice yields while significantly reducing greenhouse gas emissions from rice cultivation.
Date:
-
Location:
Buriram Province, Thailand
Partners:
-
Research Area:
Decarbonizing Industry & Circular Economy
Sustainable Development Goals:
02 - Zero Hunger, 08 - Decent Work and Economic Growth, 12 - Responsible Consumption and Production, 13 - Climate Action
Single-Application Slow-Release Fertilizer for Low-Emission Rice Cultivation
The Thailand Institute of Scientific and Technological Research (TISTR) has developed a single-application slow-release organic-chemical fertilizer designed to maintain rice yields while significantly reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The solution was tested on off-season rice (RD43 variety) in Ban Talat, Nikhom Subdistrict, Satuek District, Buriram Province, Thailand, comparing two TISTR slow-release fertilizer treatments with government-recommended and traditional farmer practices.
The TISTR fertilizer combines organic matter with essential plant nutrients and incorporates natural zeolite and silicic acid. Zeolite acts as a slow-release medium and nutrient carrier due to its high porosity and cation exchange capacity, improving nutrient-use efficiency while supporting soil restoration. Unlike conventional fertilization methods requiring multiple applications, the TISTR approach requires only one application, reducing fertilizer use, labor requirements, and associated costs.
Greenhouse Gas Reduction and Agricultural Benefits
The field results demonstrated that the single-application slow-release fertilizer maintained rice grain yields at levels comparable to conventional fertilization methods while substantially reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Both TISTR treatments recorded emissions of only 7.18 kg CO₂-equivalent per crop cycle, compared with 13.49 kg CO₂-equivalent under traditional farmer practices and 40.13 kg CO₂-equivalent under the government-recommended method.
This represents a reduction of 41.18% compared with traditional practices and 82.11% compared with the government-recommended method. The environmental benefits are associated in part with the inclusion of zeolite, which retains nutrients through ion exchange and provides a porous structure capable of capturing and retaining gases. The solution therefore offers a practical approach to reducing the carbon footprint of rice cultivation without compromising productivity, while also contributing to improved soil health.
Scaling and Collaboration Opportunities
The solution has reached the pilot-tested stage under real-world conditions and is currently being implemented with local farmers in Buriram in collaboration with TISTR. The next step is to expand field trials to additional rice varieties and geographic regions and to explore certification under carbon credit programs that could further incentivize adoption by farmers.
TISTR is seeking funding to scale fertilizer production, pilot partners across diverse rice-producing regions, and policy support to integrate the approach into broader national green farming initiatives. Partnerships with agricultural cooperatives could provide an effective pathway for distributing the fertilizer across Thailand’s major rice-producing regions and scaling its climate benefits.
