The Perspectives on the Application of Biopolymers for a Sustainable Agriculture

One of the main challenges for modern agriculture is to seek methods for improvement of crop growth and quality which is based on the sustainable agriculture to provide the growing population with access to high-quality food. Controlled-release fertilizers (CRF) and slow-release fertilizers (SRF) are the answer to these challenges, as they constitute an alternative means of achieving higher agronomic efficiency relative to traditional fertilizers. The focus of this paper is to review the changes and trends regarding the CRF/SRF, with a particular focus on biopolymer-coated fertilizers, specifically sodium alginate as both the biopolymer for coating and a soil conditioner. The presented literature review reveals the promising prospects related to the necessity of developing fertilizers with a controlled/slow release of minerals, involving materials that provide the appropriate mineral release rate and which are characterized by properties ensuring a substantial reduction in the negative impact on the natural environment. This finds confirmation in the clear tendency for applying biodegradable materials, particularly originating from natural sources, which may become the appropriate materials used for fertilizer coating when considering the new requirements concerning environmental issues.