Developing the first-of-its-kind biodegradable CRF coating

Turf managers that currently use CRFs from the ICL portfolio* will not notice many changes with the new eqo.s coating. The product performance will be the same as is expected from any ICL product. Uniform turfgrass, good colour and density; there is no need to compromise and choose between biodegradability and a high performance CRF. Susan: “Lab and field tests show that it’s a really consistent, reliable product. We have been making high quality CRFs for many years, but this is the first coating technology that complies to the strictest biodegradation standards like the ones expected in the 2026 fertilizer legislation. It’s what’s making it so unique. We are able to offer a product that meets the high ICL standards in terms of quality, performance, reliability and safety for turfgrass, and at the same time is future-proof with the fast breakdown of its fully biodegradable coating; I’m very proud to be part of this innovation.”

*Eqo.s technology will first be introduced in the Sierrablen and Sierrablen Plus ranges, followed by the other CRF brands (Sportsmaster CRF, Sportsmaster CRF mini, ProTurf, and Landscaper Pro). By the end of 2023, all CRF brands for the turf industry will be compliant with the coming legislation.

Susan Sijstermans (Senior Specialist Product Development) & Petra Vannuys (Scientist Product Development) talking about the new eqo.s technology.

Working as a Senior Specialist Product Development

Working at ICL’s R&D department comes with a lot of responsibility. Unlike many other companies where each researcher is assigned to a specific task, at ICL you are involved in the entire process from idea until market launch. “That is what I love about my job here”, says Susan. “You can come up with an idea, test it, and work on it all the way until the innovation ends up at the customer. I can really make an impact here.”

Susan’s role includes the improvement of existing products and creating new innovative products. It all starts with an idea, and although it sounds simple enough, there’s obviously more to it. Susan: “First we need some boundaries like what are we focusing our development on? We need to make sure that the idea is something the customer would actually want and that we can produce it in big volumes both in terms of technical and economic aspects.”

Collaboration between researchers and industry professionals

Another key aspect of innovating is the collaboration between experts with different backgrounds and point of views. Susan: “We are working with many departments. We need to speak the same language in order to come up with the best possible outcome. For eqo.s we had clear boundaries in terms of time and deliverable; it needed to comply with legislation. We had to find a strategy, and the different angles from different experts pushed us to develop the very best.”

The development process of eqo.s

The eqo.s innovation started years ago, with a focus on finding a sustainable innovation for urea; to create a coating that complied with the new legislation. Possible options were screened, tests showed which options could be considered, and these possibilities are then reviewed on all kinds of aspects. What can and can’t we do? What does the customer need? Can we sell it?

“There is a whole system behind this innovation. From the start, many colleagues were involved to get it done. At R&D we focused on product development, engineers were involved to get the new product into a bigger production line. Marketing looked at the selling point-of-view and how it fits in the current product portfolio. Agronomists tested the products in the field. The quality department ensured that the product’s quality is according to ICL’s high standards… Long story short; a huge number of experts, time and money is involved in this project. This is what it takes to launch ground breaking innovations.”

“A huge amount of experts, time and money is involved in this project. This is what it takes to launch ground breaking innovations.”

 

Fertilizer granules with eqo.s technology.

The coating technology explained

Controlled release fertilizers are usually soluble materials. That is how a plant can use them. It’s also the challenge, because plant’s cannot take up everything at once. Nutrients can get lost in the soil and wash away. Susan: “The coating avoids that from happening. The moisture gets in slowly, nutrients dissolve and are steadily released over a longer period. By finetuning the coating, we can control that release. It is the reason why we can adjust to the plant’s needs and minimize losses to the environment.”

CRFs nutrient release
​​The main characteristic of a CRF is its nutrient release. You have different types of releases, for instance a linear and s-curved release. Linear means that the nutrients are released consistently throughout the longevity, where an s-curved pattern means a slow start and a quicker release at the end. ICLs coating technologies are tweaked in a way that we can completely control the release pattern of the granule. Different release patterns fit the needs of different plant types. For turfgrass we need a linear release pattern to ensure consistent growth.

“To create a coating that degrades, but at the same time protects the granule core is quite a contradictive concept.”

 

How do we test the performance of eqo.s technology?

The testing of these release patterns is maybe ICLs most executed type of tests, both in the lab and in the field. Specifically, for eqo.s, the field trials were very important as the biodegradable coating needed to be tested in different cultivations, climates, and application methods. Susan: “Eqo.s was tested under controlled circumstances in the lab, but only in field conditions you can really see if it holds the working principle. Because to create a coating that degrades, but at the same time protects the granule core is quite a contradictive concept.”

“Wherever we put our targets on, we have the people and knowledge to take new steps in plant nutrition to accommodate the needs of turf managers.”

 

“Through trials at independent, external trial stations, eqo.s technology received official certification for its biodegradability according to different ISO standards. Continuous trialling is done by a huge team of ICL agronomists all over the world to continue to prove the added benefits of CRFs with eqo.s technology.”

 

What’s next for the R&D team?

“R&D never stops”, is Susan’s first reply. Of course, ICL will continue to develop innovations for its product portfolio, whether it’s because of changing legislation or other needs that the market is asking for. “For the development of eqo.s, we’ve put our boundary on urea, but we will keep innovating. Wherever we put our targets on, we have the people and knowledge to take new steps in plant nutrition to accommodate the needs of turf managers.”​​​​​​​