Lithium Australia NL’s (ASX:LIT) 90%-owned subsidiary Envirostream Australia Pty Ltd has completed plant sampling for the micronutrient field trial using zinc and manganese from its recycling of alkaline batteries
Use of these recycled materials as micronutrients is being compared to conventional mono-ammonium phosphate (MAP) fertiliser.
Plant sampling to track micronutrient performance between treatments and between plots at the trial site was completed at the end of August and visually Envirostream’s treatments are performing well.
“Sustainably improving crop yields”
Lithium Australia managing director Adrian Griffin said: "Using material from recycled batteries to enhance fertilisers can certainly divert toxic materials from landfill.
“Moreover, it has the potential to provide the fertiliser industry with more sustainable inputs to improve crop yields.
“The slow-release nature of the micronutrients produced by Envirostream could prove a real advantage in terms of local crop conditions.
“We look forward to the outcome of the trials later this year."
WA wheat seeding
While fertilisers incorporating rapid-release micronutrients derived from alkaline batteries are available commercially in the northern hemisphere, the Envirostream micronutrients are slow-release variants tailored specifically for broadacre farming in Western Australia.
It is hoped that they will suit the sandy soils (low in zinc and manganese) that characterise WA’s wheatbelt, providing growers with significant benefits.
The fertiliser blends containing Envirostream micronutrients were applied during wheat seeding.
Variable germination
A problematic start to the growing season, with low rainfall initially on a difficult soil type, meant that germination was variable on some plots.
This will be evaluated as a part of a statistical analysis of the trial early next year.
The trial remains on track for completion in December 2020, with results to follow in the first quarter of 2021.