The challenge
In southern Brazil, potato growers face a persistent challenge: high rainfall during the growth season increase the risk of nutrient leaching and reduces fertilizer efficiency. Under such conditions, maintaining consistent nutrient availability throughout the season is critical for achieving high yields and stable returns.
To address this challenge, a commercial field trial was conducted in Urussanga, Santa Catarina State, to evaluate whether a controlled-release fertilization strategy could outperform a conventional NPK program under real farming conditions
The trial was conducted by Tatiana Brum Fontoura, Fausto Pertersen Scholze and Victor Dalla Costa from Haifa South America
Trial overview
The trial compared a standard granular NPK fertilizer with Multicote™ Agri, a controlled-release fertilizer designed to synchronize nutrient release with crop demand and reduce losses caused by leaching.
The goal was clear: improve nutrient use efficiency, stabilize nutrient availability under heavy rainfall, and increase both yield and profitability for the grower.
Location: Urussanga, Santa Catarina State, Brazil
Soil: Clay soil
Climate: Humid subtropical, 558.8 mm rainfall during first 2 months
Crop: Potato cultivarÁgata
Planting: 25 April 2022 | Harvest: 9 September 2022
Fertilization treatments
Treatment | Fertilizer | Rate (kg/ha) | N-P2O5-K2O rate (kg/ha) |
Conventional | Granular fertilizer 04-14-08 | 3,500 | 140-490-315 (+315 Ca) |
CRF | Multicote™Agri 2M 5-15-8 +Ca+ S (58-50-59% coated) | 2,000 | 100-300-160 (+300 Ca) |
Results
Significantly higher yield
The Multicote™ Agri program delivered a 38% increase in tuber yield, equivalent to an additional 9.8 t/ha, compared with the conventional fertilization approach.
Superior nutrient use efficiency
Multicote™ Agri more than doubled nutrient use efficiency, producing substantially more yield per unit of applied nutrient. This improvement reflects the controlled-release technology, which protected nutrients from leaching during periods of intense rainfall and ensured steady availability throughout the growing season.
Economic impact
Treatment | Yield (kg/ha) | Total cost | Income |
Conventional | 25,600 | 8,575 | 34,576 |
Multicote™ Agri | 35,400 | 12,122 | 47,548 |
Although the Multicote™ Agri treatment involved a 41% higher fertilizer cost, the yield advantage translated directly into profitability:
- Higher income: +38% compared with conventional fertilization
- Additional net return: R$ 12,972/ha
- Return on investment (ROI): 3.6
.
Conclusions
This trial clearly demonstrates that Multicote™ Agri is a highly effective fertilization strategy for potato production in high-rainfall environments. By maintaining nutrient availability, improving nutrient use efficiency, and delivering a strong economic return, Multicote™ Agri helps growers achieve higher yields with greater confidence and stability, even under challenging climatic conditions.
