Tests Conclude the GQ Blends Are a Recommended Replacement for Imported Chemical Fertilizers
/EINPresswire.com/ -- VANCOUVER, BC--(Marketwired - November 04, 2015) - Great Quest Fertilizer Ltd (TSX VENTURE: GQ) (FRANKFURT: GQM) ("the Company") is pleased to announce that it is in receipt of the quantitative results from product trials conducted during the 2014/2015 growing season. As expected, our products continued to perform well generally, in line with, and in a number of cases significantly outperforming the commercially available higher priced imported chemical fertilizers.
- GQ35 NPK blends perform in line with DAP, recommended replacement
- Isolated GQ27 performs in line with DAP, recommended replacement
- GQ Fertilizers outperform in residual impact, recommended use to restore soil health
In head to head comparisons the GQ products exceeded expectations. The Great Quest fertilizer products are semi soluble fertilizers, 71% soluble in mild acid. Comparatively chemical fertilizers are 100% in the same acids, meaning the full nutrient load is not expected to be available to plants that are fed using the GQ phosphate fertilizer. On average the GQ fertilizers had 94% of the yield of chemical fertilizer in directly comparable tests, at 71% of the measured solubility and 50% of the expected market price. The study completed by the Institut d'Economic Rurale (IER), a division of the Ministry of Agriculture, analyzed crop response to multiple formulations of the GQ phosphate fertilizers, as crop dosage recommendations were analyzed. Presented in this release are all of the directly comparable results, other formulations will be made available on SEDAR.
The study comprised of 49 agronomic trials covering the five major agro-ecological regions of Mali, where large-scale commercial agriculture occurs. For 2014/2015, six trials were added in the Northern zones Tombouctou and Gao and though only subsistence agriculture occurs in these areas, the company hopes to participate in agriculturally focused development programs in these areas. Tests were performed on Mali's most important crops, namely Cotton, Corn (Maize), Rice (Irrigated, Rainfed and Submerged varieties), Millet, Sorghum, Cowpea (or Black-Eyed Pea), and Peanut.
The following results compare yields of the listed crops using 100kg/ha dosages of the most common fertilizer blend N 15 - P 15 - K 15. The commercial blends using diammonium phosphate (DAP) for the contained phosphate (P) is compared to the GQ formulation using our processed direct application phosphate for all of the contained P. Both of the blends have identical concentrations of the nitrogen (N), phosphate (P) and potassium (K) nutrients.
The GQ 35 formulations performed in line with the DAP blends with particularly strong showings in rice, peanuts and wheat. Rice is the single most common crop grown in the country. Results concluded there is no statistical difference between the GQ35 and DAP yields, and the lower cost GQ product is a capable replacement for more expensive chemical imports.
Table 1: NPK Blends DAP vs GQ35 - 100kg (15-15-15)
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GQ35-NPK
Crop Region DAP-NPK (Kg/ha) (Kg/ha) Relative Performance*
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Corn Bamako 2979 2907 98%
Koulikoro 3806 3493 92%
Sikasso 3379 2744 81%
Millet Koulikoro 1900 1767 93%
Mopti 858 848 99%
Segou 1597 1424 89%
Peanut Koulikoro 2563 2806 109%
Rice (Irrigated) Gao 8150 7900 97%
Mopti 7500 6844 91%
Segou 5139 5310 103%
Sikasso 5026 3694 73%
Rice (Rainfed) Bamako 1553 1489 96%
Sikasso 2121 2423 114%
Rice (Submerged) Gao 6460 6092 94%
Sikasso 1091 1060 97%
Sorghum Bamako 1458 1469 101%
Kayes 1809 1460 81%
Koulikoro 2150 1550 72%
Segou 2576 2428 94%
Sikasso 1848 1563 85%
Wheat Gao 2051 2274 111%
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*Relative Performance is expressed as a ratio of the yield from GQ35NPK to that of DAP NPK
In the same way blends for cotton were compared, however commercial cotton growers use what is called 'complex cotton' NPKSB 14-18-18-6-2 adding sulphur and boron to three major nutrients, at a concentration of 150kg per hectare compared to 100kg used for other crops. Again results concluded there is no statistical difference between the yields using GQ35 and DAP blends, in what was a challenging year for cotton crops. When cost and residual impact are factored (reported in table 4) evidence favours use of GQ35 blends.
Table 2: NPKSB Blends DAP vs GQ35 - 150kg (14-18-18-6-2)
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GQ35-NPKSB
Crop Region DAP-NPKSB (Kg/ha) (Kg/ha) Relative Performance*
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Cotton Koulikoro 4570 4766 104%
Sikasso 1755 1365 78%
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*Relative Performance is expressed as a ratio of the yield from GQ35-NPKSB to that of DAP-NPKSB
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Total Average Relative Performance 94%
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The following results compared the yields of 27% P2O5 medium grade granulated GQ phosphate (GQ 27%) with market available DAP. These trials were not quite equal owing to the Malian researchers mimicking the strategy of regional farmers substituting available DAP fertilizer for the recommended fertilizer super soluable phosphate which is not available in West Africa. Crops fed GQ 27% received 27 kg of P nutrient and no N or K per hectare and the crops fed DAP received 20 Kg of P and 7 kg of N.
Here the GQ 27% marginally outperformed the DAP however, for the cowpea and peanut nitrogen is not required soil nutrient so the larger P dose should give the GQ an advantage.
Table 3: Phosphate Isolated DAP vs GQ27 - 27kg Nutrient
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Crop Region DAP GQ 27% Relative Performance*
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Cowpea Kayes 1827 2050 112%
Segou 1688 1448 86%
Mopti 750 634 85%
Peanut Kayes 2428 3074 127%
Sorghum Kayes 1648 1723 105%
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Average Performance 103%
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*Relative Performance is expressed as a ratio of the yield from GQ 27% to that of DAP
As a part of the study the IER Researchers investigated the residual impact of the fertilizer on crops planted on plots that had used the fertilizer the year before, but had no new fertilizer added for this growing season.
In these trials the GQ fertilizers outperformed, dramatically so in the case of corn. This is expected given the semi-soluble nature of the fertilizer; this allows it to stay in the soil and be available for the next crop. It makes for a very compelling case for farmers to use the GQ formulations, lower upfront cost, equivalent yields in the first year and an opportunity for significant outperformance the longer they use the GQ product.
Table 4: Residual Impact DAP vs GQ
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Crop Region DAP-NPK GQ35-NPK Relative Performance*
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Cowpea after Sorghum Koulikoro 1938 2142 111%
Corn after Cotton Sikasso 1406 2436 173%
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Crop Region DAP GQ 27% Relative Performance*
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Sorghum after Cowpea Kayes 1972 1995 101%
Sorghum after Peanut Kayes 1648 1723 105%
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*Relative Performance is expressed as a ratio of the yield from GQ35NPK to that of DAP NPK
Dr. Lamine Traore, Agronomist and Microbiologist, Research Program Lead from IER, concluded, "The results of this year's trials have demonstrated yet again that the granulated fertilizer products GQ 27% and GQ35-NPK have similar yields to those of the commercially available fertilizers right from the first year of application. The low coefficient of variation observed in the results from region to region where the products were tested, is an indication of the consistent efficiency of the Great Quest products."
Commenting, Jed Richardson President and CEO, "These results reaffirm our belief in the strength of our product. The GQ blends are well poised to provide farmers in Mali and the sub region with a cheaper alternative that matches the performance of expensive imported fertilizers, with an expectation of exceeding that performance for certain crops in some regions, while repairing soil poverty for future crops. Food security is an acute problem in the region and the results indicate that GQ blends may very well become part of the solution."
The technical information in this press release has been reviewed and approved by Louis J. Eskteen, Fellow of the South African Institute of Mining and Metallurgy (SAIMM), a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101. Mr. Esksteen, a consulting Engineer to the Company. He completed his B. Eng. in Extractive Metallurgy -- at North West University, South Africa and has worked on several process management projects in Africa.
About Great Quest
Great Quest Fertilizer Ltd. is a Canadian resource company building a Pan-African agrichemical business focused on the manufacture of farm ready fertilizers from African mineral deposits for African agricultural markets. Local production for regional markets reduces the need for costly transportation and increases availability of high quality fertilizer, to boost yields, increase food security and support African development. Great Quest is listed on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol GQ, and the Frankfurt Stock Exchange under the symbol GQM.
ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF GREAT QUEST FERTILIZER LTD.
"Jed Richardson"
President, Chief Executive Officer and Director
Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. The statements that are not historical facts and are forward-looking statements involving known and unknown risks and uncertainties could cause actual results to vary materially from the targeted results. We seek safe harbor.
For more information:
Jed Richardson
1-877-325-3838
info@greatquest.com
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