Baton Rouge — It may be a while yet, but a researcher at Louisiana State University expects to be able to turn corn gluten – which is a byproduct of the cornmeal milling process – into biofuels and organic fertilizers. “My feeling is that we have to determine what level of application provides the most optimum results,” explained Kun-Jun Han, LSU agronomist and assistant professor. “When we compare corn gluten with chicken litter, the nutritive value of the gluten varies. However, the phosphorous level is half of the chicken litter and the potassium level is one third.” Han’s two-year research project is expected to provide a viable alternative to traditional fertilizers. Han said that he plans to have results from his research sometime next year, telling Green Markets that he and his team have already completed the first year of research. “It’s still too early to tell how it compares to poultry litter, but we know it can be an alternative organic fertilizer,” said Han. When asked about using corn gluten as fertilizer, he added, “It has some possibilities, but we must continue our testing for two years before we will have clear conclusions.” Actually, corn gluten meal is a well-established weed and feed for lawns and gardens. It was accidentally discovered by Iowa State University researcher Nick Christians. The natural herbicide that resulted from his research is now patented, and is licensed for use in turf and home gardens as an alternative to weed and feed products.
Transparency Across the Fertilizer Value-Chain