A new slow-release fertilizer technology developed by the Chinese Academy of Sciences’ Institute of Applied Ecology (IAE) has been named one of the country's top ten most commercially promising agricultural innovations, with an estimated value of 85 million yuan (about $11.7 million).

The technology, a stable urea product, was showcased at a high-profile agricultural technology event in Beijing on August 1, 2025. The conference, organized by bodies including the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, was designed to accelerate the transformation of cutting-edge scientific research into practical industrial applications and boost the nation's agricultural productivity. Officials stated the goal is to create a reliable platform for evaluating and promoting high-value technologies to bridge the gap between the innovation chain and the industrial chain.

The new fertilizer, an output of China's "14th Five-Year Plan" national key R&D program, was selected from a pool of over 200 projects. The research, led by Researcher ZHANG Lili, focuses on a novel formula that uses new inhibitors and protective agents. According to a presentation at the event, the product extends the effective period of the fertilizer from around 60 days for conventional urea to 120 days.

This extended release better synchronizes nutrient availability with crop needs, increasing nitrogen utilization efficiency by over 20% and boosting crop yields by 10% to 23%. Furthermore, the technology is reported to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from fertilizer sources by more than 40%, marking a significant step toward a green transition in the fertilizer industry. After a presentation and questioning by a panel of experts, the technology was given its high valuation, ranking second among all projects presented at the event.