** AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** FERTILIZERS ARE CRUCIAL FOR PROVIDING THE NECESSARY NUTRIENTS TO CROPS, ENSURING WE HAVE ENOUGH FOOD TO FEED EVERYONE AROUND THE WORLD. HOWEVER, THE WAY THESE NUTRIENTS, ESPECIALLY NITROGEN, ARE RELEASED FROM FERTILIZERS DOESN'T ALWAYS MATCH UP WITH WHAT THE CROPS NEED. FACTORS LIKE MOISTURE LEVELS, OXYGEN AVAILABILITY, PH, AND TEMPERATURE IN THE ENVIRONMENT CAN AFFECT HOW WELL THE NUTRIENTS ARE DELIVERED TO THE PLANTS. THIS MISMATCH CAN CAUSE BIG PROBLEMS, BOTH ECONOMICALLY AND ENVIRONMENTALLY.TO TACKLE THESE ISSUES, WE'RE PROPOSING A PROJECT THAT INVOLVES USING A SPECIAL TYPE OF MATERIAL CALLED A SILICA/CLAY NANOHYBRID. THIS MATERIAL CAN BE MIXED WITH A TYPE OF BIODEGRADABLE PLASTIC MADE FROM AGRICULTURAL WASTE TO CREATE A THIN COATING FOR FERTILIZER PELLETS. THESE COATED PELLETS, CALLED SMART CONTROLLED RELEASE FERTILIZERS (SCRFS), HAVE SPECIAL PROPERTIES THAT ALLOW THEM TO ADJUST THEIR RELEASE OF NUTRIENTS BASED ON THE REAL-TIME NEEDS OF THE CROPS AND THE ENVIRONMENT. OUR RESEARCH AIMS TO MAKE FERTILIZERS THAT ARE MORE EFFICIENT AND BETTER FOR THE ENVIRONMENT. BY MATCHING NUTRIENT RELEASE TO WHAT CROPS NEED, WE CAN USE FERTILIZERS MORE EFFECTIVELY, REDUCE WASTE, AND MINIMIZE POLLUTION. ULTIMATELY, WE HOPE TO CONTRIBUTE TO SUSTAINABLE AND RESILIENT AGRICULTURE THAT CAN ADAPT TO CHANGES IN CLIMATE AND GROWING CONDITIONS.