A Nebraska alumnus has become the first to receive a highly-regarded International Fertilizer Association Science Award.
On Nov. 19, the IFA announced the winners of the 2025 awards, recognizing outstanding contributions to plant nutrition science and innovation supporting sustainable development. One of the awards, the IFA Emerging Scholar Award, highlights early-career researchers whose innovative work demonstrates significant promise for future impact.
This year, the award was presented to Gonzalo Rizzo of the University of the Republic (Uruguay). Rizzo received his doctorate in agronomy, specializing in crop physiology and production, from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln in 2022. He also served as a postdoctoral researcher in the Department of Agronomy and Horticulture for one year. He was advised by Patricio Grassini, professor in agronomy and horticulture.
This award recognizes Rizzo’s data-driven research at Nebraska on sustainable intensification and nutrient management. His work, funded by the university’s Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources and the Daugherty Water for Food Global Institute, identified widespread potassium deficiency as a major barrier in Southeast Asian rice and maize systems. His findings indicate that agronomic improvements, particularly balanced plant nutrition, have been responsible for much of the recent increase in maize yields in the U.S., contributing to more efficient and climate-resilient agriculture.
Rizzo said he was deeply honored to receive the IFA Emerging Scholar Award.
“My research is dedicated to advancing sustainable crop production through improved nutrient management, closing yield gaps and enhancing resilience to climate variability, said Rizzo. “This recognition reinforces my commitment to collaborate with farmers, scientists, the private sector and policymakers to develop evidence-based solutions that boost productivity while safeguarding natural resources.”
The IFA was founded in 1927 and is the only global fertilizer association, with around 500 members from more than 80 countries and a mission to promote the efficient and responsible production, distribution and use of plant nutrients.
