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Sustainable preservation and optimization of soil fertility by biochar-composts
Project
Project code: G2/KS/19/04
Contract period: 01.11.2019
- 31.10.2021
Budget: 179,270 Euro
Purpose of research: Applied research
Keywords: biochar-compost
Background
Preservation of agricultural ecosystems and improving resource efficiency are two main objectives of the EU's strategy Europe 2020. This includes a sustainable land management, which maintains function of soils for agriculture use, as habitat for soil organisms and as water reservoir. All this functions are strongly influenced by soil organic matter. The degradation of soils due to depletion of soil organic matter is of particular concerns on areas with intensive tillage, but also on areas with permanent crops as hop soil organic matter might decrease, if high amounts of biomass are removed from the field. Beside the amount, also the quality of the soil organic matter plays an important role for soil fertility. During the last decade, the use of biochar aroused interest of scientist, practitioners and the public. However, despite of intensive research activities many aspects are still unclear, results are often inconsistent, and especially the mode of action is not yet thoroughly known.
Objective
Within the research project, the impact of biochar-compost on soil fertility will be investigated. Thereby the project focus on the following three aspects, which are of special interest for the agricultural sector and where positive effects or risks of biochar-composts are described in literature: (1) Reduction of leaching of nitrate (2) Reduction of copper toxicity (3) Effects on soil organism
Methodical approach
In the first step, different biochar-compost will be produced. Thereby the raw materials will be varied systematically and the composting process is closely controlled in order to developed guidelines for producers of such composts. In the second phase, lab and pot experiments will be conducted. The biochar-compost will be mixed in different soils, which are incubated for several weeks and extracted or percolated afterwards. Additionally pot experiments with lettuce, maize and hop young-plants are planned. Further, the effect of biochar-composts on soil organism will be investigated by measures of microbial biomass and activity as well as by behavioral and reproduction tests with earthworms.
Section overview
Subjects
- Plant Nutrition
- Horticulture
