Upcycling of organomineral substrate residues from hydroponic systems; Subproject 1: Implementation research at the Berlin site
Research is being conducted to determine whether the incorporation of upcycled organomineral (OM) substrate residues from hydroponic tomato cultivation into the soil of open field vegetable crops has economic and environmental benefits. The organic fraction provides mineral nutrients that are released over the crop life. In a three-year field experiment, the effect of the amended topsoil on altered biological, chemical, and physical properties of the soil-plant relationship is being studied at two different sites. As a nutrient- and carbon-rich topsoil, it is expected to serve as an alternative fertilizer and soil amendment, and to have a corresponding effect on yield and quality. An improvement of the physical soil properties and infiltration rate is expected. This will result in better infiltration of rainfall and irrigation water, increasing water and nutrient supply to plants while reducing the risk of soil erosion. A higher supply of plant-available water and substrate-bound nutrients offers the potential of increased nutrient use efficiency and reduced fertilizer requirements. The latter leads to a better carbon footprint by saving the energy used in fertilizer production. The reuse of OM substrate residues in the sense of the circular economy further reduces the amount of growing media requiring disposal.
Thus, UpgoeS aims to upcycle the previously unused biological resources of protected cultivation through their use as soil conditioners and fertilizers in outdoor vegetable production. The agronomic and ecological potential of crop recycling will be determined, resulting in a guideline for the proper use of OM substrate residues, which will be made available to open-field producers. This can serve political decision-makers as a basis for further amendments to the Fertilising Ordinance.
Financer
Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture
Duration of project
Start date: 09/2023
End date: 09/2026
Research Areas
Plant Cultivation, Plant Nutrition, Agricultural Technology, Plant Physiology, Plant Sciences
Research Areas
Agrarische Systeme, Informatik, Automatisierung, Agrarwissenschaften, Bodenökologie, Bodenwissenschaften, Gartenbau, Pflanzenphysiologie
