Bio-based fertilisers and bio-stimulants produced from bio-waste outperform conventional fertilisers
Every crop has specific nutritional needs that depend on the crop type, soil characteristics, and climatic conditions. Efficient and effective fertilisation entails adjusting nutrient dosage to actual crop needs to support healthy growth and maximal production. Achieving this with bio-based fertilisers and bio-based soil amendments (additives to improve the soil’s physical or chemical properties) in a circular economy model will boost crop productivity sustainably while protecting health and the environment. The EU-funded B-FERST project, led by agricultural science and tech leader and low-carbon fertilisers producer Fertiberia, has provided such solutions, leveraging its more than 25 years of experience in soil monitoring and the consortium’s expertise. B-FERST valorised bio-waste to produce bio-based fertilisers and bio-stimulants that improve the health of agricultural soil while creating new circular and bio-based value chains.
Fertiliser value chain closes the circle
According to project coordinator Javier Branas Lasala of Fertiberia: “The development and use of bio-based fertilisers face many challenges, including low bio-waste quality (its nutrient content and availability for absorption by plants, the existence of contaminants and other unwanted elements, etc.), low nutritional efficiency, regulatory limitations, and complicated logistics. B-FERST addressed all these to find the best solutions.” B-FERST relied on collaboration among stakeholders throughout the value chain, along with academic researchers and regulatory specialists. This enabled the team to develop innovative bio-based fertilisers with specialised nutrients that can achieve tailor-made dosing adapted to farmers’ needs.
Biomass from bio-waste yields bio-stimulants and bio-based mineral fertilisers
B-FERST mapped bio-waste in eight European countries and developed a logistical model for its use in fertiliser production. Researchers used bio-waste that currently accumulates in landfills or is applied to the soil with no added value to produce bio-based and organo-mineral fertilisers. Agri-food sector by-products from the extraction of vegetable oils were a direct source of non-microbial plant bio-stimulants. Two first-of-their-kind demo plants were installed and able to recover 93 % of phosphorus from various sources of ash and produce bio-based fertilisers with bio-stimulants and biodegradable coatings. Furthermore, 20-40 % of the conventional raw materials from mining and non-renewable resources used in conventional fertilisers were replaced with nutrients from bio-waste.
Sustainable agriculture that outperforms conventional approaches
B-FERST tested its products in different target crops in Italy, Poland, Portugal, and Spain, using field and remote sensing assessments of crop growth. Its fertilisers performed equally well as conventional fertilisers, and better than those when combined with its bio-stimulants. Furthermore, its mineral and bio-based fertilisers improved soil biodiversity and soil quality, improving the interaction between plant roots and beneficial soil microorganisms. “By including bio-stimulants and technologies to prevent loss of nutrients to the environment, we maximised our fertilisers’ efficiency. Overall, we converted bio-waste materials into more efficient, advanced products with better agronomic results and a lower carbon footprint,” explains Branas Lasala. The selected components from over 100 bio-based materials that were assessed can be formulated for any crop, soil type, and climatic conditions. “B-FERST successfully integrated the valorisation of bio-waste materials in agriculture management plans, creating new circular and bio-based value chains while improving the health of agricultural soil,” concludes Branas Lasala. The project’s products, demo plants, and pilots have significantly advanced the state of sustainable agriculture in Europe, with benefits for farmers, industry, and the environment. A wealth of resources should support others interested in following their lead.
Keywords
B-FERST, fertilisers, bio-based, soil, bio-waste, bio-stimulants, agriculture, sustainable agriculture, biodiversity, circular economy