A project of the Miguel Hernández University (UMH) based in Elche (Alicante) aims to transform more than fifteen “recipes” made with ingredients that combine microorganisms with nutrients rich in nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. small biodegradable pills They slowly decompose and turn into the best to go past for many plants.
José Sáez, a researcher at the Department of Agricultural Chemistry and Environment at GNA, as part of the European-funded project ‘Eco-bio-fertilizers’, which aims to enable the real use of these little pills, explained: Equivalent to commercial fertilizers.
Sáez emphasizes that beyond their smaller ecological footprint compared to other fertilizers, these ‘pellets’ decompose slowly, which means they decompose more slowly. Allows plants to be nourished for longer and obtain nutrients gradually.
Alternative to polluting systems
Therefore, these tablets aim to be the reference point for fertilizer. unlike pork sludge, alperujos and agricultural pruning, which are more pollutingbecause “many are destroyed by incineration, which emits greenhouse gases that increase climate change.”
The researcher from the University of Elche emphasizes that to improve its quality, researchers introduced certain microorganisms in a controlled manner and then converted them into small solid tablets called pellets, which contain nitrogen abundance, phosphorus and minority components that increase phosphorus. potassium.
In addition, the project seeks to reduce the use of chemical synthesis fertilizersBecause it is an alternative that can replace or complement them.
For different soil types and different plants
Sáez emphasizes: These ‘pellets’ vary depending on the type of soil in which these plants grow.they also vary the vegetables they are made from and so there are up to fifteen different combinations.
So, during the ‘pelletising’ process, depending on the soil and plant from which they are made, Application doses are adjusted by mixing microorganisms with nutrient-rich elements.
In this way, a process of “slow assimilation”, that is, “dissolving little by little”, is achieved. “It provides the crop with the nutrients it needs.”suggests Sáez.
Therefore, some plant elements it contains alpechín – mixture of water used to wash the olives and water contained in the olives themselves – residue from almond tree pruning or lots of goat and cow manureplant residues, which are then “incorporated into the nutritional component.”
Involve worms in the feeding process
Although not part of the EU-funded project, these researchers also Earthworms can “eliminate toxic compounds” from plant waste while “providing content of enzymatic activity.”which is very interesting and they participate in macronutrient cycles.
The researcher points out that these small animals are allowed to work on manure because “They maximize nutrients and eliminate toxic elements.”So they somehow “clean” the fertilizer so that it can then “maximize” its effect on the plants.
Finally, knowing that worms can spoil many components, but also They’re trying to see if worms can degrade microplasticsA study concluded that they currently eliminate 10% of these elements after 90 days.
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