Recirculation, circular fertilizers and resilience: the potential of growing media systems for circular production

Blok, C.; Verkerke, W.; Boedijn, Alexander; Streminska, M.A.; Eveleens, B.

doi:10.17660/actahortic.2021.1317.22

Cited by 7 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 59 publications

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“…The partial or complete replacement of peat by compost in growing media may affect the fate of mineral N released from the fertilizers. The replacement of chemical fertilizers by organic fertilizers may also increase the sustainability of growing media [31]. Organic fertilizers depend on microbial decomposition activity for N mineralization, mostly resulting in a lower predictability with respect to the mineral N availability in comparison to the use of chemical fertilizers [21].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Sustainable Growing Media Blends with Woody Green Composts: Optimizing the N Release with Organic Fertilizers and Interaction with Microbial Biomass

Vandecasteele¹,

Loo²,

Ommeslag³

et al. 2022

Agronomy

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The aim of the current study was to create a high quality growing medium blend that replaces 70 vol% peat with 40 vol% woody green compost and 30 vol% bark compost and organic fertilizers (i.e., blood meal and chitin), all locally sourced. A range of “woody composts”, i.e., green composts based on feedstock selection with mainly woody material from tree prunings, were produced for this purpose at green compost facilities. First, the woody composts were characterized chemically and biologically, including their microbial biomass and net N release. In comparison with regular green composts or vegetable, fruit and garden (VFG) waste composts, woody composts are more suitable for use in growing media due to their lower pH, EC and inorganic C content; however, the woody compost had a low N mineralization rate. Three types of composts supported a higher microbial biomass than wood fiber or bark compost. The additional mineral N release after 100 days for compost mixed with blood meal was tested for different VFG and green composts. A significantly higher additional net N release was measured for composts with higher initial mineral N concentrations (317 mg Nmin/L) as well as VFG composts (417 mg Nmin/L) than for green composts with a lower initial mineral N concentration (148 mg Nmin/L). In a last step, woody compost, bark compost, wood fiber, coir and peat were mixed in different ratios, resulting in six blends ranging from 100% peat-free to100% peat. Two batches of woody compost were compared, and the blends were mixed with blood meal or chitin. A strong effect of both the organic fertilizer and the blend composition on the mineral N release was observed, with a clear link between the microbial biomass and the net N release. There was a significant negative correlation between the net change in microbial biomass and the net N release (R = −0.85), which implies that a larger increase in microbial biomass during incubation with the organic fertilizer resulted in less N mineralization. The blends containing woody compost scored better for nitrification activity, as the NH4-N concentrations were lower in these than for the blends without woody compost. For the peat blends, no effect on the microbial biomass was observed after addition of organic fertilizers; mineral N did increase, however. Woody composts have the potential to be used in high vol% in growing media blends, but the blends still need further optimization when supplemented with organic fertilizers.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Sustainable Growing Media Blends with Woody Green Composts: Optimizing the N Release with Organic Fertilizers and Interaction with Microbial Biomass

Vandecasteele¹,

Loo²,

Ommeslag³

et al. 2022

Agronomy

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“…The entire sector uses an estimated 2.6 Mt of CO 2 annually (P. De Visser et al 2019), with estimates ranging from 2.0 Mt (C. Blok, Boedijn, A., Brunsting, M., Verkerke, W., 2020) to the more generally-accepted figure of 2.5-2.6 Mt (Medema, 2022;Vermeulen & van der Lans, 2011).…”

Section: Demandmentioning

confidence: 99%

Carbon dioxide enrichment in a decarbonised future

Tuyll¹,

Graamans²,

Boedijn³

2022

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Report WPR-1189 ir. Alexander van Tuyll, dr.ir. Luuk Graamans and ir. Alexander Boedijn ReferaatCO 2 -dosering is belangrijk voor de glastuinbouw, om productiviteit te verhogen en daarmee ook de efficiëntie waarmee andere grondstoffen worden gebruikt. In een toekomst zonder fossiele brandstoffen en met elektrische kassen, waar zal de sector zijn CO 2 vandaan halen? In dit verslag bekijken we deze vraag vanuit vier aspecten:(1) hoeveelheid, (2) concentratie eisen en technieken, (3) schadelijke stoffen en hoe deze verwijderd kunnen worden, en (4) distributie. Met literatuur en berekeningen bekijken we de potentie en uitdagingen van technologieën, zowel gangbaar als experimenteel, in allevier aspecten van CO 2 voorziening.

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End-of-life stage of renewable growing media with biochar versus spent peat or mineral wool

Vandecasteele,

Similon,

Moelants

et al. 2023

Nutr Cycl Agroecosyst

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The composition of horticultural substrates for soilless greenhouse cultivation directly affects the sustainability of the cropping system but has also an indirect effect through the end-of-life of the spent media. Biochar amendment in growing media as bulk material and source of nutrients may improve the sustainability of controlled-environment agriculture. Horticultural substrates at the end of soilless strawberry and tomato cultivation were compared in 6 trials at commercial scale. Conventional mineral wool and peat-based blends were compared with peat-reduced and peat-free organic blends with or without 10 vol% biochar. Nutrients, C stability of the growing media and their value as soil improver were measured. The organic growing media had a high potential for reuse and for C storage. Spent mineral wool was signi cantly richer in total P, K, Mg and Ca and signi cantly lower in organic C content and C stability than the other blends, with a clearly lower value as soil improver than the organic blends. Biochar amendment in renewable organic blends increases its value as soil improver and the potential for reuse: adding 10 vol% biochar in the blend signi cantly increased the C content by 8% and the C:N ratio of the spent growing media but not the C stability. The pH of the biochar in the growing media decreased from 9.1 to 6.2 due the cultivation while the CEC increased. This research illustrates the feasibility of using biomass and biochar in cascade, i.e., rst as growing medium, and nally as a C-rich soil improver.

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Recirculation, circular fertilizers and resilience: the potential of growing media systems for circular production

Cited by 7 publications

References 59 publications

Sustainable Growing Media Blends with Woody Green Composts: Optimizing the N Release with Organic Fertilizers and Interaction with Microbial Biomass

Sustainable Growing Media Blends with Woody Green Composts: Optimizing the N Release with Organic Fertilizers and Interaction with Microbial Biomass

Carbon dioxide enrichment in a decarbonised future

End-of-life stage of renewable growing media with biochar versus spent peat or mineral wool

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