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This report presents the methods and results from preliminary trials with composting marine residual raw materials under the auspices of MARIGREEN, a project funded by the ERA-NET BlueBio cofund program. The main goal of MARIGREEN is to upgrade poorly utilized residual raw materials from blue value chains (fish, shells, algae) for use as fertilizer and biostimulants in organic farming. The project is led by UPB (Romania) and is in collaboration with USAMV (Romania), AUTh (Greece), DTU (Denmark), UCPH (Denmark), NORCE (Norway), and the industrial partners Alumichem AS (Denmark), Norgeskjell AS (Norway), Sigurd Folland AS (Norway), Fjordlaks AS (Norway), and Algea AS (Norway). The compost experiments were carried out at three different levels: small-scale (2 litres) in so-called Dewar flasks; medium-scale (140 liters) with a Jordakompost® insulated compost drum; and large-scale (approx. 7 m3) with windrow composting. The first experiments in the Dewar flasks were based on known raw materials such as horse dung, sawdust, and straw and were intended to familiarize ourselves with the equipment and the method, which is called a self-heating test. This test is usually used to estimate the maturity and stability of finished compost, but here we wanted to look at heat development in fresh material. The trials with the familiar raw materials were followed by trials with the marine residual raw materials, tangle kelp, two types of algae fiber from processing rockweed (brown seaweed), ground fish bones from hydrolyzed cod heads, and dried fish meal from fish in the cod family. These materials have, to our knowledge, not yet been tested in Dewar flasks. As an alternative bulking material in the Dewar bottles and in the compost drum, we experimented with expanded clay aggregates (Leca®). The experiment with horse dung confirmed that the Dewar flasks can be used to estimate the potential for heat generation in fresh material. The marine residual raw materials also developed heat, in several cases above 45 °C (which is the lower limit for being thermophilic) and in some cases up to 60 °C, including algae fiber alone with Leca®. The mixture with algae fiber and Leca® was used to make compost in the compost drum, but on this scale, the temperature never exceeded 30 °C. This may be due to the fact that the room was cold at the start (below 5 °C), that the drum gave off too much heat, that there was too little easily available nitrogen or carbon, or that the ratio between algae fiber and Leca® was incorrect. On a large-scale level, we built a compost windrow with a mixture of algae fiber, bedding from cattle, wood chips from conifers, and sediment from acidified, ground-up residues from codfish, which contained substantial bones. This mixture gave rise to temperatures above 60 °C for short periods. Many useful experiences came out of these initial experiments, which are being used to plan further experiments with marine residues. The Dewar flasks are suitable for estimating the potential compostability of fresh materials, but they have their limitations. The dynamics of a compost mixture change when the volume is increased from 2 liters to several cubic meters. And the bottles cannot be used to produce "finished" compost, which depends on being in contact with a variety of organisms over a long period of time. The experiments confirm that marine residues are suitable as raw materials in compost, both in combination with familiar materials such as horse dung and wood chips, but also alone (with Leca®). The Leca® aggregates, which do not contain carbon or nitrogen, work well as a structural material.

The global need to substitute fossil fuels, along with rising fertilizer costs, calls for a more efficient use of manure resources in agricultural systems. One option may be to treat more animal manure by anaerobic digestion to produce energy and co- produce an organic fertilizer. Here, we investigated the long-term effects of anaerobically digested (AD) dairy cow slurry on crop yields, soil organic matter (SOM) and chemical soil characteristics. The field experiment was established in a grass-clover ley in 2011 and comprised two fertilizer treatments, non-digested slurry and AD slurry, applied at two rates of total N (110 and 220 kg ha-1 y-1), compared with a non-fertilised control. While the rate of manure application affected soil concentrations of extractable nutrients and pH, these variables were not affected by AD. SOM concentrations (0-20 cm) decreased in all plots, and faster on plots with high intrinsic SOM. The decrease was similar with application of non- digested slurry (US) and anaerobically digested slurry (ADS) and at low and high application rates. US and ADS gave similar yields of grass-clover ley and whole crop cereal, on average 0.79 and 0.40 kg DM m-2. The proportion of clover in the ley canopy was similar in manured treatments and the nonfertilized control. With respect to crop yields and chemical soil characteristics, longterm (10 years) effects of AD in an organic dairy cow farming system seem to be minor, not compromising grassland productivity or soil quality in the long term. However, with traditional application of the slurry (no incorporation), no yield increase was achieved with AD, as has been found in other studies.

Anaerobic digestion of animal manure can help farmers to produce renewable energy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Compared to non-digested slurry, digested slurry has a reduced content of organic matter, which may affect the soil fertility and crop productivity in the long-term. Hence, a field experiment with two slurry-application levels (ca. 110 vs. 220 kg of total N ha-1 year-1) was established in 2011, to study how application of anaerobic digested slurry (ADS) versus untreated dairy cow slurry (US) affects soil characteristics and crop yields. Anaerobic digestion of the slurry did not affect soil concentrations of extractable nutrients and pH, but the rate of slurry application did. A decline in SOM in all the plots from 2011-2021, contrasts with our expectations that long-term application of slurry would increase the SOM concentrations in the topsoil. The decrease of SOM concentrations (0-20 cm) was faster on plots with high intrinsic SOM (> ca 10 % ignition loss), and did not differ among slurry treatments. Higher slurry application rate led to a surplus of N, while a deficit was observed in the control and the treatments with low application rates. Treatments were not limited by P. Even in the treatments with low application rate, the total P deficit was minimal, 18 kg P ha-1 across 2011-2021. For K, there was a deficit in all treatments. US and ADS gave similar yields of grass-clover ley, on average 7.9 Mg DM ha-1 year-1. Clover biomass was similar in manured treatments and the non-fertilized control. Anaerobic digestion of the slurry before its application into soil did not seem to reduce grassland productivity or soil fertility in the long term, but the decline in SOM over time deserves attention.

La plateforme expérimentale maraîchage bio de production de légumes, visant à répondre aux principaux enjeux actuels de ce secteur: allier fertilité du sol, réduction. des intrants, résilience des cultures et rentabilité, tout en limitant les impacts climatiques et environnementaux (voir Itinéraires bio 60). Un des systèmes de culture étudié depuis trois ans porte sur la fertilisation des cultures par des apports de luzerne fraiche. Un premier retour d'expérience est présenté ci-après.

Background: Fertilization with organic waste compost can close the nutrient cycles between urban and rural environments. However, its effect on yield and soil fertility must be investigated. Aim: This study investigated the long-term effect of compost on soil nutrient and potentially toxic elements (PTEs) concentration, nutrient budgets, and nitrogen (N) mineralization and efficiency. Methods: After 21 years of annual compost application (100/400 kg N ha–1 year–1 [100BC/400BC]) alone and combined with mineral fertilization, soil was analyzed for pH, organic carbon (SOC), nutrient (total N and P, Nmin, extractable CAL-P, CAL-K, and Mg), and PTE (Cu, Ni, Zn) concentrations. Yields were recorded and nutrient/PTE budgets and apparent net mineralization (ANM, only 2019) were calculated. Results: N efficiency was the highest in maize and for mineral fertilization. Compost application led to lower N efficiencies, but increased ANM, SOC, pH, and soil N, and surpluses of N, P, and all PTEs. Higher PTE concentrations were only found in 400BC for Cu. Nutrient budgets correlated with soil nutrient concentration. A surplus of 16.1 kg P ha–1 year–1 and 19.5 kg K ha–1 year–1 resulted in 1 mg kg–1 increase in CAL-P and CAL-K over 21 years. Conclusion: Compost application supplies nutrients to crops with a minor risk of soil-accumulation of PTEs. However, the nutrient stoichiometry provided by compost does not match crop offtakes causing imbalances. Synchronization of compost N mineralization and plant N demand does not match and limits the yield effect. In winter wheat only 65–70% of N mineralization occurred during the growth period.

This final report from the project “Residual materials from marine industries as fertilisers in organic agriculture” is an example of blue-green collaboration. Such collaboration has been a strategic goal for many Norwegian research and innovation activities since the terms bioeconomy and circular economy came high on the agenda. Significant amounts of residual raw materials from marine industry are still poorly utilized. Traditionally, seaweeds and residues of fish and other sea animals were applied as feed and fertilisers along the coast of Norway, as elsewhere in coastal regions. These valuable materials should still be applied in agriculture, but the application needs to be adapted to a more professional and large-scale production. Organic agriculture aims at being selfsufficient in nutrients and other inputs for the production. A further aim is to recycle nutrients and organic matter not only inside the farm by feeding manure-producing animals, but by recycling nutrients lost from the farm by sales of products, and by runoff and emissions. The RESTOR project (2018-2022) has provided resources for establishing a significant research and developmental work on marine-derived fertilisers at the Norwegian Centre for Organic Agriculture (NORSØK). Marine derived fertilisers, especially from sustainable collection or capture of natural renewable resources, may fit well to the aims of organic agriculture. The project has tested residual materials rich in bones from industry processing white fish species (cod, saithe, longfish etc.), and residual material from chemical extraction of rockweed. The materials have been tested as fertilisers and soil amendments, with controlled trials indoor and in the field. A general result is a very rapid growth effect of fishbones in the year of application, with a residual effect in subsequent years resembling that of dried poultry manure. The algae fiber has no immediate fertiliser effect but has a significant residual growth effect. Due to the content of cadmium (Cd), algae fiber is a class II soil amendment product. This implies that it may be applied with up to 20 tons of dry matter per hectare over 10 years, according to Norwegian regulation. An amount close to this level was tested in ryegrass in 2020. The tetany ratio, which is an assessment calculated to assess the risk of tetany in ruminants based on the concentrations of potassium (K), magnesium (Mg), and calcium (Ca) in plant material applied as feed, was then well above the critical level. Hence, we recommend that the material should not be applied at a higher rate than 10 tons per hectare over 5 years (half the maximal rate for each application), to avoid excess uptake of potassium in crop plants. When applied as the single fertiliser material, both fishbones and algae fiber are unbalanced and should be blended with other materials. The project tested a mix where 30% of the nitrogen (N) was derived from algae fiber and 70% from fishbones. This fertiliser gave good yields both in the year of application, and in one or more subsequent growing seasons. With higher prices on energy, there is increased interest for alternative sources of plant nutrients which may complete existing fossil resources. Most European countries are currently dependent on importing phosphorus (P) and potassium, which is a challenge in a world with increasing levels of conflicts. Significant amounts of nutrients are found in the sea, but we still need both research and developmental work to establish value chains for marine-derived fertilisers which may complete the currently applied fertilisers in both conventional and certified organic agriculture. We also need adapted regulations for such products. A proposal for new regulation on organic fertilisers in Norway includes strict limits for arsenic (As), which may significantly hamper the utilization of seaweed material in fertilisers and for soil amendment. We need more research to assess such limit values. The R&D work with marine-derived fertilisers is well established, and continues, both at NORSØK and with other research organizations.

Cette fiche technique résume les connaissances sur les vers de terre. Elle donne un aperçu de la biologie et de l’écologie des vers de terre et des multiples services rendus à l’agriculture par ces derniers. En outre, cette publication contient des recommandations visant à favoriser la présence de ces organismes extraordinaires dans les sols agricoles.

There is an urgent need to reverse the loss of soil organic matter (SOM) and increase soil productivity fertility to achieve climate goals and sustainable intensification of food production. Compost application is one of the main tools to improve soil functions and provide essential ecosystem services, including C sequestration and sustainable food production. Despite its benefit, compost production and application is facing several challenges, including its intensive labor and skill requirement, slow release of nutrients, and contribution to GHG emissions. Technological advancement has recently been made to reduce the environmental impacts of composting and to further upcycle biowaste to liquid N fertilizer and compost in an automated closed system in 7-9 days. The current study aims to evaluate the quality and agronomic value of the compost produced in the automated system in 7 days at thermophilic temperature (AuDC) in comparison to the conventional windrow method (WrC) and commercial organic fertilizer (OrF). The maturity was tested using the Solvita stability test and phytotoxicity test. The impact of the compost on the soil was evaluated by conducting a controlled incubation experiment for 91 days, during which mineral nitrogen (N) dynamics and enzyme activities were determined in unamended control (CTR) and soil samples amended with 20 Mg DM ha -1 of AuDC and WrC; and 6 Mg DM ha-1 of OrF.

Fertilisation with animal manure has a long-standing tradition as a way to close nutrient cycles on farms. However, the fate of nitrogen (N) from manure in the soil beyond the year of application remains poorly understood. The aim of this research was to understand the residual N fertiliser value of mineral fertiliser (Min) and cattle slurry (Slu) in relation to the partitioning of N from the fertilisers in different soil physical fractions. To this end, we characterised the fate of 15N-labelled Min and Slu in soil organic matter (SOM) physical fractions two years after field application and related it to plant uptake of residual N. A secondary objective was to compare two fractionation methods with respect to accuracy and easiness, namely a combined density and particle size fractionation, separating five fractions, and a simple particle size fractionation, separating two fractions. All fractions were analysed for 15N abundance. The residual N fertiliser value was determined as the uptake of 15N by ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum) during 6 weeks. Furthermore, we deduced the source of 15N taken up by the plants from changes in the percentage of N derived from labelled fertilisers in each of the SOM physical fractions obtained by simple size fractionation before and after the pot experiment. Two years after application, most 15N was found in the fractions, Soil Biology and Biochemistry, 177, ISSN:0038-0717, ISSN:1879-3428

The vegetation in the Arabian Peninsula experiences drought, heat, soil salinity, and low fertility, mainly due to low phosphorus (P) availability. The beneficial mycorrhizal symbiosis between plants and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) is a key factor supporting plant growth under such environmental conditions. Therefore, AMF strains isolated from these soils might be useful as biotechnological tools for agriculture and revegetation practices in the region. Here we present a pioneering program to isolate, identify, and apply AMF isolated from rhizosphere soils of agricultural and natural habitats, namely date palm plantations and five native desert plants, respectively in the Southern Arabian Peninsula. We established taxonomically unique AMF species as single-spore cultures as part of an expanding collection of AMF strains adapted to arid ecosystems. Preliminary experiments were conducted to evaluate the abilities of these AMF strains to promote seedling growth of a main crop Phoenix dactylifera L. and a common plant Prosopis cineraria L. (Druce) in the Arabian Peninsula. The results showed that inoculation with certain AMF species enhanced the growth of both plants, highlighting the potential of these fungi as part of sustainable land use practices in this region.

Klimaberegninger for en økologisk planteavlsbedrift på 500 ha er gennemført med værktøjet ESGreen Tool. Effekten af at dyrke kløvergræs til biogasproduktion og bruge afgasset gødning med høj udnyttelsesgrad er vurderet. Tiltagene har en positiv klimaeffekt. Men værktøjet viser en negativ kulstofbalance, når husdyrgødning erstattes med afgasset gødning. Ved højere priser på husdyrgødning og reduceret pris på afgasset gødning bliver tiltagene økonomisk rentable.

Reporting from the Open House Event 30. Sept. 2022 in Højbjerg visiting ComFerm who has produced the composting machine. Researchers from AU presented the first results on the effect of the compost on soil fertility and plant growth.

Flydende separeret afgasset gødning fra biogasanlæg kan bruges som effektiv startgødning i økologisk landbrug. Artiklen beskriver fremstillingsmåden og gødningseffekten, som det er belyst i projektet ClimOptic.

All Organic: Riforma della Politica Agricola Comunitaria di prossima applicazione, le strategie di diversificazione colturale, la filiera corta dei mezzi tecnici per la fertilizzazione e la difesa delle colture.

Klimaberegninger med ESGreen Tool på en økologisk planteavlsbedrift viste en positiv klimaeffekt ved at dyrke kløvergræs til biogas og bruge afgasset gødning. Økonomien i modellen afhænger af priserne på husdyrgødning og afgasset gødning.

Even though the ethos of organic agriculture concerns animal welfare and environmentally friendly production, certain undesirable inputs are permitted in organic farming by the European Commission Regulation (EC) No 889/2008. The EU Horizon 2020 project Organic-PLUS (https://organic-plus.net) has investigated the possibility to phase out a range of contentious inputs: Plant inputs: Copper, sulphur, and mineral oils; Soil inputs: Conventional manure, plastic, and peat; Livestock inputs: conventional straw, antibiotic medicine, and anthelmintic medicine (against parasites). Organic-PLUS has performed a feasibility study to investigate advantages and disadvantages of both the current production methods with the contentious inputs and proposed alternative methods where the- inputs have been phased out or substituted. The feasibility, sustainability and environmental impact have been evaluated involving stakeholders and decision-makers (e.g., farmers, advisers, developers). In this multi-actor approach seven case farms in Denmark (Northern Europe), Germany (Central Europe) and Spain (Southern Europe) were selected, including the following organic production branches: Pig, poultry, vegetables, cereals, potato, apple, and wine. Results of the case farm studies include: · It is feasible to replace plastic folio for weed control with alternative products (bioplastic or paper mulching) · It is feasible to replace conventional animal manure with alternative fertilizers, such as digestates from biogas production, green waste compost or organic bio fertilizer, combined with crop rotation with legumes · It is not feasible to phase out antibiotics and anthelmintics completely since sick animals must be treated. However, it is feasible to reduce the consumption significantly without reducing production quantity and quality · It is feasible to replace sulphur for apple production with organic approved fungicides · It is not feasible to phase out copper completely for the wine varieties grown today without a very large decrease in quality and yield.

Rapporten beskriver et system med kløvergræs til afgasning i biogasanlæg, der efterbehandler den afgassede biomasse, så kvælstoffet bliver lettere optagelig for afgrøderne. Dernæst evalueres, hvordan dette system passer i forhold til de økologiske principper og regler. Analysen viser, at systemet og teknikkerne er i god overensstemmelse med de fire økologiske principper og med principperne i EU's økologiforordning. Brugen af organisk gødning med højt indhold letopløseligt kvælstof vurderes også at være i tråd med reglerne for økologisk landbrug.

New composting technology can compost plant residues with minimal losses and fast composting process. Research is testing the products in vegetable production.

Description of the ComFerm composting technology and how nutrients and energy can be extracted from biomass by use of it.

Compost application is one of the main tools to improve soil biodiversity, maintain soil fertility and sustainable food production. Despite the benefits of composting, existing farm-level traditional composting techniques cause substantial ammonia and GHG (N2O, CH4) emissions, which could potentially surpass the essential benefits of composting and compost application in the long term. To reduce the environmental impact and improve farm resource efficiency, a company developed a new automated composting drum which can turn organic wastes into compost and liquid nitrogen (N) fertilizer within 7-10 days without external chemical application. While the technology has several advantages, the compost quality and its potential to improve soil fertility need to be evaluated. Given the short retention time, we hypothesized that the compost may not be completely mature and could result in net immobilization of the native N in the soil solution. To test the hypothesis, we set up an incubation experiment with sandy soil mixed with the new compost (NewComp) and a standard windrow compost (WrComp) both made from organic vegetable wastes. Compost was applied at a rate of 20 t DM ha-1, and a commercial organic fertilizer (OF) at a rate of 6.5 t DM ha 1 which is equivalent with the total N applied with the NewComp compost. The moisture content was adjusted to 50% water-filled pore space. Three replicates were destructively removed after 0, 7, 21, 35, 49, 70, and 91 days of incubation in a chamber at 21 0C and analyzed for mineral N and the soil microbial enzyme, dehydrogenase, activities. A phytotoxicity assay was also conducted using Cress (Lepidium sativum) as a test plant in a separate experiment. The result showed that the NewComp compost has a high C:N (29.5:1) and NH4+:NO3- (34:1), indicating that the compost is still in the active decomposition stage. Furthermore, NewComp compost resulted in significantly higher net immobilization during the 90 days incubation experiment. On the other hand, the dehydrogenase activity was significantly higher (up to two-fold) in NewComp compost compared to the unamended control, WrComp and OF for 90 days showing that the compost has a substantial potential to improve the soil microbial activities. The phytotoxicity test showed that the NewComp compost could be mixed with soil up to 50% without significantly affecting germination. Further studies are needed to reduce the net N immobilization effect of the NewComp compost.

For environmental conservation, peat-based growing media are being phased-out in many countries. Peat-free alternatives need to be developed, preferably from local biomass ingredients. This paper describes the performance of peat-free substrates containing olive branch pruning materials in comparison with commercial growing media controls for olive saplings grown during April-October 2020 at the Olive Research Institute (ORI) in Turkey. The trial was conducted using a randomized plot design with 4 replications and 4 treatments: 1) (COMP) compost made of locally available plant materials with 70% olive prunings (100%, v v-1; 2) (FIBER) mixture of chipped and extruded olive prunings (50% chipped + 50% extruded, v v-1); 3) (SAND) a commercial mixture(sand 90% + vermiculite 10%, v v-1) (control); and 4) (PEAT+) a commercial mixture (peat 40% + coco coir 40% + perlite20%, v v-1) (control). The vegetative growth parameters and weed status (density and coverage) were recorded and root fungal diseases commonly found in Turkey were analyzed. After the first six months of growth, there were statistically significant differences between the treatments (p≤0.05); COMP and PEAT+ were comparable and produced the largest plants with 100% survival rate. 98% of plants survived in SAND, and 81% in FIBER.FIBER, which was the only treatment with no weed growth, had about 30% reduced growth as compared to SAND, which had 90 and 78% growth compared with PEAT+ and COMP. Still, it was remarkable that it was possible to grow olive saplings in treated olive prunings. It is very promising that a peat-free growing media like COMP performed as well as the commercial growing media with 40% peat. During the extrusion of olive material, the temperature rose to ca. 120°C and during composting the COMP reached 65-70°C; temperatures at which the materials are expected to be effectively sanatised from any fungal diseases.

Det er estimert at i overkant av 400 tonn ull ikke leveres inn til norske ullsentraler. I en nasjonal spørreundersøkelse ble sauebønder blant annet spurt om hvordan de håndterer og bruker ullen. Av de som svarte at de ikke leverer til mottak, var det 46 % som svarte at ullen enten brennes eller graves ned. Det betyr at store mengder ull kunnet vært nyttet på en mer bærekraftig måte. Ull er et næringsrikt materiale og derfor en god kilde til gjødsel, spesielt for næringsstoffene nitrogen og til dels kalium og svovel. Som en strategi for bedre sirkulærøkonomi er det gode grunner for å tilbakeføre ull til landbruksjord. Ull kan i prinsippet brukes ubehandlet som et jordforbedringsmiddel eller gjødselkilde da ull brytes forholdsvis raskt ned i kontakt med jord. Økende etterspørsel etter gjødselprodukter som er lette å håndtere og produkter som kan brukes i økologisk produksjon, gjorde det aktuelt å prøve ut ullpellets som gjødsel. I prosjektet ble ullpellets testet til veksthusplanter (hagepelargonium og busktomat) og som gjødsel til eng. I tillegg ble det gjennomført et inkubasjonsforsøk for å undersøke nedbrytningshastigheten til ull og samtidig registre hvor raskt næringsstoffer (i hovedsak nitrogen) blir tilgjengelig. En hovedkonklusjon for alle testene var at ullpellets ikke frigjør næring raskt nok til kortvarige kulturer, men at ullpellets kan ha verdi som en langsomtvirkende gjødseltype. En annen utfordring med ull er at næringssammensetningen er ubalansert for mange vekster pga. lavt fosforinnhold. Forslag til videre utviklingsarbeid med ull som gjødsel, er å undersøke muligheter for å lage pellets av blandinger av ulike materialer, f.eks. makroalger som kan tilføre kalium, og fiskebein som kan tilføre fosfor. Ulike blandinger med ull kan da tilpasses ulike veksters behov. Det kan også være aktuelt å utføre risikoanalyser ved bruk av ull til matproduksjon ettersom det finnes begrensete kunnskaper om de hygieniske, helse- og miljømessige sidene ved bruk av ull og ullprodukter i jord- og hagebruk.

Vor zehn Jahren setzte der Bundesrat ein deutliches Signal mit dem vom Parlament gutgeheissenen «Torfausstiegskonzept». Bis heute sind die darin beschriebenen Ziele aber bei Weitem noch nicht erreicht. In der konventionellen Jungpflanzenanzucht werden in der Regel immer noch Mischungen aus 100 Prozent Torf und im Bioanbau solche mit 70 Prozent Torfanteil verwendet.

Manure treatment such as anaerobic digestion and solid-liquid separation has shown a potential to abate greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, but few studies have considered GHG emissions from both storage and field application regarding crop yield. In this study, four different organic fertilizers were studied: untreated cattle manure (CA); digestate of cattle manure anaerobically co-digested with grass-clover (DD); a liquid fraction from the separation of DD (LF); and a liquid fraction derived from a biogas desulfurization biofilter enriched with sulfur and ammonium (NS). The CH4, N2O and NH3 emissions during storage of CA, DD and LF between August and November 2020 (11 weeks) were quantified. Storage continued until April 2021 when these materials, as well as the NS fertilizer and a mineral NKS fertilizer, were applied at a rate of 100 kg total N ha−1 to spring barley. N2O emissions and soil mineral N content were monitored during the growing season. Overall, CH4 emissions during storage were the main source of GHG emissions independent of treatments, accounting for 85 %, 40 % and 11 % of total GHG emissions (based on field application of 100 kg ha−1 total N) from treatments CA, DD and LF, respectively. Anaerobic digestion and separation significantly reduced CH4 emissions during storage due to the diminished content of degradable organic matter available for methanogens. The N2O emissions from treatments CA, DD, and LF during storage were not significantly different. Treatments DD and LF emitted more NH3 than CA during storage, presumably because of higher pH and ammonium content. In the field experiment, the dilute solution of NS emitted the most N2O, while emissions from treatments CA, DD and LF were comparable. Yield-scaled GHG emissions for treatments CA, DD, LF and NS during both periods of storage and field were 44.4, 17.1, 8.5 and 24.3 kg CO2 eq hkg−1 grain yield, respectively. Anaerobic digestion with or without separation were thus effective strategies for the mitigation of GHG emissions from cattle manure in this study. Yields and nitrogen use efficiencies of the processed manure materials were not significantly different from those observed with the same N application rate as inorganic fertilizer, and hence anaerobic digestion with or without separation were promising GHG mitigation strategies.

In agriculture, with growing concerns about the excessive use of synthetic fertilizers and the decline in soil organic matter, the demand for organic forms of soil amendments, such as compost, is increasing. While traditionally it takes months to produce compost, a new composting technology (ComFerm Aps) can produce compost in few weeks. This thesis investigated the quality of this compost and its effects on the soil-plant system. A compost-soil incubation experiment was conducted with focus on N mineralization and soil microbial activity, as measured by dehydrogenase activity. A maturity assessment of compost stability (respirometry test Solvita®) and phytotoxicity (cress germination test) was conducted.

Achieving adequate phosphorus (P) levels without manure from conventional farms is challenging for organic vegetable farmers. The potential of plant-based fertilisers (PBFs) to replace animal-based fertilisers (ABFs) was examined based on a 5 year, multifactorial crop rotation experiment. Two crop rotations on a sandy loam soil were compared: a standard organic rotation (ST) with clover undersown in spring barley, cabbage, celeriac, corn, and onion. This rotation received inversion tillage, ABFs, and bare soil between cash crops. In contrast, a new organic management system aiming at sustainable intensification (SI) had pure clover without barley, and onion was intercropped in relay with lettuce. This rotation received reduced tillage, PBFs, and cover crops. Soil and crop P were analysed, yields were quantified, and a sequential soil P fractionation was conducted to analyse P dynamics.

Documentation of the effect of plant-based fertilizers and compost on plant growth and soil fertility in organic vegetable production (PP presentation at the Organic field day, Aarup June 2022)

Præsentation der beskriver klimafordele ved at bruge afgasset gødning og de praktiske udfordringer, der følger med.

This Deliverable D5.7 is a ‘Technical report on alternative fertiliser’. It is a shorter version, containing key facts and characteristics about the material investigated and described in the much longer ‘Summary paper of alternative fertilisers’ (Deliverable D5.6), from the Horizon2020 project "Organic-PLUS" (2018-2022). In organic farming, a considerable amount of nutrients and organic matter are derived from conventional farming as fertilisers from organic sources are not available in sufficient quantities, in particular for stockless organic farms or intensive vegetable and fruit production. Furthermore, the EU Regulation on Organic Food and Farming restricts the use of recycling fertilisers from urban sources. Relying on fertilisers from conventional production is a challenge for the integrity of organic production. The ‘contentious fertilisers’ include animal manure and other animal-derived products such as hydrolysed proteins or keratins from non-organic, conventional, animal husbandry, but also plant-derived products such as vinasse from conventional sugar-beet production. Furthermore, there may be issues with veterinary drugs and pesticide residues in such fertilisers, as shown for liquid vinasse-based fertiliser which contained residues of pyralid, a herbicide used frequently in conventional sugar beet farming (e.g. McKinnon et al. 2021). In addition, the rapidly increasing demand for vegan products and the reduced consumption of meat for environmental reasons contributes to the importance of finding alternatives to animal-derived fertilisers in general. We also addressed other soil-related contentious inputs in Work Package 5 in Organic-PLUS: Within Deliverable 5.1 the current use of peat in growing media, plastic for mulch films and fertilisers in organic agriculture was assessed, followed by a report discussing possible alternatives to these contentious inputs (Deliverable 5.2). The topics of peat in growing media and biodegradable plastic for mulching made from renewable materials have been described in separate deliverables (D5.8; D5.9; D5.10; D5.11). For alternative fertilisers, several trials have been conducted with funding from Organic-PLUS in five countries: Norway (NORSØK), UK (CU), Denmark (ICOEL), Poland (CUT) and Germany (UHOH). In work package SOIL, Task 5.4 “Examination of promising alternatives, fertilisers” the trials investigated the use of the alternative fertilisers in the open field, protected cropping and in pot trials in organic vegetable production and in arable farming. For some trials, fertiliser effects were assessed for the main crop and the residual effects were tested in subsequent crops. In Task 5.4, we have collaborated to produce two deliverables, D5.6 and 5.7, where D5.6 is a summary paper describing the output of the fertiliser trials. As outlined this deliverable (D5.7) is a technical report describing some essential characteristics of the fertiliser materials which were tested at different locations in Europe and reported in deliverable (5.6). To structure a scientific discussion about the future fertilisation inorganic agriculture, we have developed three categories to classify the fertilisers applied in Organic-PLUS: URBAN, VEGAN, and RESID: URBAN fertilisers are defined as materials which contribute to close the rural-urban nutrient and organic matter cycles by recycling resources derived from agricultural land, via urban food systems and back to the land. A relevant example which has been intensively studied in Organic-PLUS is digestate from source-separated organic household waste, which is used for biogas production by anaerobic digestion. These fertilisers are available in several European countries at the level of a municipality.

This report was produced under the task of peat replacement (5.5) in Organic-PLUS, to report on the work carried out to make contact and interact with important stakeholders along the value chain for growing media and peat. This report considers the viewpoints of growing media manufacturers and plant nurseries, in addition to organic growers. The report comprises a section on initial dissemination of project activities, to awake stakeholders' interest, then a section with information from stakeholders about current practices (use of substrates, fertilisers for pot production etc). The last section includes stakeholders' views concerning the degree of acceptance of replacement inputs.

Das Potential von nützlichen Mikroben für die Steigerung von Ertrag und -Qualität Der Einsatz von mikrobiellen Biostimulanzien kann eine umweltfreundliche Strategie in einer nachhaltigeren Nutzpflanzenproduktion und eine zusätzliche Option für den Biolandbau sein. Ein neues Merkblatt zu dem Thema fasst die neuesten Forschungsergebnisse über die Wirksamkeit, Anwendung und Einsatzbereiche zusammen.

Fertilisation in organic agriculture is today highly dependent on the import of external nutrients and organic matter by fertilisers derived from conventional farming and conventional food industries. Within Deliverable (D) 5.1 of the project Organic-PLUS the current use of peat in growing media, plastic for mulching and fertiliser inputs in organic agriculture was already addressed, followed by a report discussing possible alternatives to these contentious inputs (D5.2). The current D5.6 develops the topic further and shows in more detail the results of research on the use of alternative non-contentious fertilisers conducted in Task 5.4, ‘Alternatives to contentious sources of fertility’, of Work package 5 SOIL in Organic-PLUS. The objectives of Task 5.4 were a) to characterise relevant alternatives for contentious inputs for physio-chemical and other characteristics (e.g. availability), and study how well they function compared with existing contentious inputs (manure from conventional farming, commercial fertilisers from conventional sources) and b) to develop system approaches to integrate the alternatives in existing organic cropping systems/ sequences. The characteristics of the individual fertilisers as well as short recommendations for their application in practice are presented in D5.7 (a technical report) along an overview of nutrient concentrations and other essential characteristics of the fertilisers tested.

This report describes studies and experiments conducted to replace peat in growing media for certified organic growers. Peat in growing media is one contentious input which has been extensively studied in Organic-PLUS, under the lead of Rafaela Caceres (IRTA) who coordinated Task 5.5, “Examination of promising alternatives, peat”. While some of the studies referred to here have already been described in other publications, some studies are primarily described in the present report. Hence, the level of detail described here varies between the studies. The studies were conducted in countries with greatly different climatic conditions. They range from raising of olive saplings (cuttings) in Turkey (MFAL), various crops in Catalonia (IRTA, EAM), production of extruded fibre from many different plant materials in Germany (ATB), tests to reduce the need for vermiculite in growing media from composted woodchips in UK (CU) and composted horse manure with leaves from hardwood trees for vegetable transplants in Norway (NORSØK). This report includes the main results of the activity done during the project.

Fish residues and seaweed residues are promising fertilisers in organic growing.

•Intercropping and strip-cropping appear to farmers as promising systems for replacement of monocultures •The success of intercropping for crop yields and nitrogen use efficiency depends on crop species’ characteristics and control by management. The choices of species and management methods should be knowledge-based •Intercropping and strip-cropping can influence general and functional biodiversity of organisms and the agroecosystem services they provide in a complex way •Alternative fertility strategies based on the combination of a fast and slow releasing source of organic amendments can sustain crop growth, increase short-term soil fertility and promote longterm soil C storage •100% plant-based sources can replace animal-based ones without jeopadizing yields •The combination of intercropping and alternative fertility strategies did not show synergistic effects •Smart automated machinery was completed to solve challenges of mechanization in inter-and strip-cropping systems including a proof-of-concept robotic tool •Successful implementation of inter-/strip-crop systems and fertility strategies relays on detailed insight into the agronomic conditions and agroecological functioning. SureVeg provided such new insight across Europe

Fish and seaweed residues are promising fertilisers. Fish residues have a very rapid fertiliser effect, whereas seaweed residues have a highly positive residual effect on plant growth. Arsenic and cadmium contentrations in seaweed need further studies.

Core Organic Cofund project funded in 2018 about new agronomic methods to improve biodiversity and soil fertility in the organic production of vegetables.

Die Zweiflügler sind in der Anzucht von Zierpflanzen herausfordernd. Eine Checkliste kann helfen, sie in den Griff zu bekommen.

It is the Final report of the DOMINO project, reporting activities carried out and achieved results at the end of the action.

The decomposition of plant organic materials in the soil during the non-vegetation period in a cool temperate climate is associated with nutrient loss and asynchrony in nutrient supply for subsequent crops. Therefore, it is important to select sustainable management tools to regulate the decomposition rate of organic material during the non-vegetation period. The aim of the present study was to assess the influence of soil type (loam vs. clay loam), green manuring (wheat straw vs. wheat straw + red clover), and incorporation depth of organic materials (4–7 vs. 14–17 cm) on mass loss, decomposition rate and stabilization of standardised organic material in the organically managed arable soils. A Tea Bag Index method was used in the field experiments with standardised organic plant materials of green and rooibos tea. In addition, litter-bags of locally grown red clover were investigated. The findings of this study suggested that of the three management factors investigated soil type had a significant and longest effect. The mass loss and decomposition rate of the standardised organic materials were significantly (P < 0.5) higher and stabilization significantly lower in the loam soil than in the clay loam soil. During the non-vegetation period, green tea lost 46.3% of its initial mass, rooibos tea lost 19.7% and red clover lost 66%. The study showed that decomposition of fast-decomposing materials could be slowed down during the non-vegetation period by choosing soils with a higher clay content, shallow organic material incorporation depth and manuring soil with N-rich plant residues.

This paper reviews relevant knowledge about the production and uses of fertilizers from fish and fish waste (FW) that may be applicable for certified organic farming, with a focus on crop and horticultural plants. Fish industries generate a substantial amount of FW. Depending on the level of processing or type of fish, 30–70% of the original fish is FW. Circular economy and organic farming concepts were used to evaluate the potential of production of fertilizers from captured fish. Fertilizers produced from captured fish promote the recycling of nutrients from the sea and back to terrestrial environments. Nutritional composition of FW is assessed to determine the potential to supply plant nutrients such as nitrogen, or a combination of nitrogen and phosphorous, or to enrich a compost. Methods used in processing of FW to produce fish- emulsion, fish hydrolysate/fish silage, fish-compost and digestate from anaerobic digestion/co-digestion are presented. Using information about commercially available fish-based fertilizers listed by the Organic Materials Review Institute (OMRI), we present a scenario for establishing fish/ FW-based fertilizers industry and research in Europe. With Norway’s 9th position among top ten global capture producers and focus in Norway on developing organic farming, we brief how FW is currently utilized and regulated, and discuss its availability for possible production of FW-based organic fertilizers. The amount of FW available in Norway for production of fertilizers may facilitate the establishment of an industrial product that can replace the currently common use of dried poultry manure from conventional farming in organic farming.

Date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.) is an important crop in arid zones and plays significant ecological and socio-economic roles. During the last decades, date palm groves were subjected to degradation due to extensive soil exploitation and low soil fertility. The use of biological techniques is essential to improve date palm development. The present work aims at assessing the effect of two different doses of compost (5% and 20%) and inoculation with the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus (AMF) Rhizoglomus irregulare on growth and development of date palm seedlings. The treatments comprised control and application of 5 and 20% of compost with R. irregulare individually or in combination. Growth, physiological, histological, and mycorrhization traits were assessed. Obtained results showed that compost applied at a low dose (5%) alone or in combination with the AMF stimulated root length, leaf area, root dry weight, nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium contents, stomatal conductance and chlorophyll fluorescence and increased the number of sclerenchyma fibers, the number of vascular bundles, root diameter, and lignification of the endodermis of date palm seedlings compared to control. Compost at low doses combined or not with AMF can successfully be applied as biofertilizers for improving the growth and development of date palm.

Med dagens høye gjødselpriser er det riktigere enn noen gang å si at husdyrgjødsla er bondens gull. Husdyrgjødsel er bondens gull, heter det fra gammelt av, og med god grunn. Fram til ca. 1950 var husdyrgjødsel det viktigste gjødselslaget i jord- og hagebruk i Norge og før 1850 omtrent det eneste. Fra 1800 til 1950 ble det store forbedringer i gjødselhandteringa. Det ble vanlig med lagerrom, strøtilsetning og bedre teknikk ved utkjøring og nedmolding. Dette forbedra gjødselvirkningen svært mye. Rundt 1950 var det derfor en god utnytting av husdyrgjødsla i Norge. Da kunstgjødsla kom for fullt rundt 1950, ble det etter hvert lagt mindre vekt på husdyrgjødsla.

Storfegjødsel kan utnyttes bedre enn dagens praksis på mange gårder – til glede for bonde og miljø. Denne artikkelen gir noen tips om hvordan.

The objective of the SureVeg project was to develop and implement new diversified, intensive organic vegetable cropping systems. This included the use of inter- and strip-cropping and fertility strategies based on soil improvers and fertilizers from either plant or animal origin, compared to monocropping systems and commonly used animal based fertilizers in organically managed cropping systems. We found that • Intercropping and strip-cropping appear to farmers as promising systems for replacement of monocultures, but they ask for better comprehension of the systems in practice, e.g. on good companion crops and step-by-step guidelines. • A method has been developed for mining the scientific literature on good companion crops that will enable uncovering crop-crop effects as well as crops that have remained under-investigated compared to their on-farm use. • The succes of intercropping for crop yields and nitrogen use efficiency depends on crop species’ characteristics (complementary instead of competing) and control by management (e.g. displacement of sowing/planting time). Therefore the choices of species and management, when designing intercropping systems, are crucial and should be knowledge-based. • Intercropping and strip-cropping can influence general and functional biodiversity of organisms and the agro ecosystem services they provide (natural biological control, pollination, soil health and fertility; above and belowground) in a complex way that interplays with factors, such as annual differences in agronomic conditions and crop choices. E.g. intercropping may increase mycorrhization and decrease soil pathogenic bacteria and fungi compared to mono-cropping. While diversity of ground dwelling carabids has been found to go up, some species decrease in abundance compared to monocultures. • Alternative fertility strategies based on the combination of a fast and slow releasing source of organic amendments can sustain crop growth, increase short-term soil fertility and might promote soil carbon storage in the long-term. The combination of organic amendments (the quality) is crucial, and 100% plant-based sources can replace animal-based ones without jeopadizing yields. • The combination of intercropping and alternative fertility strategies did not show synergistic effects. • The creation of smart automated machinery was completed to solve challenges of mechanization in inter- and strip-cropping systems including a proof-of-concept robotic tool, sensing and actuation, to apply single-plant fertilizer strategies. The robot including sensors etc. was built and algorithms developed e.g. to calculate single plant volume and vegetation indexes, and the robot was successfully demonstrated. Overall a successful implementation of intercropping/strip-cropping systems and fertility strategies with beneficial impact on crop production, soil and environment of intercropping/strip-cropping systems and fertility strategies relays on detailed insight into the agronomic conditions and agroecological functioning in the production of organic vegetables. The SureVeg provides such new insight across Eurpean conditions from transnational research; insight that has been disseminated to stakeholders at many levels during the project.

Seminar for Danish Agricultural academia union

Seminar given to the vegetable consultants from the advisory company HortiAdvice

To meet the increased demand for organic vegetables and improve their product quality, the Sureveg CORE Organic Cofund ERA-Net project focuses on the benefits and best practices of growing different crops in alternate rows. A prototype of a robotic platform was developed to address the specific needs of this field type at an individual plant level rather than per strip or field section. This work describes a novel method to develop robotic fertilization tasks in crop rows, based on automatic vegetable Detection and Characterization (D.a.C) through an algorithm based on artificial vision and Convolutional Neural Networks (CNN). This network was trained with a data-set acquired from the project’s experimental fields at ETSIAAB-UPM. The data acquisition, processing, anc actuation are carried out in Robot Operating System (ROS). The CNN’s precision, recall, and IoU values as well as characterization errors were evaluated in field trials. Main results show a neural network with an accuracy of 90.5% and low error percentages (

The first part of this report deals with peat as a natural resource in the three Scandinavian countries; Denmark, Norway and Sweden. Mires with peat receive raised awareness today with increased climate change and decreased biodiversity. The authorities and several non-governmental organizations are advocating to reduce the use of peat. Communication is often directed towards private users, who undertake about half of the peat sold for growing media as estimated both by volume and value. Private growers may act as a driver for change to reduce peat use because they can afford to pay more for alternatives than commercial growers, and they can take more risks if growing media do not always perform well. Organic regulations restrict the use of peat to horticulture. Since mineral nitrogen fertilisers may not be applied in organic growing, the development of growing media for the organic sector may increase our knowledge on applicability of organic materials more rich in nutrients than peat e.g. composts. Scandinavian studies on peat-reduced growing media are plenty but the results are not always translated to or explained in English. Research and industry have cooperated in the attempts to replace peat. Students have done efforts to find solutions and several written works are published. Wood products, possibly composted, are relevant to replace peat in growing media in Scandinavia where woody material is plenty. Other materials to be applied could be solid digestate from biogas plants, waste from industry and agriculture or residual materials from private gardens and public green areas. Substrates applied in growing media need to be studied both separately and in mixtures. Volume, processing and price are other factors to be considered. Because peat has unique properties as growing media, cultivation of white mosses in “paludi-culture” has received some interest and is briefly described in the report. The report briefly presents some peat-free products available on the Scandinavian market in 2021. The markets overlap country boarders and change rapidly from year to year. The report is written with funding from the Horizon 2020 project “Pathways to phase-out contentious inputs from organic agriculture in Europe” (Organic-PLUS), GA774340 (2018-2022), where NORSØK leads a work package on fertilisation, growing media and degradable plastic in organic farming. The purpose of the report is to present in the English an overview of studies conducted in Scandinavia to phase out peat from growing media.

This sustainability report is based on the sustainability evaluation of 10 case farms, using the RISE (Response Inducing Sustainability Evaluation) methodology, designed by the School of Agricultural, Forest and Food Sciences, HAFL. The case farms represent a wide range of organic farms in Europe, experimenting with alternatives to contentious inputs. Results of the case farm reports were discussed in two additional expert workshops, who have been working with the topical work packages (WP) of Organic-PLUS, WP SOIL, WP PLANT and WP LIVESTOCK. Work in progress and results from these WPs have given rise to discussions, which are reflected in this report. Specifically, alternatives for conventional manure, copper and antibiotics were identified. Regardless of case farm, biodiversity scored in a lower range, but this was not specifically linked to any of the contentious inputs. The lack of some nutrients on some of the case farms was more a conscious choice, than supply problem. If this resulted in lower yields this was not always seen as a problem, particularly if there were community shares (e.g. in vegetable boxes which required all year round supply) or when mitigated by premium prices (e.g. high quality wine or olive oils). Some farms were in the process of replacement, by using composted biogas digestate. Replacement of copper by substitution with alternative treatments was not seen to be a simple solution. A set of preventive measures was recorded, including more resistant varieties, management, combinations of natural repellents, but also the acceptance of lower yields to guarantee alignment to organic principles and not create non-disputable products towards the specific consumers (e.g. vegan consumers). Antibiotic use in organic livestock was identified as being reduced, but not completely gone. Organic livestock farmers increase vaccination, preventive measures and alternative treatments, using farmer schools to gain and exchange of experiences. Ultimately, avoidance of animal cruelty by treating sick animals, is thought to be more ethical than culling or selling to conventional farms, where animals would potentially live in poorer or even industrial conditions.