D4.6. Final – Report on agronomic and environmental performance in field trial experiences

Abstract

Deliverable 4.6 ‘Final - Report on agronomic and environmental performance in field trial experiences’’ is a part of FERTIMANURE work package (WP) 4. The WP4 aims to assess bio-based fertilisers (BBFs; produced in WP2) and tailor-made fertilisers (TMFs; produced in WP3) for their ability to substitute conventional synthetic mineral fertilisers whose production is based on finite fossil-based resources and on high energy consumption. The D4.6 reports on results and final conclusion under the following two tasks of WP4: Task 4.2. Field validation of agronomic performance in quadruplicate-randomised block design Sub-task 4.2.1. Spain Sub-task 4.2.2. France Sub-task 4.2.3. Belgium Sub-task 4.2.4. The Netherlands Task 4.3. Field assessment of environmental performance: nutrient losses Deliverable 4.6 aims to summarise the final outcome for each task and sub-task, thus it is divided into 7 chapters. Chapter 1 provides an introduction to the deliverable. In Chapter 2 the final results of testing three tailor-made fertilisers (TMFs) in Spanish field trials for winter wheat and potatoes, as well as pot cultivation of spinach and lettuce, are presented. The TMFs were developed through collaboration between UVIC-UCC and Fertinagro, with the former using a Spanish/Dutch pilot and the latter employing patented technology for pig slurry. Chapter 3 explores experiments conducted using ammonium sulphate BBF by French partners (CRAB, CRAGE, and CA80 under APCA), WENR and UGent. This BBF was tested in 19 field trials and 4 pot trials. This chapter also investigates the N performance of ammonium nitrate and ammonium water from the Belgian pilot, with a pot experiment testing ammonium water (BE-AW) on lettuce and a field trial testing ammonium nitrate (BE-AN) on potatoes and maize. Chapter 4 focuses on testing of biochar-based BBFs from the French partners in three field trials and one pot trial involving crops such as potatoes, sugar beet, ryegrass, and sauerkraut. Chapter 5 features the evaluation of liquid potassium-based BBFs by the French partner CRAGE in a field trial with sugar beet as the target crop. In Chapter 6, the deliverable reports on the environmental monitoring campaigns (Task 4.3) that investigated ammonia and gaseous emissions resulting from the on-field and pot application of the various BBFs. Finally, Chapter 7 engages in an overall discussion and offers recommendations regarding the performance of all the tested BBFs from the FERTIMANURE pilots.