Water and fertiliser use in horticulture could be reduced, without lowering yields, by using biostimulants such as seaweed extract and beneficial microbes, says UK research organisation NIAB EMR.
NIAB EMR, and its research partner Dove Associates, have combined the use of biostimulants with innovative sensors that monitor substrate moisture in real time. The biostimulants have been found to reduce water and fertiliser inputs by 10-20%, and increase tolerance against abiotic stress and produce quality. Crop demonstrations are now being planned in the UK, Belgium, The Netherlands and France to promote the use of biostimulants to the horticulture sector.
The research is part of the EU-funded Bio4safe-project, coordinated by the Belgian Ornamental Plant Research Centre, which also aims to analyse the economic potential of seaweed-based biostimulants, creating new markets for seaweed producers across the 2 Seas Region – the coastal region across the southern North Sea and the English Channel.
The 2 Seas Region is known for its intensive horticulture which demands significant amounts of water and nutrients. Several EU directives aim to protect water quality by preventing N and P leaching, aim to enhance soil quality or anticipate a water shortage. Besides these legislative environmental pressures, also economic reasons force growers to reduce water and nutrient consumption.
NIAB EMR’s Professor Xiangming Xu explains that every Member State has its own regulation on commercialising biostimulants. “By 2020, the EU will implement a common European legal framework for the trade of biostimulants, but it remains unclear how their positive effects on water and nutrient use should be quantified. With this project we aim to create a standardised protocol that can be used by accredited laboratories to objectively evaluate biostimulants.”
Matumizi ya maji na mbolea katika kilimo cha bustani inaweza kupunguzwa, bila kupunguza mavuno, kwa kutumia biostimulants kama vile dondoo ya mwani wa bahari na vimelea vyenye manufaa, anasema shirika la utafiti la Uingereza NIAB EMR. NIAB EMR na mshirika wake wa utafiti Dove Associates wameunganisha matumizi ya biostimulants na sensorer za ubunifu ambazo zinakagua unyevu wa substrate kwa wakati halisi. Biostimulants pia hupunguza matumizi ya maji na mbolea kwa 10-20% na kuongeza uvumilivu dhidi ya mkazo wa abiotic na ubora wa uzalishaji. Maonyesho ya mazao sasa yanapangwa nchini Uingereza, Ubelgiji, Uholanzi na Ufaransa ili kukuza matumizi ya biostimulants katika sekta ya kilimo cha bustani. Utafiti huo ni sehemu ya mradi wa Bio4Safe unaofadhiliwa na EU, unaoandaliwa na Kituo cha Utafiti wa Mimea ya Mapambo cha Ubelgiji, ambayo pia inakusudia kuchambua uwezo wa kiuchumi wa vichocheo vya kibiolojia vya mwani wa bahari, kuunda masoko mapya kwa wazalishaji wa mwani wa bahari katika Mkoa wa Bahari mbili - eneo la pwani kusini mwa Bahari ya Kaskazini na Channel. Eneo la Bahari Mbili linajulikana kwa kilimo chake cha bustani ambacho kinahitaji kiasi kikubwa cha maji na virutubisho. Maagizo kadhaa ya EU yana lengo la kulinda ubora wa maji kwa kuzuia N na P leaching, lengo la kuboresha ubora wa udongo au kutabiri upungufu wa maji. Mbali na shinikizo hili la kisheria la mazingira, pia sababu za kiuchumi zinawalazimisha wakulima kupunguza matumizi ya maji na virutubisho. Profesa Xiangming Xu, Mkurugenzi wa NIAB EMR, anaelezea kwamba kila nchi mwanachama ina kanuni yake mwenyewe juu ya biashara ya biostimulants. "Kwa hivyo, EU itaanzisha mfumo wa kisheria wa Ulaya kwa biashara ya bio-stimulants, lakini bado haijulikani jinsi athari zao nzuri juu ya matumizi ya maji na virutubisho zinapaswa kupimwa. """ Kwa mradi huu tunakusudia kuunda itifaki ya kawaida ambayo inaweza kutumika na maabara iliyoidhinishwa kutathmini kwa usawa biostimulants. <unk>