Periodic Reporting for period 4 - SUSFERT (Sustainable multifunctional fertilizer – combining bio-coatings, probiotics and struvite for phosphorus and iron supply)
Reporting period: 2021-11-01 to 2023-12-31
EU agriculture depends heavily on the use of non-renewable, resource-intensive fertilisers to meet the world’s increasing demand for food and feed. Phosphate (P) as the major fertiliser component is a critical resource that is almost entirely imported into the EU as mined rock phosphate. On top of that, a major part of the nutrients applied as fertilisers are not reaching the target crop but are leached out or are bound to soils. Iron fertilisation is currently achieved with the aid of chemical chelators. Fertilisers need coatings for product stability and controlled release, but current commercial fertiliser coatings lack biodegradability. These chemical adjuvants can accumulate in soils with increasing adversely effects. SUSFERT demonstrated that providing new, innovative fertilisers for supplying phosphorus and iron to crops, which are based on renewable resources from industrial side streams can partly or fully replace unsustainable and resource intensive solutions. Furthermore, SUSFERT’s fertilisers incorporated microorganisms that are capable of making recalcitrant forms of phosphate readily available for plant uptake. SUSFERT tested novel organic formulations, microgranules, granules, liquid fertiliser products, soil improvers and nutrigels in field trials, evaluated them regarding economic potential and environmental sustainability, to ensure regulatory compliance and established industry-scale production processes.
In the first reporting period, bacterial strains were applied in phosphate solubilisation experiments carried out using different soils, P sources and plants. Here, several bacteria strains allowed partial substitution of mineral P, for which dry and liquid spore formulations were produced. Combination trials of struvite and bacterial strains showed potential for substituting mineral P and superphosphate. For the production processes and polymerization of lignosulfonates for coatings, efficiency and resource use was improved. Siderophores for field trials with organic fertilisers have been produced in sufficient amounts.
In the second reporting period a number of results were generated. These included the advancements of the bacterial strains including upscaling and formulation and the use of rhodotorulic acid as iron fertiliser in combination with alternative P fertilisers. The most promising strains were formulated as products, but also included in fertiliser formulations for P and iron fertilisation. Further optimization was performed for lignosulfonate fractionation, probiotic and fertiliser coatings. Up-scaling of the siderophore fermentation were conducted. The open field trials were successfully completed. The complete cradle-to-gate LCA model of the lignosulphonates production was finalised. The decision was made by Acies to construct one 5000L fermenter in Slovenia.
In the last two periods focus was made on achieving cost effective enzymatically modified lignin-based coatings for product stabilisation and controlled release. Based on functionalized lignin-based coatings, SUSFERT further developed speciality soil improvers/conditioners as fertiliser for agricultural and turf effectiveness yielding promising results in field trials. Further field trials for vegetables such as potato for crop enhancement were carried out and validated with positive results in terms of crop yield.
Protocols for both liquid and dry spore formulations have been developed for the Bacilli
strains. In advance of more research and field testing, samples of both formulations have been created.
Upon building and successfully commissioning the pilot plant at Acies Bio, Acies were able to perform the first full scale fermentation. Acies successfully scaled up the rhodotorulic acid fermentation to a final volume of 3000L that was used in subsequent formulation and field trials.
In P4, SUSFERT added the Austrian SME Agrobiogel as a new consortium partner.
Agrobiogel produces lignosulfonate-based hydrogels a 100% organic water super-absorber based on lignin. This has high capabilities to store water (1g of hydrogels stores 10g of water) and nutrients. SUSFERT developed several combinations (= hybrid products) of organic carrier hydrogels plus different mineral and organic fertiliser compounds turning them into “nutrigels”, offering famers potentially new highly needed products.
In the previous periods partners generated scoring tables for parameters related to fertiliser formulation. In P4, SUSFERT developed the initial plans further and at the end of the project developed 11 prototypes of sustainable, multifunctional fertilisers solutions including specialised solutions for phosphorus and iron supply. SUSFERT combined bio-based and biodegradable coatings for controlled release, probiotics to increase nutrient availability, the renewable phosphorous source struvite, soil improvers, as well as nutrigels. A number of Key Exploitable Result (KERs) and Key Exploitation Products (KEPs) have been elaborated. Many of these have been made into prototypes termed “SUSKITs”. Details of each KER and KEP have been assessed for post project exploitation in the Post Project Exploitation and Final Business Plans.
SUSFERT finalised the data for the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and environmental sustainability analysis for data on the environmental impact as compared to regular fertilisers.
The innovative fertiliser solutions developed in SUSFERT have made significant strides in setting the future for innovative agricultural practices and sustainability. The companies that developed these solutions are in the process of further demonstrating and validating their results towards commercialisation as well as evaluating the registration procedures.
In the second reporting period a number of results were generated. These included the advancements of the bacterial strains including upscaling and formulation and the use of rhodotorulic acid as iron fertiliser in combination with alternative P fertilisers. The most promising strains were formulated as products, but also included in fertiliser formulations for P and iron fertilisation. Further optimization was performed for lignosulfonate fractionation, probiotic and fertiliser coatings. Up-scaling of the siderophore fermentation were conducted. The open field trials were successfully completed. The complete cradle-to-gate LCA model of the lignosulphonates production was finalised. The decision was made by Acies to construct one 5000L fermenter in Slovenia.
In the last two periods focus was made on achieving cost effective enzymatically modified lignin-based coatings for product stabilisation and controlled release. Based on functionalized lignin-based coatings, SUSFERT further developed speciality soil improvers/conditioners as fertiliser for agricultural and turf effectiveness yielding promising results in field trials. Further field trials for vegetables such as potato for crop enhancement were carried out and validated with positive results in terms of crop yield.
Protocols for both liquid and dry spore formulations have been developed for the Bacilli
strains. In advance of more research and field testing, samples of both formulations have been created.
Upon building and successfully commissioning the pilot plant at Acies Bio, Acies were able to perform the first full scale fermentation. Acies successfully scaled up the rhodotorulic acid fermentation to a final volume of 3000L that was used in subsequent formulation and field trials.
In P4, SUSFERT added the Austrian SME Agrobiogel as a new consortium partner.
Agrobiogel produces lignosulfonate-based hydrogels a 100% organic water super-absorber based on lignin. This has high capabilities to store water (1g of hydrogels stores 10g of water) and nutrients. SUSFERT developed several combinations (= hybrid products) of organic carrier hydrogels plus different mineral and organic fertiliser compounds turning them into “nutrigels”, offering famers potentially new highly needed products.
In the previous periods partners generated scoring tables for parameters related to fertiliser formulation. In P4, SUSFERT developed the initial plans further and at the end of the project developed 11 prototypes of sustainable, multifunctional fertilisers solutions including specialised solutions for phosphorus and iron supply. SUSFERT combined bio-based and biodegradable coatings for controlled release, probiotics to increase nutrient availability, the renewable phosphorous source struvite, soil improvers, as well as nutrigels. A number of Key Exploitable Result (KERs) and Key Exploitation Products (KEPs) have been elaborated. Many of these have been made into prototypes termed “SUSKITs”. Details of each KER and KEP have been assessed for post project exploitation in the Post Project Exploitation and Final Business Plans.
SUSFERT finalised the data for the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and environmental sustainability analysis for data on the environmental impact as compared to regular fertilisers.
The innovative fertiliser solutions developed in SUSFERT have made significant strides in setting the future for innovative agricultural practices and sustainability. The companies that developed these solutions are in the process of further demonstrating and validating their results towards commercialisation as well as evaluating the registration procedures.
SUSFERT developed cost-effective, sustainable fertilisers, with enzymatically modified lignin-based and biodegradable coatings with anti-dust properties and for controlled release, to be used in conventional but also in organic farming. Progress beyond state of the art is mainly in a number of areas: SUSFERT combines probiotic and recyclable P fertiliser solutions in compound fertilisers and advanced siderophore- based iron fertiliser and iron-solubilising probiotics and developed bio-based, fully biodegradable controlled release coatings, as well as soil conditioners / improvers and nutrigels based on lignosulfonates.
This progress beyond the state of the art led to the main results of SUSFERT: The components for more sustainable fertilisers on the one hand - probiotics and siderophore for iron and P fertilisation, lignosulfonate-based biodegradable coatings and the feasibility of using struvite in compound fertilisers and novel compound fertilisers, and nutrigels fitting agricultural practice and the regulatory framework, with demonstrated efficacy in field trials.
The major impacts of SUSFERT fertilisers are valorisation of waste and by-products of several industries, thus strengthening the circular economy. Replacement of conventional fertilisers has shown to be able to decrease the dependency on imported, mined phosphate rock in the EU by 40%.
SUSFERT has established new value chains for fertilisers and fertiliser components. Bio-based industries, which currently account for 8% of the EU’s workforce, have been projected to create one million new green jobs by 2030. SUSFERT estimates to generate more than 100 new, permanent jobs in rural areas post project.
This progress beyond the state of the art led to the main results of SUSFERT: The components for more sustainable fertilisers on the one hand - probiotics and siderophore for iron and P fertilisation, lignosulfonate-based biodegradable coatings and the feasibility of using struvite in compound fertilisers and novel compound fertilisers, and nutrigels fitting agricultural practice and the regulatory framework, with demonstrated efficacy in field trials.
The major impacts of SUSFERT fertilisers are valorisation of waste and by-products of several industries, thus strengthening the circular economy. Replacement of conventional fertilisers has shown to be able to decrease the dependency on imported, mined phosphate rock in the EU by 40%.
SUSFERT has established new value chains for fertilisers and fertiliser components. Bio-based industries, which currently account for 8% of the EU’s workforce, have been projected to create one million new green jobs by 2030. SUSFERT estimates to generate more than 100 new, permanent jobs in rural areas post project.