Project description
Testing solutions to restore soil biota diversity
Soil biota diversity and rich-in-nutrients soil combined with plant protection from pathogens are crucial to the glasshouse horticulture industry. The EU-funded MICROREAL project proposes a microbial formulation soil conditioner that restores soil biota diversity, reverses the effects of intensive land use, degrades persistent pesticide residues and protects plants against diseases. The product, which is being tested by farmers in Turkey, is envisaged to lessen pesticide and fertiliser impacts, reduce their use, restrict operation costs and increase yield production by half. The aim is also to encourage fast transition to a sustainable, integrated and more lucrative horticulture industry. The project will conduct a feasibility study examining Europe’s horticulture industry and the economic benefits for end users.
Objective
NGB has developed and brought to TRL6 its MICROREAL microbial formulation soil conditioner. It degrades persistent pesticide residues, restores soil biota diversity, increases the availability of essential nutrients, stimulates the natural defences of plants against pathogens, and reverses the damage done to land by decades of intensive agriculture and horticulture. MICROREAL is targeted at the intensive glasshouse horticulture industry and is for growers wishing to cut pesticide and fertiliser inputs, cut operation costs, and shift rapidly to a sustainable, integrated and more profitable horticulture. We have carried out limited trials in commercial glasshouses used to produce high value salad vegetables at several farms in Turkey, with the following results:
- eliminates organochlorine residues to below detectable levels within 48h
- triggers induced systemic resistance in plants against pathogens
- sequesters iron ions and inhibits the proliferation of pathogenic soil fungi
- lowers the total amount of pesticides applied to glasshouse crops
- increases the availability of N, P and K in soils. Growers can cut artificial fertiliser applications by up to 50%
- Yield increases of 30-50%
NGB seek Phase I funding for a feasibility study that will examine the market and commercial viability of MICROREAL, prior to maturation in a future Phase II. The feasibility study will produce:
- A market study on the European glasshouse horticulture industry, its geographic centres, main products, costs and pesticide use
- An analysis of competitor microbial products for soil remediation and fertility restoration
- A quantification of the economic benefit of MICROREAL to end users
- The scale-up needed at NGB and the geographic expansion needed of our value chain to cover European and Asian markets
- A work plan and budget for a MICROREAL Phase II
Programme(s)
Funding Scheme
SME-1 - SME instrument phase 1Coordinator
34306 BASAKSEHIR ISTANBUL
Türkiye
The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.