Context

This operational group, promoted and coordinated by Belloch Forestal SL, has worked jointly to develop local substrates for plant production; to this end, the technical, economic and environmental viability of the process for obtaining these substrates was determined.
The process led to the characterisation of different raw materials (organic by-products), after which selection of these raw materials were composted and studied in an outdoor plant, while further environmental and economic studies were also carried out. Agronomic tests were also conducted. Finally, the activities were disseminated through visits, the company’s website and presentations at conferences. Additionally, Belloch Forestal was invited to present it at the ROSEWOOD European seminar in January this year.
The characterisation of the raw materials permitted selection which, once composted, were transformed into compounds suitable for use as substrates. During composting, nitrification processes were encouraged, producing slight natural acidification in the compounds. In agronomic terms, the mixtures need to be adjusted for optimising tree growing and longer-term studies should be promoted. These results indicate that investing in production of local substrates would be viable and environmentally and economically profitable, and thus helping avoid dependency on unsustainable products and foreign markets and companies, while increasing productivity and competitiveness in nurseries.