project - Research and innovation
SUSFERT - Sustainable, multifunctional fertilisers for plant phosphorus and iron supply fitting into existing production process.
SUSFERT - Sustainable, multifunctional fertilisers for plant phosphorus and iron supply fitting into existing production process.
Objectives
Challenge: Agriculture depends heavily on the use of non-renewable, resource-intense fertilisers to meet the ever rising demand for food and feed. The major fertiliser component phosphorus is mined and has been identified as a critical resource with 90% being imported into the EU. At the same time, there is a huge loss of nutrients from fertilisers in agriculture because they are often not available at the right amounts and at the right time to optimise plant growth.
Solution: SUSFERT develops more sustainable, multifunctional fertilisers for phosphorus and iron supply fitting into existing production processes and EU agricultural practice. It combines bio-based and biodegradable coatings for controlled release, probiotics to increase nutrient availability and the renewable phosphorous source struvite. SUSFERT demonstrates fertiliser efficacy for major crops, evaluates the economic potential and sustainability of the tested products, ensures regulatory compliance and finally prepares market entry.
Objectives
Challenge: Agriculture depends heavily on the use of non-renewable, resource-intense fertilisers to meet the ever rising demand for food and feed. The major fertiliser component phosphorus is mined and has been identified as a critical resource with 90% being imported into the EU. At the same time, there is a huge loss of nutrients from fertilisers in agriculture because they are often not available at the right amounts and at the right time to optimise plant growth.
Solution: SUSFERT develops more sustainable, multifunctional fertilisers for phosphorus and iron supply fitting into existing production processes and EU agricultural practice. It combines bio-based and biodegradable coatings for controlled release, probiotics to increase nutrient availability and the renewable phosphorous source struvite. SUSFERT demonstrates fertiliser efficacy for major crops, evaluates the economic potential and sustainability of the tested products, ensures regulatory compliance and finally prepares market entry.
Activities
Approaches are contribution to a circular economy:
Imported phosphorus will be reduced by (1) partial substitution of non-renewable superphosphate with struvite, a P-rich waste product from wastewater treatment, and (2) through the use of plant growth promoting bacteria (probiotics) for solubilising phosphorus unavailable to plants.
Two parallel solutions will be advanced for replacement of synthetic chelates for iron fertilisation: Probiotics solubilising iron with siderophores and direct application of siderophores produced by yeast in fermentations (2).
Organic fertilisers based on residues from bioethanol production will be improved with siderophores (3).
Synthetic polymers for controlled release coatings will be replaced by enzymatically modified lignosulfonates to produce bio-based, biodegradable coatings (4).
Improved fertiliser solutions will fit into existing production lines and application procedures (5).
Production on a large scale will be demonstrated and field trials run in various countries over three years (6).
Products will be evaluated regarding economic potential, environmental sustainability, regulatory compliance and industry-scale production processes.
Impacts: The main expected impacts are:
• Decrease dependency on mined phosphate rock by 40 %
• Strengthen the circular economy by valorising waste and by-products from wastewater treatment, bioethanol production and pulp & paper
• Reduce soil and water contamination by developing at least 4 novel fertiliser products
• Strengthen rural areas by establishing local value chains and feedstock sourcing
Development of all components and compound fertilisers is market driven, ensuring quick uptake in organic and conventional agriculture.
Activities
Approaches are contribution to a circular economy:
Imported phosphorus will be reduced by (1) partial substitution of non-renewable superphosphate with struvite, a P-rich waste product from wastewater treatment, and (2) through the use of plant growth promoting bacteria (probiotics) for solubilising phosphorus unavailable to plants.
Two parallel solutions will be advanced for replacement of synthetic chelates for iron fertilisation: Probiotics solubilising iron with siderophores and direct application of siderophores produced by yeast in fermentations (2).
Organic fertilisers based on residues from bioethanol production will be improved with siderophores (3).
Synthetic polymers for controlled release coatings will be replaced by enzymatically modified lignosulfonates to produce bio-based, biodegradable coatings (4).
Improved fertiliser solutions will fit into existing production lines and application procedures (5).
Production on a large scale will be demonstrated and field trials run in various countries over three years (6).
Products will be evaluated regarding economic potential, environmental sustainability, regulatory compliance and industry-scale production processes.
Impacts: The main expected impacts are:
• Decrease dependency on mined phosphate rock by 40 %
• Strengthen the circular economy by valorising waste and by-products from wastewater treatment, bioethanol production and pulp & paper
• Reduce soil and water contamination by developing at least 4 novel fertiliser products
• Strengthen rural areas by establishing local value chains and feedstock sourcing
Development of all components and compound fertilisers is market driven, ensuring quick uptake in organic and conventional agriculture.
Project details
- Main funding source
- Horizon 2020 (EU Research and Innovation Programme)
- Project acronym
- SUSFERT
- Agricultural sectors
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- Crops (generic)
- Fruits
- Other arable crops
- Vegetables
- Viticulture
€ 10 Mio.€
Total budget
Total contributions including EU funding.
€ 6,7 Mio. € by BBI-JU/EU
EU contribution
Any type of EU funding.
Project keyword
Contacts
Dr. Natascha Miljkovic
RTDS Group
(Dissemination & Communication Officer for SUSFERT)
Project coordinator
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RTDS Group
Project coordinator