Publications
NIBIOs employees contribute to several hundred scientific articles and research reports every year. You can browse or search in our collection which contains references and links to these publications as well as other research and dissemination activities. The collection is continously updated with new and historical material.
2022
Authors
Pierre-Adrien Rivier Dorina Jamniczky Attila Nemes Andras Mako Gyöngyi Barna Nikolett Uzinger Márk Rékási Csilla FarkasAbstract
Despite the increasing interest in applying composts as soil amendments worldwide, there is a lack of knowledge on short-term effects of compost amendments on soil structural and hydraulic properties. Our goal was to study the effect of compost and vermicompost-based soil amendments on soil structure, soil water retention characteristics, aggregate stability and plant water use efficiency compared to that of mineral fertilizers and food-waste digestate and examine if these effects are evident within a short time after application. We set up a pot experiment with spring wheat using a sandy and a loamy soil receiving either mineral fertilizer (MF); dewatered digestate from anaerobic digestion of food waste (DG), vermicomposted digestate (VC_DG); sewage sludge-based compost (C_SS) and sewage sludge-based vermicompost (VC_SS). We then monitored and calculated the soil water balance components (irrigation, outflow, evaporation, transpiration, and soil water content). At harvest, we measured shoot biomass, soil texture, bulk density, water retention characteristics and aggregate stability. The irrigation use efficiency (IE) and the plant water use efficiency (WUE) were calculated for each treatment by dividing the transpiration and the dry shoot biomass with the amount of water used for irrigation, respectively. For the sandy soil, we used X-Ray computed tomography to visualise the pore system after applying organic amendments and to derive metrics of the pore-network such as its fractal dimension, imaged macroporosity and critical pore diameter. X-Ray tomography indicated that composting and vermicomposting resulted in more complex and diverse porous system and increased soil macroporosity. The increased fractal dimensions also indicated that compost and vermicompost can contribute to structure formation and stabilization within a short time after their application. Despite the small application rate and short incubation time, the application of organic amendments to the two different soil types resulted in improved soil water holding capacity and water use efficiency. Composting and vermicomposting appeared to have the best effect at reducing the irrigation demand and evaporation losses and increasing the water use efficiency of the plant, likely through their effect on soil structure and the pore-size distribution.
Abstract
No abstract has been registered
Abstract
Answers to survey asking for suggestions for new products in EU's new regulation for fertilisers. Fish sludge is suggested as material in compost and digestate, and a summary with references is provided.
Authors
Bente Føreid Siv Mari Aurdal Astrid Solvåg Nesse Ingrid Myrstad Trine Hvoslef-Eide Maria DietrichAbstract
No abstract has been registered
Authors
Daniel Rasse Simon Weldon Erik J. Joner Stephen Joseph Claudia I. Kammann Xiaoyu Liu Adam O'Toole Genxing Pan Nazli Pelin Kocatürk SchumacherAbstract
Background Biochar-based fertilizer products (BCF) have been reported to increase both crop yield and N-use efficiency. Such positive effects are often assumed to result from the slow-release of N adsorbed on BCF structures. However, a careful review of the literature suggests that actual mechanisms remain uncertain, which hampers the development of efficient BCF products. Scope Here, we aim at reviewing BCF mechanisms responsible for enhanced N uptake by plants, and evaluate the potential for further improvement. We review the capacity of biochar structures to adsorb and release N forms, the biochar properties supporting this effect, and the methods that have been proposed to enhance this effect. Conclusions Current biochar products show insufficient sorption capacity for the retention of N forms to support the production of slow-release BCFs of high enough N concentration. Substantial slow-release effects appear to require conventional coating technology. Sorption capacity can be improved through activation and additives, but currently not to the extent needed for concentrated BCFs. Positive effects of commercial BCFs containing small amount of biochar appear to result from pyrolysis-derived biostimulants. Our review highlights three prospects for improving N retention: 1) sorption of NH3 gas on specifically activated biochar, 2) synergies between biochar and clay porosities, which might provide economical sorption enhancement, and 3) physical loading of solid N forms within biochar. Beyond proof of concept, quantitative nutrient studies are needed to ascertain that potential future BCFs deliver expected effects on both slow-release and N use efficiency.
Abstract
No abstract has been registered
Authors
Karin Juul Hesselsøe Anne Friederike Borchert Anne Falk Øgaard Tore Krogstad Yajun Chen Wolfgang Prämaßing Trygve S. AamlidAbstract
Sustainable phosphorus use is essential in golf course management to prevent eutrophication and overconsumption. The study aimed to investigate if phosphorus fertilization can be reduced without negative effects on turf quality. We compared two P fertilization recommendations based on soil analyses, one based on the annual nitrogen rate, and a zero-P control. The recommendations were the “minimum level of sustainable nutrition” (MLSN), which aims to keep treatment soil levels above 18 mg P kg–1 dry soil (Mehlich-3); the “sufficiency level of available nutrition” (SLAN), in which the threshold for excluding P fertilization is >54 mg P kg–1 dry soil (Mehlich-3); and “Scandinavian precision fertilization” (SPF), which recommends applying P at 12% of the annual N rate. The treatments were compared via monthly assessments of turf quality and the coverage of sown species and annual bluegrass (Poa annua L.) from 2017 to 2020 on five golf courses from Germany, Sweden, China, Norway, and the Netherlands. MLSN and SPF significantly reduced soil P at all sites compared with SLAN recommendations. Turf quality showed no significant differences. The results from the mixed creeping bentgrass (Agrostis stolonifera L.)–annual bluegrass green showed a 2 to 4% increase in annual bluegrass coverage with P fertilization over the zero-P treatments. The MLSN guideline is recommended for sustainable P fertilization on established greens with low P sorption capacity under diverse climatic and management conditions. The SPF may result in application of excess P to soils with high Mehlich-3 values, as soil analyses are not considered.
Authors
Karin Juul Hesselsøe Anne Friederike Borchert Anne Falk Øgaard Tore Krogstad Yajun Chen Wolfgang Prämassing Trygve S. AamlidAbstract
No abstract has been registered
Authors
Trine Eggen Heidi Amlund Robert Barneveld Aksel Bernhoft Gunnar Sundstøl Eriksen Belinda Eline Flem Torsten Källqvist Line Emilie Tvedt Sverdrup Stefan Trapp Anne Falk Øgaard Christiane Kruse Fæste Erik Jan Robert Lock Einar Ringø Håvard Steinshamn Robin Ørnsrud Åshild KrogdahlAbstract
Key words: VKM, risk assessment, Norwegian Scientific Committee for Food and Environment, Norwegian Environment Agency, potential toxic elements (PTEs), fertiliser, soil improver, fertiliser products, growing media, circular economy, circulation of organic fertilisers, arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), chromium Cr(tot) (Cr(III) and Cr(VI)), copper (Cu), lead (Pb), mercury (Hg), nickel (Ni), zinc (Zn). Background and purpose of the report The potentially toxic elements (PTE) arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), chromium Cr(tot) (Cr(III) and Cr(VI)), copper (Cu), lead (Pb), mercury (Hg), nickel (Ni) and zinc (Zn) occur as ingredients or contaminants in many fertilisers, soil improvers, engineered soil and growing media. Application of these fertiliser products might represent a risk towards the environment, farm animals and humans, particularly when applied annually over several years. The present risk assessment evaluates the application of selected fertilisers according to certain scenarios for representative Norwegian agricultural areas, from Troms in the North to Ås in Southeastern and Time in Southwestern Norway, with different soil properties, precipitation and PTE concentration in present agricultural soil. There is an increasing trend to produce locally (e.g. in urban farming) and home-grown vegetables that are cultivated in engineered soil and growth media. The maximum levels (MLs) set for PTEs in different organic fertilisers, engineered soil and growing media for use in urban farming, home growing and the cultivation of vegetables and garden fruits, and a set of MLs also for application in agricultural cultivation of crops, have been evaluated. Environmental fate processes and the transfer of PTEs have been modelled and the environmental risks for terrestrial and aquatic organisms, including from secondary poisoning have been estimated. Potential risks to humans and farmed animals by increased exposure to PTEs from, respectively, agriculturally produced crops, vegetables cultivated at home and urban farming or forage and grazing have been evaluated. The recycling of nutrients is urgently needed to achieve circular economy, but the derived sustainable products have to be safe, which requires the introduction of and adherence to science-based maximum levels of unwanted substances (e.g. pollutants). This assessment evaluates consequences of the application of different fertiliser products: mineral P fertilisers, manure from cattle, pig, poultry and horse, fish sludge, digestates and sewage sludge - in order to identify PTE sources with potential environmental, animal and human health risks, and to evaluate the appropriateness of the current MLs regarding different applications of organic-based fertilisers, engineered soil and growing media at present, and in a 100-year perspective. Approach and methods applied The approach for environmental and health risk assessments builds on previous work performed for hazardous substances in soil (e.g. VKM 2019, VKM 2014, VKM, 2009, Six and Smolders, 2014). Concentrations of PTEs in soil over time were calculated using a mass balance model, which considers the input by atmospheric deposition, use of fertilisers and soil improvers, as well as loss by leaching, run-off and plant uptake. The resulting first-order differential equation was solved analytically and implemented into Excel®. Run-off and loss by leaching were estimated from data on precipitation, infiltrating fraction and run-off fraction of the water under consideration of the distribution coefficient Kd for the concentration ratio of bulk soil-to-water. This Kd value takes aging sufficiently into account and is thus more realistic than those derived from batch tests. The Kd was estimated separately for each region using established regression equations, with soil pH, organic matter content and clay content as predictors. ...........
2021
Abstract
The presence of tire crumb rubber particles in soil surrounding three artificial football fields in Asker and Bærum municipalities, Norway, was studied. Concentrations of crumb rubber particles in soil were found to be high.