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| Home > Publications database > INVESTIGATING MARGINAL SOILS FOR IMPROVED AND SUSTAINABLE CROP PRODUCTION IN A UNIQUE RESEARCH FIELD INFRASTRUCTURE |
| Home > Publications database > INVESTIGATING MARGINAL SOILS FOR IMPROVED AND SUSTAINABLE CROP PRODUCTION IN A UNIQUE RESEARCH FIELD INFRASTRUCTURE |
| Conference Presentation (Invited) | FZJ-2024-06063 |
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2024
Abstract: In the context of a sustainable, bio-based economy, the production and sufficient provision of biomass for material and/or energy applications is a critical bottleneck. To avoid land use conflicts with food production in biomass generation, it is essential to utilize previously unused and/or agriculturally non-viable, nutrient-poor marginal soils and to enhance and make them suitable for plant production. This goal is pursued, among other things, by the scientific endeavors at the unique "Marginal Field Lab (MFL)". This includes the development and execution of field experiments that i) evaluate the transferability and further development of results obtained from laboratory and greenhouse trials in a "lab to field" approach, and ii) demonstrate the usability of the experimental field and the plantings for further research approaches, including food and feed production.This newly established and artificially created research field is located in central-west Germany, on the spoil heap of the Hambach opencast mine in the Rhenish mining area. In collaboration with the energy company RWE, a sandy substrate from the opencast mine was deposited on an area of more than 4 hectares. This substrate contains neither organic carbon (Corg) nor other plant-relevant nutrients. It is characterized by a very high sand and gravel content and low water holding capacity. Targeted fertilization strategies, such as subsurface fertilization with digestate, humic acids, and algae biomass compared to mineral NPK fertilizer, are tested for the cultivation of economically relevant and alternative (biomass) plants. These include perennial plants such as Miscanthus x giganteus, Sida hermaphrodita, Silphium perfoliatum, the biennial plant Mellilotus officinalis, and the annual plants Carthamus tinctorius and Hordeum vulgare. Additionally, the trial cultivation of Cannabis sativa and Crotalaria juncea is planned.By installing suction cups at several locations in defined soil depths and regularly taking soil samples, the possible leaching of applied nutrients and the plant-induced Corg enrichment in the soil are investigated. The overarching goal is to make statements about the suitability of various plants for cultivation on opencast mine terraces and residual areas, to subject these unused fallow lands to economically meaningful interim use. In addition to carbon sequestration by the plants, erosion of these areas is prevented, and ecosystem services are implemented. The obtained biomasses are intended to be used as raw materials for bio-based industries, such as fiber/paper and oil/chemical companies, in the context of regional structural change.Presenting these research projects at the AAIC Conference 2024 aims to publicize the outlined project activities in the context of sustainable biomass production on marginal soils and to potentially initiate future collaborative projects.
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