Faced with the disadvantages that traditional fertilizers tend to have, such as soil degradation, bad odors or contamination of aquifers, researchers at the University of Almeria in Spain have developed a biofertilizer made from tomato plant waste, which is cheaper and more sustainable than traditional fertilizers.
En el estudio “’La biodesinfección como método de fertilización rentable para los cultivos hortícolas en el marco de la economía circular”, publicado en la revista científica internacional Agronomy, el equipo de investigación de la Universidad de Almería demuestra cómo lograron crear este bioinsumo, que utiliza los restos de la cosecha del año anterior como materia prima, gracias a la biosolarización.
This technique is a disinfection methodology that combines soil solarization and biofumigation. It has been traditionally used as an alternative to chemical soil disinfectants because of its efficacy in pathogen control. In addition, soil fertility benefits have also been observed during its use due to improved physical (infiltration rate) and chemical (organic matter content, total nitrogen, available potassium, available phosphorus, etc.) properties. This has resulted in a significant increase in horticultural crop yields in soils free of previous edaphic diseases.
To produce this organic amendment, the scientists uninstalled the irrigation system in the greenhouses and deposited the tomato residues from the previous season to be shredded and then incorporated into the first 20 centimeters of the soil. After reinstalling the irrigation system and making sure it was working, they covered the biomass with a layer of plastic over the soil, sealed at the edges, to stimulate the decomposition of organic matter. Finally, they irrigated the plant debris to field capacity and obtained compost in 30 to 90 days, depending on what they were looking for.
The trial of this study was conducted over three consecutive years at the UAL-ANECOOP Experimental Farm, in a plot that simulates the characteristics of Almeria's horticulture, where experts concluded that this biofertilizer equals the effectiveness of conventional fertilizers, is less polluting and improves soil fertility, which translates into reduced water consumption, and can be used approximately every seven months, coinciding with the usual growing seasons in the area.
