Researchers create biofertilizer from tomato residues

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. 

In the study ‘Biodisinfection as a profitable fertilization method for horticultural crops in the framework of the circular economy’, published in the international scientific journal Agronomy, the research team from the University of Almeria demonstrates how they managed to create this bioinput, which uses the remains of the previous year's harvest as raw material, thanks to biosolarization. 

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.

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