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„Development of a soil inoculating preparation for the amelioration of soil structure, water balance and soil fertility”
Project ID: KFI 16-1-2016-0214
Project duration: 2017.01.01. - 2018.12.31.
Beneficiary name:
BioFil Microbiological, Gene-technological and Biochemical Ltd.
Amount of the aid: 96.973.150,-Ft
Brief summary of the Project:
Soil deterioration became a global problem that threatens the food supply of world’s population. Inadequate crop rotation, excessive physical soil cultivation, chemical fertilisation causes significant degradation, which is accompanied by the desiccation and alkalization of the soils. According to FAO (1990), 38% of the arable areas on Earth have been degraded. One of the most important consequences of the degradation is the deterioration of the water holding capacity and water balance, caused by the disintegration of the structure forming soil aggregates.
Sandy soils are even more vulnerable, due to low levels of humus and humic acid colloids the adhesion of soil crumbs is significantly weaker. Traditionally, farmers try to improve deteriorated soils by supplementing organic matter or providing mineral colloids and for acidic soils by liming, with varying efficiency. In accordance with the EU Soil Protection Strategy guidelines, it is important to develop technologies that can sustainably prevent or limit the deterioration of the water balance of soils.
This research project aims to develop a new, sustainable, environmentally friendly solution that is fundamentally different from the usual methods: microbiological soil inoculants improve soil structure and water management. The research project involves isolation and selection of bacterial strains, which compiled into a novel soil inoculant qualifies in laboratory and field soil structure improvement tests. With this inoculant prototype, we plan to improve the structure and water management of deteriorated, low fertility soils.
Using our soil bacteria selection system (TVR) strain collection, we plan to select soil bacteria strains suitable for improving the structure and biological activity of degraded arable lands and humous sandy soils. As a part of the project, we set up selection methods, and trials on biopolymer production and fermentation, laboratory soil model experiments as well as pot and field crop tests that will bring new light to the use of soil inoculating technologies and broaden the field of their use.
According to our knowledge, both the domestic and international soil inoculant market lacks a similar available product. The developed soil inoculant prototype is expected to significantly improve the water retention capacity of humous sandy and structurally impaired acidic soils, the stability of soil aggregates, and soil colloid proportions. Moreover, the inoculant plays a double role: in addition to the soil structure improvement, it will also have a plant growth stimulating effect (providing essential macro and micro - nutrients for plants, plant growth stimulating hormones, siderophores), even at acidic pH or saline environment. In the framework of the project, the development will result in the production of a prototype inoculant.
The project KFI_16-1-2016-0214 was carried out with support of the National Research, Development and Innovation Fund in the financing of the Corporate KFI_16 tender programme.