Nutrient Soil Stoichiometry Transformation for Optimized Resource Management

Soil stoichiometry, soil microbiota, nitrogen, phosphorus, carbon, fertilizer, circular economy, sustainability

36 months

Technology Readiness Level (TRL): 5

Introduction

NutriSTORM’s vision is to improve sustainable agriculture by optimizing soil carbon stocks, reducing dependencies on the linear fertilizer economy and better utilizing the soil microbiota functions to supply plants with nutrients.

  • What: NutriSTORM is optimising the relationship of soil carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus (stoichiometry) to improve soil nutrient cycling processes and reduce loss of nutrients.

  • Why: European agriculture is currently over-reliant on synthetic fertilizers and is not nutrient-use efficient.

  • Where: NutriSTORM is assessing Ireland’s, Germany’s and the UK’s fields on improved soil carbon stocks.

Background

The problem behind the project motivation

To maintain agricultural outputs in Europe, Europe needs to be less dependent on the application of synthetic fertilizers, improve nutrient use efficiencies, and to minimise soil erosion, loss of soil fertility and biodiversity, groundwater pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. This is not feasible with current conventional agricultural practices. New approaches are needed to protect agricultural production and yields with reduced dependence on synthetic fertilisers, to stay within the limits of current and future water framework habitats and nitrates directives. This includes a wider adoption of circular economy fertilizers as well as the promotion of soil microbiota functionality to make nutrients plant available.

Main project activities

 

NutriSTORM will

  • Monitor existing trial sites with improved nutrient use efficiencies and/or improved soil carbon stocks for microbial carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus cycling activities.

  • Develop a mechanistic understanding of plant-soil processes to minimize nutrient losses by modifying carbon (C) to nitrogen (N) to phosphorus (P) relationships (stoichiometry) and soil microbial biomass

  • Assess microbial cycling of C, N, P contributing to nutrient use efficiency gains, crop yields and plant-microbe interactions.

  • Implement nutrient use efficiency maximization solutions at field level through demonstration of solutions in grassland and cropland.

  • Monitor key processes identified at the field scale level.

Expected social impact

Identify beneficiaries and describe positive changes, such as improved quality of life, health, or economic opportunities. Highlight social inclusion, stakeholder involvement, sustainability., etc.

NutriSTORM’s findings will impact sustainable agricultural practices by identifying microbially driven soil processes that may advance current agricultural practices to achieve the EU 2030 targets of a 50% increase in nutrient use efficiencies and 20% reduction in fertiliser application. NutriSTORM addresses UN Sustainability goals 2, 3, 6 10, 12, 15 &15 which will lead to reducing ground-water pollution from fertilizers, improving population health with less fertilizers, improve sustainable access to affordable food, reduce dependencies on imported synthetic fertilizers, and lead to an improved environment via less intensive agriculture.

Implementation and plans to reach target groups

Detail how you will identify and engage target groups, using appropriate communication channels and outreach methods. Highlight partnerships and resources to ensure effective implementation and broad reach

 

Teagasc will communicate with its own agricultural advisors to its >40K client farmers and through TResearch; U. Limerick will utilize BioRefine Cluster Europe and ReNu2Cycle (Interreg) to reach SME fertilizer producers. Each partner country will hold a workshop to communicate the major project findings. Our website will present user friendly information on NutriSTORM findings and concepts. In Ireland, Teagasc, has extensive experience with farmer communication incl. farm booklets. U. Limerick leads ReNu2Cycle demonstration of recycling derived fertilizer blends in Northwest Europe and we will connect with their participating farmers.

Partners of the project

  • University of Limerick, Ireland

    Achim Schmalenberger

    • Technical University Munich, Germany - Michael Schloter

    • University of Warwick, UK - Gary Bending

    • Teagasc, Environment, Soils and Land Use, Ireland - Patrick Forrestal

    • BioAtlantis, Ireland - Kieran Guinan

    • Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM), Ireland

    • Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA), UK

    • Bundesministerium fuer Ernaehrung und Landwirtschaft (BMEL), Germany