"A practice abstract describing the project duration, funding and lead partner details. The project aims to improve the overall sustainability, value and resource efficiency of Ireland’s agriculture sector through diversification into the bioeconomy, using a widely replicable small-scale farmer-operable grass biorefinery. The project activities included: •Demonstrate a small-scale mobile grass biorefinery on multiple farms in South West Ireland. • Ensure that each component of grass is used at its highest value, with the simultaneous production of multiple products from grass, including an improved fodder press-cake fibre for cattle, protein concentrate feed for monogastrics, high value prebiotic sugars (for the food and feed markets) and recovery of nutrients for use as fertilizer. • Promote farm-to-farm symbiosis and cooperation. • Facilitate several knowledge exchange activities, including training of farmers on the operation of small-scale biorefineries in the South West and nationally. • Deliver a dissemination package with farmers playing a central role, sharing their experiences with other farmers and relevant multi-actors through a digital storytelling initiative"
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Agricultural run-off and subsurface drainage tiles transport a significant amount of nitrogen and phosphorus leached after fertilization. alchemia-nova GmbH in collaboration with University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna developed two multi-layer vertical filter systems to address the agricultural run-off issue, which has been installed on the slope of an agricultural field in Mistelbach, Austria. While another multi-layer addressing subsurface drainage water is implemented in Gleisdorf, Austria. The goal is to develop a drainage filter system to retain water and nutrients. Both multi-layer filter systems contain biochar and other substrates with adsorption properties of nutrients (nitrogen, phosphorus). The filter system can be of practical use if an excess of nutrients being washed out is of concern in the fields of the practitioner by keeping the surrounding waters clean. This approach may result in economic value by re-using the saturated biochar as fertilizer and improving the soil structure, thus increasing long-term soil fertility. Link: https://wateragri.eu/a-bio-inspired-multilayer-drainage-system/
This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program under Grant Agreement No 858735This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program under Grant Agreement No 858735. FACTSHEET NANOCELLULOSE MEMBRANES FOR NUTRIENT RECOVERY Key information Functionalized nanocellulose membranes can take up nitrate and phosphate. These membranes can be put in a water treatment unit. As the membranes are biobased, degradable materials, they can after use be added to the soil, thus returning the leached nutrients back for their original purpose providing fertilizers (nutrient recycling).
Because variables such as temperature and humidity have a profound effect on the activity of crop pests, diseases and natural enemies, the ability to monitor environmental conditions within a crop has always been important for crop protection.