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BIOTEK2021-Bioteknologi for verdiskaping

ERA-NET: BlueBio - Sustainable utilization of MARIne resources to foster GREEN plant production in Europe

Alternative title: MARGREEN

Awarded: NOK 5.6 mill.

The MariGreen project, financed by Romania, Greece, Denmark, and Norway, is approaching completion (October 2025). Marine by-products suitable as fertilizer have been thoroughly analyzed in Greece. The results indicate that the materials contain valuable plant nutrients and compounds that can strengthen agricultural crops (biostimulants). Growth experiments with strawberries and lettuce fertilized with fish bones and algae were conducted in Romania in 2023. Additionally, extensive research has been conducted on how long composted algal material should be extracted with water and in what proportions at which temperature to obtain the best "compost-tea" for use as fertilizer/biostimulant. Experiments have also been carried out using fish sludge from freshwater smolt facilities to impregnate biochar. The idea is that biochar enriched with nitrogen and phosphorus from fish sludge can be used as a soil improvement agent. At NORSØK, graduate student Joshua Cabell completed an extensive experiment composting various mixtures of brown algae and various fish by-products in small compost containers (2 liters). Temperature and dry matter content were measured throughout the process, and the carbon and nitrogen content were measured at the start and after three rounds of composting. We are also investigating how well the organic material is transformed into stable humus during the process (humification). Cabell has also conducted experiments with composting on a larger scale and published a NORSØK report on practical experiences with composting marine by-products. NORCE and NORSØK organized two webinars in the spring of 2023 to communicate with stakeholders in the blue and green value chains who could be relevant for realizing a commercial "Fertilizer from the Sea." Norwegian producers of organic fertilizer products have signaled interest in using marine raw materials, but practical testing has not yet resulted. More support and follow-up are needed in this regard. NORCE is closely collaborating with UCPH on the economic analysis. Interviews with numerous stakeholders have been conducted to enhance knowledge about the European market for organic fertilizers. Questionnaires have also been developed to gain insights into the willingness to pay among Danish organic farmers for fertilizers based on marine byproducts. NORSØK has actively contributed to the questionnaire design. Finally, work has been done on an article examining potential value chains for marine byproducts for organic fertilizers. Two articles will be submitted to academic journals within the next two months, and two additional articles are planned based on this collaboration. At a project meeting for all partners in Hirtshals, Denmark, in August 2023, practical tests were conducted on impregnating biochar with fish sludge and pumping the fish sludge through wood chips as an alternative to removing nitrogen and phosphorus from effluent with polymers before discharge or reuse in so-called recirculating aquaculture systems. This contributes to both preserving important nutrients and reducing the cost of transporting fish sludge. Thanks to additional funding, a workshop on humification was conducted in Romania in October 2023, with 10 participants from Norway, Greece, Romania, and hired experts from Scotland and Austria. Joshua Cabell was responsible for this workshop.

The MARIGREEN project will valorise residual materials from the BLUE sector, of which many are currently poorly utilised, by treating them with appropriate technology and applying in agriculture (GREEN sector). Significant amounts of fertilisers applicable in organic growing are required to achieve 25% organic farmland in EU by 2030, as proposed in the F2F strategy. The project will study available residual materials from fish capture, brown algae industry, mussel industry and organic aquaculture. Relevant materials will be provided by five Scandinavian industry partners. The materials will be chemically characterised and compounds with potential biostimulant effects on crop plants will be investigated, while concurrently checking for possible biotoxicity. The chemically profiled effects of these materials on plant growth will be assessed, both in a pre-processing state and after appropriate treatment is applied, e.g. extraction and/or composting. The project also includes an innovative treatment of organic fish waste from aquaculture, which will expedite approval of such materials in growing media. Adjoining the effort is a study on impregnation technology to utilise biochar, which is in itself useful for soil amendment, after impregnation with extracts of BLUE materials as a carrier of nutrients and other valuable compounds into agricultural soil. To proof the concept, promising materials (assessed from chemical characterisation) will be tested in real growing conditions in greenhouse and field. The logistics and related costs required for establishing a relevant value chain for producing fertilisers and/or biostimulants will be assessed by interviewing collaborating industry partners and surveying potential customers. The project will mobilize human resources across national borders to promote researcher skills and competencies and create coherent dissemination actions delineating conditions, interests and potential opportunities in the BLUE and GREEN sectors.

Funding scheme:

BIOTEK2021-Bioteknologi for verdiskaping

Thematic Areas and Topics

FNs BærekraftsmålMål 17 Samarbeid for å nå måleneFNs BærekraftsmålMål 2 Utrydde sultHelseBioøkonomiØvrig bioøkonomiLTP3 Uttesting og kommersialisering av FoUPortefølje HelseFNs BærekraftsmålBransjer og næringerNæringsmiddelindustriResponsible Research & InnovationKommersialiseringResponsible Research & InnovationRRI MedvirkningNaturmangfold og miljøLandbrukHusdyrLTP3 HelseAvanserte produksjonsprosesserPortefølje Energi og transportLTP3 Global utvikling, ulikhet, og demokratibyggingAvanserte produksjonsprosesserAvansert produksjonsteknologi som fag og teknologi (ny fra 2015)Bransjer og næringerProsess- og foredlingsindustriSirkulær økonomiUtviklingsarbeidGlobal helseGlobal helse ErnæringGlobal helseAnvendt forskningBioteknologiMarin bioteknologiLTP3 Klima, polar og miljøLavutslippPortefølje Banebrytende forskningMarinMarin bioteknologiLTP3 Miljøvennlig energi og lavutslippsløsningerPortefølje Klima og miljøBioøkonomiHavbrukPortefølje Demokrati og global utviklingBioteknologiLandbruksbioteknologiBioteknologiHavbrukFôr og ernæringBioteknologiIndustriell bioteknologiGrunnforskningBransjer og næringerLandbrukLTP3 Bioøkonomi og forvaltningBioøkonomiSektorovergripende bioøkonomiLTP3 Fagmiljøer og talenterLandbrukJordBransjer og næringerFiskeri og havbrukHavbrukHavbruks- og foredlingsteknologiMarinHavbrukLTP3 Hav og kystInternasjonaliseringInternasjonalt prosjektsamarbeidLandbrukPlanterPortefølje InnovasjonMatLTP3 Et kunnskapsintensivt næringsliv i hele landetCo-Funded/ERA-NETBransjer og næringerPolitikk- og forvaltningsområderLTP3 Rettede internasjonaliseringstiltakLandbrukCo-Funded/ERA-NETERA-NET Cofund H2020Politikk- og forvaltningsområderFiskeri og kystMarinLandbrukFôr og ernæringInternasjonaliseringPortefølje ForskningssystemetMatNæringsmiddel og foredlingLTP3 Marine bioressurser og havforvaltningInternasjonaliseringInternasjonalt samarbeid om utlysningPolitikk- og forvaltningsområderForskningLTP3 Muliggjørende og industrielle teknologierLTP3 Høy kvalitet og tilgjengelighetPolitikk- og forvaltningsområderSkog, landbruk og matLTP3 Samfunnsikkerhet, sårbarhet og konfliktLTP3 Klima, miljø og energiLTP3 Styrket konkurransekraft og innovasjonsevneLTP3 Nano-, bioteknologi og teknologikonvergensPortefølje Mat og bioressurserLTP3 Samfunnssikkerhet og beredskapPortefølje Muliggjørende teknologierMatGlobal matsikkerhetMatMat - Blågrønn