ERA-NET: (FORSTERK) Amplifying SeaSoil: Demonstrating seaweed fertilisation effects on perennial ley

Seaweeds contain important plant nutrients, and have traditionally been applied as fertilisers along the coast. Seaweeds can also be used for many other applications, such as animal feed. In this project, residues from processing seaweeds are tested when they are applied to a grass-clover ley in quite high amounts, to see if the grass survives.

The project "Amplifying SeaSoil: Demonstrating seaweed fertilisation effects on perennial ley" (BlueBioSeaSoilDemo) will be carried out by the Norwegian Centre for Organic Agriculture (NORSØK) in collaboration with The Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU), Nofima and SeaSoil industry partners from Norway and Ireland. SeaSoil is the main project that BlueBioSeaSoilDemo will amplify. The industry partners have delivered seven seaweed materials which are tested in field at NORSØK (Tingvoll, NW Norway) during the growing season of 2023 in a demonstration trial with one set of experimental plots (no replicates), as a part of SeaSoil. The effect of seaweed application to a 1st year perennial grass-clover ley is recorded by measurement of yields (2 cuts) and chemical composition of plant material. In BlueBioSeaSoilDemo, the demo-trial is expanded by regular visual documentation (photo + video) of the crop growth and development. Further, the industry partners and SeaSoil researchers from Norway, Denmark, Estonia and Croatia will communicate to search for explanations of the observed plant growth. NORSØK will prepare the materials required for such communication, and produce a final video where SeaSoil researchers and industry partners comment on the products and the output of their application in field. This will be a valuable dissemination product for SeaSoil, and the main project will provide a good environment for creating interest for this video among various relevant stakeholders. For this, the SeaSoil multiactor platform will be useful.