Research News | Research News – Research Information

fertilizer

12/04/2018 / By Tracey Watson

Scientists: Long history of fertilizer use on land is threatening our water quality today

Imagine you’re driving down a long, straight road through rural farmland. One either side of you are beautiful green farms. The produce being grown on these farms looks healthy and appears to be thriving. Now picture the land beneath those farms as massive sponges. Like all sponges, put enough liquid in and eventually the absorption […]

11/13/2018 / By Edsel Cook

Green for green: Organic fertilizers improve crop quality

Adding chemical fertilizers might boost the yield of your crop in the short term. But using organic fertilizers is not just limited to a long-term investment in the quality of your soil. Romanian researchers reported that using biologic means of improving the soil leads to healthier crops that fetch better prices. Most plants produce secondary […]

11/02/2018 / By Edsel Cook

Manure-based fertilizers are ideal alternatives to conventional varieties, according to a study

A seven-year-long study conducted by Spanish researchers in a farm under the Mediterranean sun has concluded its comparison of natural and synthetic fertilizers. The researchers reported that manure-based fertilizer greatly improved the crop yield, both on its own and when added to chemical fertilizer. The goal of the Universitat de Lleida (UDL) research team was […]

10/28/2018 / By Lance D Johnson

Are bioplastics really as eco-friendly as they’re touted to be?

Approximately 165 million tons of petroleum-based plastic now pollute the ocean. Another nine million tons of plastic are added to the seas each year. Only nine percent of plastic is recycled. It takes at least 500 years for traditional plastic to decompose, as toxic chemicals break down and leach into the environment. In the rush […]

10/13/2018 / By David Williams

Use of compost and cover crops improves soil nutrients, helps mitigate the impact of extreme weather on vegetable crops

The benefits of using cover crops and compost in growing all sorts of plants have been known for a long time. However, the effects of adding them in specific configurations haven’t exactly been well-studied. In fact, certain long-term impacts of adding organic matter through cover crops (CC) and compost in the soil are poorly understood. […]

09/14/2018 / By Ellaine Castillo

The impact of different manure types in Chinese cabbage growth

Researchers show that differences in manure used, location, and hybrid affect the growth of Chinese cabbage (Brassica campestris L. var. pekinensis Lour (Olson)). This study, which was published in Horticultural Science, compared the effectiveness of various organic treatments on Chinese cabbage growth, yield and quality of the final product. The different organic treatments included organic fertilization, two […]

09/13/2018 / By Ralph Flores

Bioethanol waste shows potential as natural alternative for conventional fertilizer

A study led by researchers from the University of Florida has given new life to waste products from biorefineries by treating them with phosphoric acids during the production process. Their findings, published in the American Journal of Environmental Sciences, followed a thorough investigation of the potential of fermented waste products to be used as a phosphorus fertilizer. […]

09/08/2018 / By Ellaine Castillo

Comparing organic vs. conventional farming on plant yield and nutritional content

Researchers have found that the treatment of soil for organic farming increases its biochemical quality and makes it more sustainable in the long run. In this study, published in the Archives of Agronomy and Soil Science, organic and conventional means of farming were compared based on onion yield, biochemical quality, soil organic carbon (SOC), and microbial […]

09/06/2018 / By Ralph Flores

Crops treated with bioethanol waste show higher leaf greenness and biomass

Adding fermentation waste can significantly increase crop yield and biomass, according to researchers from the University of Florida. In their study, published in the American Journal of Environmental Sciences, the team looked at the potential of fermentation waste from bioethanol waste to be used as a phosphorus (P) fertilizer. Researchers studied whether pretreating biorefinery waste with phosphoric […]

02/05/2018 / By Ralph Flores

Upcycled: Wastewater from olive mills can be transformed from a pollutant into a biofuel and bio-fertilizer

Researchers have developed an environment-friendly process to convert wastewater from producing olive oils into biofuel and fertilizer, as published in the journal ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering. The study, led by researchers from the Institut de Science des Matériaux de Mulhouse and RITTMO Agroenvironment in France and the Water Research and Technologies Centre and the Higher Institute of Sciences and Technology for […]

1 of 1