FERTirrigation ECOsustainable in the watershed of the Mar Menor (FERTECO)
MITECO
- The project aims to develop a fertigation protocol with natural biofertilizers of vegetable origin and with high organic matter content to reduce the nitrogen fertilization with mineral fertilizers and to test it in more than 450 hectares of vegetable and woody crops representative of the Mar Menor watershed.
- The protocol developed and the best agricultural and environmental practices achieved will be transferred to achieve a transformation of the agricultural sector towards a new model that avoids groundwater contamination and enhances biodiversity.
Line of action:
Terrestrial ecosystemsStatus:
En ejecuciónExecution date:
2024Total budget:
2,000,000 eurosAmount of aid from the Biodiversity Foundation:
1,800,000 eurosThe main objective is to develop a fertigation protocol in representative horticultural and woody crops plots in a total of 478 hectares that will reduce the contribution of nitrogen fertilizers and the water footprint of the most widespread crops in the Mar Menor watershed.
Fertilization treatments will be tested with natural biofertilizers of plant origin from non-commercialized plant products, dairy products from the surplus of the cheese industry and biostimulants and biofertilizers with a high content of organic matter and microorganisms that enhance nutrient absorption.
Specific goals include:
- Improving water and nitrogen use efficiency, soil quality and biodiversity using new eco-sustainable fertigation treatments in horticultural and woody crops in the Mar Menor watershed.
- Determine general and specific strategies in the management of representative crops of the Mar Menor watershed to ensure the environmental sustainability of irrigation. To this end, fertilization and water treatment protocols will be established, ensuring at the same time the transfer to farmers through direct actions in plots and dissemination and advisory actions.
- Establishment of fertilization treatments, in representative plots, that promote the circular economy: by-products from the treatment of non-commercialized fresh vegetables, avoiding their conversion into vegetable waste; whey by-products and biosolutions of natural origin.
- Evaluation of different treatments to improve the quality of water used in experimental farms.
- Precision eco-sustainable fertigation programming.
- Evaluation of the effects of different fertilization treatments and water quality on the evolution of plant water and nutritional status, vegetative and reproductive growth, yield and fruit quality.
- Biodiversity enhancement from insectivorous birds, raptors, bats and invertebrates.
- Study on the bioeconomy derived from the fertilization and irrigation water treatments carried out.
- Design of different best management practices guides.
- Conference on transfer and dissemination of results.
FERTirrigation ECOsustainable in the watershed of the Mar Menor (FERTECO)
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