VALUE4WOOL. “Market umbrella for the utilisation of low grade grease sheep wool as organic amendment and fertiliser”.

The project objective were:

 

The objective of the project is the launch of a new organic fertilizer and the creation and implementation of a new market for the product which will bring together (clusters of)* wool producers and regional fertilizer consumers.

 

What is floraPell®?

 

floraPell® is a new organic fertilizer, made from low grade coarse wool or woollen fleeces, in pellet format. It is a renewable product, but also in terms of an environmentally friendly manufacturing process.

 

The main advantages of floraPell® fertilizer pellets:

 

  • Nitrogen 10 – 12 %, Potasium 4-6 %: Organic NK fertilizer
  • No extraneous additives or chemicals
  • Optimal for vegetables, fruits, ornamental shrubs and trees, pot plants and ornamental plants
  • One application per season. Effect duration up to 10 months
  • Very good water reservoir, able to absorb water up to 3.5 times of its weight
  • Soil loosening by sweeling effect
  • Continuous nutrient delivery and ground moisture keeping
  • In the soil, sheep wool pellets will be completely biodegraded
  • pH value of approx. 8.8: remedy against overacidification of the soil
  • Cool and dry storable at least for 2 years

 

floraPell was added to the supply material list for organic farming in Germany. Besides, it corresponds to the European fertilizer regulations.

 

How floraPell® should be used?

 

Over 2 seasons, field trials were carried out to assess the effect of floraPell as fertilizer in two different field-grown vegetable crops, processing tomato and broccoli, under organic farming system. The fertilizer was applied underground, before transplanting, at different rates.

 

It can be concluded that a dosage of floraPell of 2000 kg/ha, which provides 200 N, good yields can be obtained for processing tomato, approx. 92 t/ha, with an average weight fruit of 73 g. These results are considered good enough taking into account that the average yield in Extremadura is 80 t/ha, and it was an organic crop. In addition, the quality of the tomatoes, in terms of brix grade, firmness, colour, etc., were not influenced by the dosage of floraPell, and the obtained results were within the average values. As for broccoli, a dosage of 1500 kg/ha (150 N) can be recommended to obtain yields of 9 t/ha under organic farming systems, with an average weight of a broccoli head of 400 g.

 

Regarding the floraPell ability to improve the soil characteristics, the texture were not modified over the 2-year-trials, pH value was slightly higher after the trials, as well as the quantity of nutrients such as N, P, K, Ca and Mg. Organic Matter content kept constant. In this way, and based on these trials results, the soil characteristics evolution seems not to be conditioned by the floraPell application as organic fertilizer.

 

 

Ambit
International
Source of funds
UE