Short project description

According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), about 95% of our food is directly or indirectly produced in soil. However, in the EU, around 60–70% of soils are considered unhealthy, primarily due to conventional intensive farming practices. The transition to a more sustainable production system requires the use of biobased inputs with lower environmental impacts. These inputs are particularly important in horticultural crop production systems, which typically involve intensive tillage and chemical inputs for open-field vegetable cultivation.

In this thesis project, the student will evaluate the use of both conventional and novel biobased organic inputs from agrifood waste/bioresidues and biomasses, such as plant-based fertilizers, compost, biochar, anaerobic digestate, and insect frass. The aim is to assess their effects on improving soil health and the production of healthy plant-based food (primarily vegetables) in controlled and/or open-field environments.