Azolla for phosphorus recycling

from agricultural soils

EIT Raw Materials Congress

8 december 2016

Bas van de Riet (B-WARE)

Fons Smolders (B-WARE & RU)

Leon Lamers (RU)

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Welcome to The Netherlands!

CBS, greenbusinessclub.nl. dezeure.be

1.6 million dairy cows

12.7 million liters y-1

Ranking the dairy sector

International comparison (EU-28)

of annual revenu per capita

NZO, 2013

milk y

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cow

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Nutrient input in agriculture

CBS Statline; Van Mullekom & Smolders; Smolders et al., 2013

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others roughage (net import)fertilizer feed concentrate

P input in agriculture Mineral surplusses

• High concentration of livestock on small

area of land

• High input of minerals via animal feed

and fertilizers

• Since decades: surplusses in N & P balances

• Accumulation of phosphorus

2.000 kg P ha-1

Dependance on fertilizer

IRRI, Nobel Foundation

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Fritz Haber Carl Bosch

NH

HH N

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HH

Global trade in animal feed, Brasil

Network Rail; Financial Times; Cordell & White, 2013

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Rock phosphate mining

Urgency to recycle P

• Critical nutrient input in agriculture

• P-demands increase globally

• Global reserves are being rapidly depleted

• Dependence on import from few countries

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What’s the link with Azolla?

Flora Batava(1915)

FLORON/NDFF: verspreidingsatlas.nl

Flora Batava, deel 24, Jan Kops, F.W. van Eeden en L.Vuyck (1915)

Mosquito fern (UK) - Kroosvaren (NL) - Algenfarn (DE)

Symbiosis Aquatic fern – cyanobacteria:

• N2-fixation from the atmosphere• Up to 150 kg N ha-1 (IRRI, 1992)• Biomass production mainly limited by P

icpdr.org; J. Tiftickjian; F. Carrapiçio)

Azolla

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Biomass production x P uptake efficiency

Van der Werf; Van Kempen et al., 2014

Azolla for P-recycling

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P

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PP

P

P

P

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>90 kg P ha-1 y-1

by biomass removal

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Experiences in The Netherlands

Adrie van der Werf, WUR

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97 kg/ha/day

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Upscaling from pond to field

Principles

• Closing loops, regional approach

• Development of production & processing chain

• Optimize ecosystem services & societal benefits

• Science-based in stead of trial-and-error

Land users Governments

Research Institutes

STW / H

ollan

dse H

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Upscaling from pond to field

P

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• P-legacy: > 2.000 kg P ha-1 (Smolders et al., 2013)

• Greenhouse gas emissions: 20-30 t CO2-equivalent ha-1 y-1

• Peat oxidation rate ca. 10 mm y-1

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Azolla cultivation: research

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Research focus

• Optimize biomass production & quality

• Optimize ecosystem & societal benefits

Concerning P-recycling

• P supply (mobilisation rates)

• Growth inhibiting substances

• Optimize P-recyclingN2

bio-refinery options

PN

green fertilizer

cattle feed

fish feed

Applications I: green fertilizer

• Rich in P (recycled from soil)

• Rich in N & C (from the atmosphere)

• Positive experiences in growth experiments

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CDoes Azolla compost meet the horticultural standards?

Is it a sustainable substitute for in turf substrates?

nmi-agro.nl; tuinland.nl; schreurs.nl, horizon plants.be, gardeners’ supply

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ah.nl; fishfarming.com; Van der Werf, Schlupmann, & Brouwer

Amino acid composition Azolla,

demands tilapia & mens

Applications II: fish feed

• Rich in proteins & minerals

• Some experience: tropics, aquaponics

Tests:

• feed quality: heavy metals, etc.

• protein content & digestibility

• fish biomass & -quality

Is Azolla suitable as fish feed in

auqaponic fish systems?

Can we design an integrated

business, growing Azolla & fish

both indoors & outdoors?

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pics-about-space.com

What other applications can be developed that contribute to

a viable business case, besides fertilizer & fish feed?

How do we weigh or commodify ecosystem services &

societal benefits when comparing alternatives?

1. Bring all parties together, from the beginning

2. Versatile use: P, proteins, biobased chemicals

3. From bulk production (for lower-grade products) to

developing high-grade products.

From promise to practice..

Many thanks!

Niels Hogeweg (LNH)Roel van Gerwen (LNH)Peter Hoogervorst (PNH)Ad Stavenuiter (PNH)Geert Arjen Balder (HHNK)Gino Smit (Youmanitas Energy Farms)Bram van de Maas (Jiffy Group)Henriette Schlupman (UU)Paul Brouwer (UU)Adrie van der Werf (WUR)Monique van Kempen (RU)Christian Fritz (RU)Piet-Jan Westendorp (B-ware)