LEX4BIO

Phosphorus resources are finite, and production of nitrogen fertilisers is energy intensive, causing greenhouse gas emissions. In LEX4BIO, replacing mineral fertilisers with bio-based fertilizers (BBFs) within EU is evaluated by mapping nutrient-rich side-streams estimating their nutrient contents and providing necessary technologies for producing safe BBFs.

In LEX4BIO, crop response to phosphorus- and nitrogen-based BBFs is evaluated in various growing conditions across Europe. The aim is to identify BBFs with the best agronomic efficiency, and to guarantee food and feed safety and human health. The main risks in utilising BBFs relate to harmful organic substances, such as antibiotics, and their possible transfer into the food chain, or increased antibiotic resistance in agricultural soils. In addition to organic contaminants, the risk of heavy metals entering the food chain after application of BBFs is also assessed. LEX4BIO will determine the technology requirements for producing safe BBFs across the EU under diverse growing conditions.

The project will provide phosphorus fertilisation recommendations according to crop requirement at the European level. This requires developing a common soil testing procedure across Europe for testing and comparing plant-available phosphorus content in soil. Currently there are several soil testing methods used, and in LEX4BIO the possibility of a uniform soil testing method will be evaluated.

Check the project website 

Discover the deliverables 

Project Coordinator 

• Luonnonvarakeskus, Finland 

Project Partners 

• Proman Management GMBH, Austria
• Julius Kuhn - Institut Bundesforschungsinstitut fur Kulturpflanzen, Germany 
• Kobenhavns Universitet UCPH, Denmark 
• Universitaet Fuer Bodenkultur Wien, Austria
• Universiteit Van  Amsterdam, Netherlands
• Universitaet Hohenheim, Germany
• Forschungsinstitut fur Biologischen Landbau Stiftung, Switzerland
• Univesidad de Sevilla, Spain
• Pannon Egyetem, Hungary
• Universiteit Gent, Belgium 
• Stiftelsen Norges Geotekniske Institutt, Norway
• Helsingin Yliopisto, Finland
• Agro Innovation International, France
• Litorij UAB, Lithuania
• Ruokavirasto, Finland 
• Soil Cares Research BV, Netherlands
• Evroproject Ood EP, Bulgaria 
• Fieldsense A/S, Denmark
• Instytut Gospodarki Surowcari Mineralnymi i Energia Pan, Poland
• Agrana Research & Innovation Center GMBH, Austria