Lower Saxony Minister of Agriculture saw AKRA in use in Wilstedt
The Minister of Agriculture paid a visit to Hermann Cordes’ farm in Wilstedt in the district of Rotenburg (Wümme) to see the practical field tests being conducted there. Over the past two years, the sustainable and environmentally-friendly fertilising system has been tested as part of a multi-year crop rotation. The aim of this was to carry out a long-term testing of different fertiliser variants that increase the use of organic fertiliser and promote soil life.
“We are implementing a low-nitrogen fertilising concept for various crops not only on the field test site, but also with good success on other areas of our farm too. The fertilising concept is based on a special soil analysis and, through a series of special measures, encourages soil life and humus formation”, reported farm manager Hermann Cordes.
Holger Oest from the Bremervörde district office of the Lower Saxony Chamber of Agriculture, which was responsible for the supervision of the tests, first presented the tests on this year′s wheat crop to a small group of experts.
- The AKRA fertilising system was put to the test: After a comprehensive soil analyses, the selected lime and nutrient combination were used for plant nutrition. Specific strains of bacteria were used to inoculate the seeds or were given to the crops to improve root growth, plant health and nutrient use.
- Another test variant “LWK-Premium” provided a extra addition of lime.
- The “AgriMestMix slurry preparation” from the Netherlands was also tested. This product uses special microorganisms to prevent nutrient leaching and outgassing.
Lower Saxony Minister of Agriculture Barbara Otte-Kinast
EU project: BIOCAS
In spring 2019, a multi-year crop rotation test conducted as part of the inter-regional EU project “BIOCAS” began in Wilstedt. The 3N Kompetenzzentrum Niedersachsen Netzwerk Nachwachsende Rohstoffe und Bioökonomie e.V acted as project coordinator together with the Lower Saxony Chamber of Agriculture, the district of Rotenburg, farmers, consultants and companies from the local area and the Netherlands. The results from the two-year test were published in autumn 2020.
“This field test certainly answers current questions from farmers and demonstrates possible solutions for our region. This process must be continued regardless of the duration of the project,” appealed district administrator Hermann Luttmann as he thanked everyone involved in the project for the initiative.
Background Worth knowing
In order to avoid possible nitrate leaching, the use and utilisation of organic fertilisers should be improved and the use of mineral fertilisers reduced. A wide range of effective application techniques, like the direct incorporation of the organic matter, are already in use in the district of Rotenburg. In addition, it is important to improve the soil and encourage the formation of humus to support water retention and root growth. This way, the nutrients available in the soil can be better absorbed and good yields achieved even in years with water shortages, like 2018 and 2019. This is where the joint project comes in as the farmers and all involved partners want to work together to develop a shared cultivation concept so that they can be better prepared for the future.
The structural change in the agricultural sector has brought enormous changes and challenges with it. Where earlier there were not enough nutrients available in the agricultural sector, today Rotenburg (Wümme) and other regions in Lower Saxony now have excess nutrients as a result of the developments in livestock farming and biogas production. With certain crops, mineral fertilisers are used in addition to organic agricultural fertiliser. If not all of the nutrients are absorbed by the crops, this can result in them building up in the groundwater. In addition, the increasing effects of climate change are posing new challenges for farmers with regards to soil management (soil and water erosion).
Both citizens and practitioners from the agricultural sector can see for themselves whether the fertilising systems used at the test site in the Rotenburg district are effective and have resulted in any real changes in growth. A sign points out the test site in Wilstedt.
