Chair: Prof. Dr. Andreas de Neergaard; Copenhagen.
The Plant and Soil Science research group at UCPH has a strong tradition of research on biological soil fertility and the influence of organic matter decomposition processes on nutrient turnover in temperate and tropical agro-ecosystems. Particular focus areas have been the interactions at the root-soil interface, the role of soil microorganisms in determining nutrient availability and nutrient release from various agricultural and urban wastes.
Tasks: With their outstanding expertise in fertilisers based on organic waste products. the team provides the leadership of WP06. The main focus of the research activities is the investigation of bio-effector-recycling fertilizer combinations to increase the plant nutrient availability of the recycling products in pot and small field trials for the development of fertilizer strategies adapted to the requirements of low-input systems (WP04), organic farming (WP05) and fertiliser placement techniques close to the plant roots. For the International Field Testing Network (WP08) the group provides field sites with contrasting properties concerning phosphate levels and organic matter content.
