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The use of microalgae as a high-value organic slow-release fertilizer results in tomatoes with increased carotenoid and sugar levels

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Abstract

The heightened awareness concerning environmental preservation, resource scarcity, food safety, and nutrition has engendered the need for a more sustainable and resource-efficient agricultural production system. In this context, microalgae offer the potential to recover nutrients from waste streams and subsequently use the microalgal biomass as a sustainable slow-release fertilizer. The aim of this study was to assess microalgal bacterial flocs treating aquaculture wastewater and marine microalgae as organic slow-release fertilizers for tomato cultivation. Comparable plant growth was observed using microalgal and commercial organic fertilizer treatments. Furthermore, the microalgal fertilizers improved the fruit quality through an increase in sugar and carotenoid content, although a lower tomato yield was obtained. An economic evaluation indicates the economic feasibility of the microalgae-based fertilizers. Further research is required to optimize the microalgae-based fertilizer composition.

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Acknowledgments

J.C. was supported by a PhD grant from the Institute for the Promotion of Innovation by Science and Technology in Flanders (IWT-Vlaanderen, SB-101187). O.G. was supported by the project grant IWT Baekeland mandate 120200. S.V.D.H. was supported by the INTERREG IVB NWE program, the Flemish Government, and Province West-Flanders within the EnAlgae project. The authors thank Stephen J. Andersen, Francis Meerburg, Jochen Hanssens, Tom De Swaef, and Alessia Landi for inspiring scientific discussions.

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    Authors and Affiliations

    1. Laboratory of Microbial Ecology and Technology (LabMET), Department of Biochemical and Microbial Technology, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, 9000, Gent, Belgium

      Joeri Coppens, Oliver Grunert & Nico Boon

    2. Laboratory of Industrial Water and Ecotechnology (LIWET), Department of Industrial Biological Sciences, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Graaf Karel de Goedelaan 5, 8500, Kortrijk, Belgium

      Sofie Van Den Hende

    3. Laboratory for Environmental Technology, Department of Applied Biosciences, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Valentin Vaerwyckweg 1, 9000, Gent, Belgium

      Ilse Vanhoutte & Leen De Gelder

    4. Laboratory for Crop Production, Department of Applied Biosciences, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Valentin Vaerwyckweg 1, 9000, Gent, Belgium

      Geert Haesaert

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    1. Joeri Coppens
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    Correspondence to Leen De Gelder.

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    Joeri Coppens and Oliver Grunert contributed equally to this work.

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    Coppens, J., Grunert, O., Van Den Hende, S. et al. The use of microalgae as a high-value organic slow-release fertilizer results in tomatoes with increased carotenoid and sugar levels. J Appl Phycol 28, 2367–2377 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10811-015-0775-2

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    • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10811-015-0775-2

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