The rainfall and flooding that has hit the UK recently have posed farmers up and down the UK with unprecedented challenges setting usual progress back immeasurably. Grant James, Business Development Manager at Sea2Soil says regenerative farming - which harnesses the natural capabilities of fish hydrolysate - could be the answer to boosting soil health and claw back lost time.
Following one of the wettest winters on record, adverse weather conditions have delayed arable and livestock farms from carrying out even the most basic of tasks, despite typically being the busiest time of the year.
As patience runs thin, while the weather peaks and rapidly troughs and farmers wait for the land’s water retention to subside, now is the time to explore exactly how regenerative farming utilising the natural soil-improving qualities of fish hydrolysate can support crop and soil health.
With crops under stress due to the prolonged, wet soil conditions, harnessing products such as Sea2Soil as the ground dries could set farmers back on the straight and narrow, by supporting stimulated root growth and plant health.
“For the past three years we have been refining our process to produce an organic soil improver that is affordable, delivers on yield responses, reduces reliance on chemical inputs and is farmer friendly,” says Dr Geraldine Fox who led the development team at Pelagia. “We see Sea2Soil as far more than a natural source of nitrogen, but as a soil prebiotic that leads to a healthier soil environment; better crop health; a reduced reliance on synthetic fertilisers; and promotion of regenerative ecosystems.”
Containing a full range of naturally balanced amino acids, fatty acids and an array of macro and micronutrients, Sea2Soil - the UK’s first liquid fish hydrolysate product for use as an organic soil improver developed by Pelagia - is approved by the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) and by the Soil Association for organic farming systems.
The product works by feeding the soil bacteria that convert the macro and micro-nutrients contained in the hydrolysate into a form that is more readily available to the plants. In turn, the improved microbial population feeds secondary and higher-level soil life such as protozoa, nematodes, and earthworms which work to improve soil structure by aerating the soil leading to better root development and reduction in abiotic stress. These macro-organisms also contribute to better soil nutrient availability within the soil.
Benefitting from further investment this year, Sea2Soil is currently undergoing a second phase of trials, building on the data set that was produced from the team’s initial field research.
In partnership with the Nottingham University Soil Department, Sea2Soil is investing time and money into how the product’s performance stacks up against traditional farming methods. By comparing regeneration agriculture with conventional agriculture practices we’re working to establish the level of microbial increase that using Sea2Soil encourages as it delivers the fungi/bacteria food underground livestock requires.
Both glasshouse and farm trials are in progress and will be used to establish short to long-term results on an independent basis to validate outputs. Due to be completed this summer the results should be available for the Autumn applications of Sea2Soil through UK distribution.
Alongside the trials taking place under the expert eye of the Nottingham University team, work is also underway with Eurofins looking at various compatibilities on a range of crops. Sea2Soil is collaborating with the world leader in testing for life, to establish tank mix compatibilities with various growth regulators, herbicides, fungicides and insecticides on a variation of crops - WW WB Spring Barley, OSR, Potatoes SB + grassland (silage).
Rates of application and crop timing are also being evaluated during the testing process Eurofins is undertaking on behalf of Sea2Soil.
This next phase of trials totals 14, a key investment for the Sea2Soil team as we work to establish and confirm the superior microbial activity, natural nitrogen abilities and nutrient absorption properties of our groundbreaking product.
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