Location: Application Technology Research
Project Number: 5082-21000-001-110-R
Project Type: Reimbursable Cooperative Agreement
Start Date: Sep 1, 2024
End Date: Aug 31, 2029
Objective:
The objectives of this proposal are to 1) engineer substrate systems to optimize resource management; 2) analyze economic and environmental relationships and considerations of sustainable substrate component adoption for growers and consumers; and 3) develop outreach strategies which enhance end user adoption of sustainable substrate components.
Approach:
Substrate component development will utilize new technologies to engineer biomaterials via high pressure/temperature extrusion or milling to generate biofibers, which will be thermally-chemically modified to reduce hemicellulose content (improving stability). Additives (e.g., calcium silicate) will further stabilize the fibers. Substrate properties and fungal resistance will be studied, stability and microbial activity monitored through carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4) emissions, and wood decay fungi identified. Fiber micro-morphology will be contrasted. The developed process will be practiced in industrial settings to generate fibers for field trials.
b. Substrate design will include traditional and stratified combinations of processed fibers and standard components. Stratification practices will be evaluated in reduced peat and peat-free systems, as will fertilizer and water budgets. We will utilize all data to compare substrate design feasibility and efficiency to inform LCA based on crop growth and resource budgets.
