Recycling and upgrading of bone meal for environmentally friendly crop protection and nutrition: the PROTECTOR project.

Abstract: The innovative PROTECTOR (patented and IPR protected original solution) project, which performs integrated carbonisation and biotechnological recycling of mineral and/or carbon biotechnological carriers from organic and inorganic agricultural by-products, is described and the results are presented. The input feed stream is high-phosphorus-content animal bone meal, refuse grain, food processing and/or other agriculture by-products. The innovative technology provides surface-modified charcoals and minerals for plant available microbiological carriers and the food industrial by-product streams as nutrients during the solid substrate fermentation/formulation, an innovative design that is a zero-emission industrial process. Natural soil-borne microbiological fungus/bacteria aerobic strains are selected for solid carrier entrapment and formulated for ambient temperature long-term storage. The process upgrades by-products to high added-value and safe biological crop protection, plant growth promotion and natural fertilization products for environmentally friendly vegetable cultivation, with carbon sequestration potential. The biological-control effect targets primarily combat against crown rot and damping-off plant pathogens with preventive measures, enhancement of plant natural resistance and restoration of the soil natural balance.