Microalgae and ash as biofertilizer for spruce and pine seedlings : a quantitative study exploring the usability of microalgae and wood ash as an alternative to conventional fertilizer

Sammanfattning

The growing demand for sustainable forest management is higher than ever. This has attracted interest in the opportunity to use microalgae and ash as biofertilizer. Today´s commonly used conventional fertilizer comes with an environmental cost in the manufacturing prosses because of its energy intensive process. This study investigates the possibility of using microalgae and/or ash fertilizer in nurseries as an alternative to traditional conventional fertilizer. Growth of diameter and height in Norwegian spruce (Picea abies) and Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) seedlings was used as quantitative variables to assess treatment effects. The sample was divided into seven treatments with varying compositions of biofertilizer, containing microalgae and ash. These seven treatments were compered whit two control treatments containing no-fertilizer and conventional fertilizer. The results indicate that over a short time (10 weeks), height and diameter in the biofertilized treatments do not show a significant difference compared to conventional fertilized treatments. These findings suggest that biofertilizer can perform comparably to conventional fertilizers in terms of promoting growth at a seedling level in the short-term. Further research is needed to evaluate their long-term efficacy and sustainability.