Press release of Wageningen UR and the Product Board for Horticulture
Wageningen University and Research Centre, with financial support from the Product Board for Horticulture, is starting research to gain a better insight into the organic management of dune sand. A consultation system will also be developed to support growers of bulbs, perennials and summer flowers when making decisions on issues such as adding organic matter to the soil. The research is due to end in 2011.
Organic matter is an important element of the soil and essential for successful plant production. It increases the moisture retentive characteristics of the soil and improves the supply of nutrients. The organic matter decomposes slowly in the soil. This loss can be replenished with plant residues, green manure or added organic products such as compost and straw manure.
Organic matter is estimated to decompose in Dutch dune sand at an annual rate of over four percent. With proper management, sufficient organic material can be added to the soil to prevent deterioration. Often a large drop in the level of organic matter is only noticed when it is too late to easily rectify the situation.
To calculate organic matter levels in the soil, growers use standard tables. A recent study showed that organic matter decomposes faster in dune sand than other Dutch sandy soils. How much faster has yet to be determined. In the case of dune sand, there is also a considerable degree of uncertainty with respect to the standard tables applied for gauging the effect of added organic products such as compost or straw manure. In practice, this means that dune sand growers can encounter problems when they only use standard tables.
This problem applies to all dune sand cultivation, especially flower bulbs, perennials and summer flowers. To solve these problems, these sectors have joined forces and suggested to the Product Board for Horticulture that it commissioned research into the issue. The Product Board has approved the research proposal from Plant Research International, Applied Plant Research and spokesman Henk van den Berg.
The results of the measurements will increase understanding of the causes of changing organic matter levels in dune sand. Based on the measurements and the resulting insights, the scientists will develop a so-called ‘decision support system’. This consultation system will help growers improve the management of organic matter considerably. The research will be finished in 2011.
The research is being supervised by a committee consisting of representatives of the Dutch Perennial Plant Association, the national crop committee for field grown cut flowers, the Hyacinth Product Board and a representative of the Environmental Platform of the Royal General Bulbgrowers’ Association (KAVB).