Award details

Biological processes in a structured soil environment

Reference	BBS/E/S/00480444
Principal Investigator / Supervisor	Professor Andrew Whitmore
Co-Investigators / Co-Supervisors
Institution	Silsoe Research Institute
Department	Silsoe Research Institute Department
Funding type	Research
Value (£)	148,100
Status	Completed
Type	Institute Project
Start date	01/04/1999
End date	31/03/2001
Duration	24 months

Abstract

Agriculture is taking increasing notice of the environment in which it is carried out. On a large scale this means addressing public concerns and adhering to environmental norms. On a small scale it means integrating the complex mix of chemistry, physics and biology that make up the local conditions in which a plant grows. As long as farming was able to use mass application of chemicals and heavy machinery to maximise yield, other concerns were secondary. Now, however, the key to meeting the problems found at the larger scale is addressing the issues raised at the smaller scale and in particular unravelling the complex relationships on which these issues rest. This project will test and quantify the idea that biological processes in soil such as mineralization of nitrogen and sequestration of carbon depend as much on the physical structure of the soil as on the biology of micro-organisms involved or the chemical nature of crop residues or soil organic matter. It will draw upon much of the existing work at SRI and IACR-Rothamsted with a view to improving current computer simulation models but it will also feed information back to provide a better understanding how biological processes modify the physical structure of soils.

Summary

unavailable

Committee	Closed Committee - Agri-food (AF)
Research Topics	X – not assigned to a current Research Topic
Research Priority	X – Research Priority information not available
Research Initiative	X - not in an Initiative
Funding Scheme	X – not Funded via a specific Funding Scheme

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