Could there be a breakthrough in a new peat free alternative on the horizon?
This could be the result of a new research project about to be undertaken at the University of Sheffield where the plan is to produce new environmentally-friendly growing materials to be developed for food production. The growing media made from waste materials will be developed by researchers at the University of Sheffield’s Institute for Sustainable Food, for use when growing crops in controlled environments.
Research will create a system to make growing media of consistent quality. Researchers will assess how the growing media will biodegrade to ensure they can be used sustainably and recycled more easily than current solutions, according to the university. Alternatives include growing media that use bio-waste based fillers from parallel industries to food production (sawdust, wood fibres, spent grain, sheep wool, cotton fabric, end of life rockwool etc).
As farming continues to face multiple environmental challenges, Protected and Controlled Environment (PACE) production has grown in popularity, but demand for materials is predicted to grow rapidly by 420% by 2050, said the university. Growers have been asked to reduce peat usage for many years now, and they have always been willing. But, so far, there has never been a credible alternative peat-free growing media that they can trust to produce the quality crops they need on a consistent basis.
If this research is successful this could create a credible alternative and will be a game-changer for growers, who will appreciate this new approach to the future of environmentally-friendly growing media. Many attempts at finding credible alternatives have failed in the past mainly due to the inconsistent of the products but this different approach might just yield the breakthrough we need.
So, watch this space…
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