U-Cycle: What Space Exploration Can Teach Us About Sustainable Nutrient Cycles on Earth

14.11.2024

Can space exploration help us implement sustainable nutrient cycles on Earth? The U-Cycle project, a collaboration between the Leibniz Institute of Vegetable and Ornamental Crops (IGZ) and the Leibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research (ZALF), aims to explore exactly that. At its core is an innovative recycling fertilizer developed by the German Aerospace Center (DLR) from human urine. Known as C.R.O.P.® (Combined Regenerative Organic Food Production), this fertilizer was initially designed for use in space to close nutrient loops, crucial for long-term astronaut missions, and has been successfully tested for safety. Now, the focus is on evaluating its potential as an environmentally friendly solution for nutrient management in home gardens.

Through U-Cycle, funded by the Deutsche Bundesstiftung (DBU), the C.R.O.P.® fertilizer is being trialed in hobby gardens across Germany to assess its impact on plant growth and identify potential barriers and opportunities for market adoption. After the first of two gardening seasons, valuable findings have already emerged: about 80% of the 61 gardens studied were deficient in mineral nitrogen, essential for plant growth. Here, the C.R.O.P.® fertilizer offers a sustainable alternative to conventional nitrogen sources – particularly for gardeners who prefer organic fertilizers but avoid residual products from intensive animal farming. Preliminary data also show that the recycled fertilizer promotes plant growth comparable to traditional nitrogen fertilizers.

In the coming weeks, interested hobby gardeners across Germany can register for the second season of the project. Inquiries and reservations for participation can already be sent by email to u-cycle@igzev.de.