Humus for Vegetables: Launch of BMEL-funded Model and Demonstration Project on Humus Preservation in Vegetable Cultivation
Humus, the soil’s organic component, is crucial for soil fertility and acts as a carbon dioxide reservoir due to its high organic carbon content. However, intensive soil tillage, removal of large amounts of organic matter during harvest, and the typically intensive irrigation used in vegetable cultivation can all contribute to humus depletion. Additionally, higher annual average soil temperatures, resulting from climate change, accelerate humus breakdown.
Tailored Measures for Humus Building
To counteract increasing CO₂ emissions from agriculturally utilized soils, innovative measures are needed for maximum humus preservation and building. This model and demonstration project identifies site-specific and farm-specific strategies, testing them at demonstration farms across five major vegetable-growing regions in Germany (North, West, Central, East, and South). Accompanying measurements of soil and plant parameters will help develop models for optimizing humus management, enabling targeted implementation where the greatest potential for humus building exists.
The project aims to expand these practices to additional areas and support vegetable farms across Germany in preserving humus, thereby contributing significantly to sustainable agriculture and climate protection.
Project Participants and Funding Information
The Leibniz Institute of Vegetable and Ornamental Crops (IGZ) coordinates the project “HumusFuerGemuese: Towards optimum organic matter concentrations in vegetable-cropped soils” project, and is responsible for networking with additional initiatives, as well as coordinating analytical and quality assurance processes within the project.
Cooperating institutions include the Bavarian State Institute for Viticulture and Horticulture (LWG), the Rural Services Center Rheinpfalz (DLR-RP), the State Research Institute for Agriculture and Fisheries Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania (LFA), the Saxony State Office for Environment, Agriculture, and Geology (LfULG), and the Thuringia State Office for Agriculture and Rural Areas (TLLLR). The Julius Kühn Institute and the Thünen Institute are conducting accompanying scientific research. Funded as part of the 2030 Climate Protection Program under the topic “Humus Building in Fruit and Vegetable Cultivation as well as Wine and Hop Cultivation,” the BMEL supports “ HumusFuerGemuese” with €3.41 million over five years.
Contact
Dr André Sradnick, Project Coordinator; Dr Sandra Münzel and Katia Heistermann, Project Management| Phone: +49 (0) 33701 78 358 | Email: humusfuergemuese@igzev.de
Julia Vogt, Press and Public Relations| Email presse@igzev.de |Phone +49 (0) 33 701 78 163
Leibniz Institute of Vegetable and Ornamental Crops
The Leibniz Institute of Vegetable and Ornamental Crops (IGZ) is a research institute of the Leibniz Association and contributes to solving current global challenges with science-based findings from basic and applied research in horticulture. These include the preservation of biodiversity, combating climate change and the still widespread malnutrition. The institute is jointly funded by the Ministry of Science, Research and Culture of the State of Brandenburg (MWFK) and the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (BMEL). The IGZ is based in Großbeeren.