Supplements to stimulate plant root systems during climate change

Abstract

The supplement containing up to 100% by weight of depolymerized residues after carbonization of wood at temperatures up to 300° C. is used to improve the soil layer to a depth of 5-30 cm with 0.5-9.9% by weight of depolymerized residues after carbonization of wood at temperatures not exceeding 300° C. based on the weight of the soil, or when planting trees and shrubs to a depth depending on the size of the root ball. Furthermore, the supplement may contain up to 90% by weight of at least one substance selected from the group consisting of compost, organic fertilizers, inorganic fertilizers, minerals, bacterial cultures of aerobic microorganisms, carbohydrate-based bacterial nutrients, cellulases, and amylases based on the weight of the supplement.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] In recent years, the effects of climate change, particularly high temperatures and lack of precipitation, have become increasingly evident even in previously temperate climate regions, which fundamentally threaten the lifespan of some plant species, including agricultural crops, and lead to a gradual decline in the quality of the soil itself. [Background technology]

[0002] The known patent CZ307633 describes the regeneration of sandy soils under difficult climatic conditions. Sandy soils do not have a sufficient organic matter content, therefore they do not retain water well, are not biologically active and cultivated plants cannot fully utilize the added fertilizers. In the case of sandy soils, the depolymerized residues after dry distillation of wood at temperatures up to 300 ° C (so-called hydrolyzed lignin) have proven effective for regeneration purposes. This is because this material is able to retain a sufficient amount of water in sandy soils.

[0003] Woody biomass is a complex of lignocellulose and hemicellulose, but lignin ensures the lignification of the cell walls and accounts for about one-third of the wood weight. Lignin is the second most common compound on earth after cellulose, accounting for about 25% of plant biomass and is most abundant in the woody cell walls of plant cells. Lignin performs a hydrophobic function in the body of woody plants, linking the intercellular fibers and thereby strengthening the cellulose molecules in the cell walls. Lignin has no regular structure and is a physically and chemically heterogeneous mixture of substances, more precisely, a mixture of polymeric polyphenolic amorphous substances. The synthesis of lignin takes place directly in the cell walls, but the basic building blocks are phenylpropanoids, especially p-coumaryl alcohol, coniferyl alcohol, and sinapyl alcohol, which are covalently bound to polysaccharides. Woody biomass is a renewable energy source. Woody biomass has been used for the production of charcoal for many years. Charcoal is produced by heating woody biomass at temperatures of 450-550 °C without air. Lignocellulosic complexes are gasified and carbonized to form carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide, methane, liquid, and charcoal. The technique of wood pyrolysis was used until recently on a large scale to produce methanol-based aviation fuel. Heating wood biomass at temperatures of 270 °C-300 °C without air only leads to depolymerization of the lignocellulosic complexes and elimination of the methanol groups, resulting in the formation of methanol, acetone, and by-products. The by-products consist of phenylpropanoid derivatives that are already free of alcohol groups, bound to partially depolymerized and carbonized cellulose, with a residual methyl alcohol content. The by-products, hereafter collectively referred to as depolymerized wood pyrolysis residues at temperatures up to 300 °C, have a very fine particle size distribution and a high organic carbon content of up to 50% C. org It has a high carbon content, can hold several times its weight in water, and is relatively insoluble in water. Traditionally, this by-product is produced in quantities of tens of millions of tons, and is still an unsolved environmental problem. This is because attempts to increase the calorific value of this by-product (torrefaction) and to produce fuel pellets have been less successful to date compared to the calorific value and use of charcoal.

[0004] In the case of sandy soils, regeneration is possible due to the ability of the depolymerized residues after the carbonization of wood at temperatures up to 300° C. to significantly increase the water retention in the soil. During climate change, the ability to increase water retention is also important for arable soils in temperate regions. The inventors have now found that the depolymerized residues after the carbonization of wood at temperatures up to 300° C. not only have the ability to increase the water retention in the soil, but also specifically stimulate the growth of a deeper and lusher root system, even at very low doses, by the so-called auxin effect. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The supplement for stimulating the root systems of plants, used mainly for arable soils during climatic changes, according to the invention consists in the fact that it contains up to 100% by weight of depolymerized residues after dry distillation of wood at temperatures up to 300°C and is used to improve the soil layer to a depth of 5-30 cm or when planting trees and shrubs to the depth of their root ball, with 0.5-9.9% by weight of the supplement relative to the weight of the soil.

[0006] The above supplement containing depolymerized residues from the carbonization of wood at a temperature not exceeding 300°C may also contain up to 90% by weight of at least one substance selected from the group consisting of compost, organic fertilizers, inorganic fertilizers, minerals, bacterial cultures of aerobic microorganisms, carbohydrate-based bacterial nutrients, cellulose, and amylase, based on the weight of the supplement.

[0007] The supplement may be incorporated into the required soil layer by standard agricultural machinery or the soil surface may be covered with a 5-30 cm layer of a soil mixture containing the supplement, the mixture containing 0.5-9.9% by weight of depolymerized residues after dry distillation of wood at a temperature not exceeding 300°C, based on the weight of the soil.

[0008] The depolymerized residue after the dry distillation of wood at temperatures up to 300 °C is an organic material with a very fine particle size distribution and has limited water solubility. This depolymerized residue can hold 2.8-3.4 times its weight in water and can release water gradually depending on the soil quality and temperature at the root depth. In temperate soils, the addition of just 1% by weight of the depolymerized residue after the dry distillation of wood at temperatures up to 300 °C means a significant increase in water retention of 10-20% during normal rainfall, and if the temperature at the root depth is 20 °C, this water is released over 7-9 days, and at extreme temperatures of 40 °C, it is released for 2 days. Due to this and the aforementioned auxin effect, plant growth conditions are significantly improved.

[0009] In addition to the mentioned water-holding capacity, the depolymerized residues after dry distillation of wood at temperatures up to 300 °C have a strong stimulating effect similar to that of auxins, plant hormones that can alter the distribution of nutrients between the roots and the aboveground parts and the growth rate. This is essential for the use of water and nutrients by plants in adverse climatic periods. This fact is demonstrated, for example, by the experiments described below.

[0010] The present inventors compared the growth rates of the roots and shoots of mustard seeds.

[0011] Figure 1 shows the "length of the roots of mustard seeds germinated in extracts from depolymerized residues after carbonization of wood at temperatures below 300 °C" and Figure 2 shows the "length of the hypocotyl (the first stem part between the uterus and the radicle of the germinating plant) of mustard seeds germinated in extracts from depolymerized residues after carbonization of wood at temperatures below 300 °C". Both experiments show that starting from 1 vol.% of aqueous extract from depolymerized residues after carbonization of wood at temperatures not exceeding 300 °C, the early growth of mustard roots is clearly higher. At higher concentrations, the growth of the roots is more pronounced compared to the aboveground parts. This is the result of the combined effect of the content of depolymerized residues after carbonization of wood at temperatures up to 300 °C and of auxins acting on cytokinins, other growth-stimulating plant hormones.

[0012] To test the supplement containing 100% by weight of depolymerized residues after dry distillation of wood at temperatures up to 300 °C in real soil conditions and to verify its auxin-like effect, container tests of germination were carried out again with white mustard. For the test, two soils with different pH, taken from the topsoil layer of the field, were selected: an acidic Cambisol (the most widespread soil type in the Czech Republic) and a neutral Fluvisol (alluvial soil). The container tests were carried out in a greenhouse with a controlled temperature of 23 °C day / 18 °C night. The supplement was tested in each of the five soil variants corresponding to additions at 1, 5, 10, 25 and 50% by weight in terms of the soil weight, and each variant was carried out by repeating five times independently. 400 g of soil was weighed into each container, a given amount of the supplement was mixed into each container, 15 mustard seeds were sown in each container, and all containers were watered with demineralized water. The lost moisture was replenished every other day after weight check. The number of aboveground parts was then regularly observed. After 17 days, the plants were carefully removed and their root and aboveground lengths were measured.The results for the percentage of seeds that germinated in each soil after addition of the supplement are shown in Figure 3 for Cambisols and Figure 4 for Fluvisols.

[0013] Germination of mustard plants in acidic Cambisols was generally very high in all modifications. The control modification reached a very good germination rate of 80%, but the addition of 1 wt% supplement significantly increased the germination rate up to 95%.

[0014] Neutral fluvisols were less favorable for germination, with the control variant having a germination rate of only 63%. In all cases where supplements were added, the germination rate increased significantly at doses of 5% and above, reaching approximately 96% in the variants supplemented with 10% and 25% by weight.

[0015] Figure 5 "Height of mustard plants in acidic Cambisols with supplement - growth over 17 days" and graph 6 "Root length of mustard in acidic Cambisols with addition of supplement - growth over 17 days" prove that an auxin-like effect exists even under soil conditions, i.e. in acidic Cambisols, with a supplement containing 100% by weight of depolymerized residues after dry distillation of wood at temperatures below 300° C. During the initial stages of growth, the plants of the variant treated with the addition of this supplement show preferential growth of the roots at the expense of the aboveground biomass.

[0016] Figure 7 "Height of mustard plants in neutral fluvisols with the addition of supplements - growth over 17 days" and graph 8 "Length of mustard roots in neutral fluvisols with supplements - growth over 17 days" show that the auxin-like effect is more pronounced even in neutral fluvisols with a supplement containing 100% by weight of depolymerized residues after carbonization of wood at temperatures up to 300 °C than in the previous case where 1% by weight of supplement was already added.

[0017] The application of the supplement results in improved plant growth conditions in climatic conditions under normal soil conditions, especially in periods of limited rainfall. The addition of a supplement containing 100% by weight of depolymerized residues after dry distillation of wood at temperatures up to 300 °C promotes a deeper and more lush growth of the root system compared to the above-ground parts of the plant. This means that the plant can better utilize water and nutrients even in periods of less favorable weather, and at the same time, this addition improves water retention in the soil. The lifespan of the plant is not immediately threatened by short-term droughts and the sustainability of its growth is maintained.

[0018] These facts also apply to basic grass cutting, turf carpet laying and other grass cutting techniques, as well as other types of plants or crops.

[0019] The depolymerized residues after dry distillation of wood at temperatures up to 300 ° C are hydrophobic organic matter, which allows maintaining a favorable relative humidity in the mixture, thereby significantly reducing water consumption during necessary irrigation. The methyl alcohol residues and the phenylpropanoid derivatives bound to the partially depolymerized and carbonized cellulose, which no longer contain alcohol groups, are readily available nutrients for the bacteria that inhabit the root systems of plants, promoting the proliferation of these bacteria and the gradual increase of the humic acid content. Humic acid is the fundamental transporter of nutrients from the soil to the plants and an active component of humus, therefore the described method can be considered as a stimulant of plant growth even in the case of higher quality types of soil. The methyl alcohol residues and the phenylpropanoid derivatives bound to the partially depolymerized and carbonized cellulose also help plants to better resist the adverse effects of saline soils and to tolerate residual salt in irrigation systems using desalinated seawater.

[0020] It is preferable to use a supplement that simultaneously contains depolymerized wood pyrolysis residues at temperatures below 300°C and at least one substance selected from the group consisting of compost, organic fertilizers, inorganic fertilizers, minerals, bacterial cultures of aerobic microorganisms, carbohydrate-based bacterial nutrients, cellulases, and amylases. Thus, in this layer of mixture of soil, supplements, and possibly other substances, cultivated plants, including grass, can make much better use of the nutrients provided and at the same time consume significantly less water from irrigation. The amount of water required for irrigation is reduced by up to 50% and fertilizer consumption is reduced by up to 30%. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0021] [Figure 1] Figure 1 shows the root length of mustard seeds germinated in extracts from depolymerized residues after carbonization of wood at temperatures up to 300°C. [Diagram 2] Figure 2 shows the length of the hypocotyls of mustard seeds germinated in extracts from depolymerization residues after carbonization of wood at temperatures below 300°C. [Diagram 3]Figure 1 shows the percentage of mustard seeds that germinated in acid soil amended with depolymerized wood distillation residue below 300 °C. [Figure 4] Figure 1 shows the percentage of mustard seeds that germinated in neutral soil amended with depolymerized residues after carbonization of wood at temperatures below 300°C. [Diagram 5] Height of mustard plants in acidic Cambisols supplemented with depolymerized wood carbonization residues at temperatures up to 300°C - growth over 17 days. [Figure 6] Mustard root length in acidic Cambisols amended with depolymerized wood distillation residues at temperatures up to 300°C - growth over a 17 day period. [Figure 7] Height of mustard plants in neutral fluvisols supplemented with depolymerized residues after carbonization of wood at temperatures up to 300 °C - growth over 17 days. [Figure 8] Mustard root length in a neutral fluvisol supplemented with depolymerized residues from wood carbonization at temperatures up to 300°C - growth over a 17 day period. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0022] example 1. 100m of a field that produces grass for soccer fields along the Portuguese coast 2 In this area, a supplement containing 100% by weight of depolymerized residues after carbonization of wood at a temperature not exceeding 300 ° C was applied. This supplement was incorporated in a 10 cm layer of this soil in an amount of 1% by weight relative to the weight of the soil in this layer. In this applied area, the grass required 30% less water for irrigation and 20% less fertilizer, but the color of the plants was clearly different, they tolerated salt streams carried by the wind from the sea better for several days and the root system was denser. This also reduced losses when moving and rolling up the grass carpet. 2. During forest regeneration after damage by bark beetles, a total of 3000 oak, linden, maple, hornbeam and cherry seedlings were observed, planted in soil mixtures containing 1% by weight of a supplement containing 100% by weight of depolymerized residues after carbonization of wood at temperatures not exceeding 300 °C. The control group consisted of another 3000 seedlings of the same trees planted in the same area. Losses in the first year after planting were 26% in the control group, while the loss of seedlings treated with the supplement was 12%. 3. In a golf course, one of the fairways was treated with a surface application rate corresponding to 1% by weight of a supplement containing 100% by weight of depolymerized residues after carbonization of wood at temperatures up to 300°C, for the top 5 cm layer of the soil. The fairway was sprayed and verticulation was carried out to incorporate the material as much as possible into the soil. This fairway required 17% less water for irrigation and 13% less fertilizer than the other paths. 4. A 10 m long grout was injected in the form of a borehole under a 2 m tall Arborvitae tree, whose root system and above-ground parts had been damaged by construction work over a 20 m length and the trees had begun to dry out. The borehole was filled with a mixture of horticultural substrate with 5% by weight of a supplement containing 100% by weight of depolymerized residues from the dry distillation of wood at a temperature not exceeding 300 ° C, relative to the weight of the substrate. The trees treated in this way were preserved, but the remaining live trees had to be replaced. 5.100m 2 10m of strawberry fields 2 was treated with 56 kg of a supplement containing 50% by weight of depolymerized residues after carbonization of wood at temperatures up to 300 °C and 50% by weight of organic fertilizer containing 1.5% nitrogen. The mixture was incorporated into the soil to a depth of 20 cm. The rest of the field was fertilized in the usual way with industrially produced fertilizer. Yields in the treated parts of the field were 15% higher with normal rainfall. [Industrial Applicability]

[0023] The invention can be used to improve conditions for plant growth in forestry, agriculture, fruit growing, viticulture, gardening or mowing.

Claims

1. A supplement that stimulates plant root systems during climate change, A supplement containing up to 100% by weight of depolymerized residue after carbonization of wood at a temperature not exceeding 300°C, and characterized in that the supplement is used to improve a soil layer to a depth of 5 to 30 cm with 0.5 to 9.9% by weight of depolymerized residue after carbonization of wood at a temperature not exceeding 300°C based on the weight of the soil, or when planting trees and shrubs to a depth according to the size of the root ball.

2. The supplement of claim 1, further comprising at least one substance selected from the group consisting of compost, organic fertilizers, inorganic fertilizers, minerals, bacterial cultures of aerobic microorganisms, carbohydrate-based bacterial nutrients, cellulases, and amylases, in an amount of up to 90% by weight of the supplement.

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