News

• The LINOMAR Operational Group seeks to reduce the use of conventional nitrogen fertilizers by between 30% and 50%.
• The project uses microalgae from the Mar Menor and the Albufera to formulate new products for horticultural and citrus crops.

Mediterranean agriculture faces the challenge of maintaining high levels of productivity while simultaneously reducing its environmental impact. Among the main challenges is the use of nitrogen fertilizers , essential for the development of numerous crops, but whose intensive use can lead to the accumulation of nitrates in aquifers, lakes, and other aquatic ecosystems. Improving nutrient use efficiency and moving towards more sustainable farming systems is one of the objectives of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) .

This is why the LINOMAR Operational Group (OG) was created , an initiative that aims to turn this environmental problem into an opportunity for the agricultural sector. The project is working on the development of biostimulants obtained from native microalgae from the Mar Menor (Murcia) and the Albufera (Valencia) to reduce dependence on conventional nitrogen fertilizers in horticultural and citrus crops and contribute to more sustainable agriculture.

GO LINOMAR's objectives to reduce the use of nitrogen fertilizers

The main objective of GO LINOMAR is to develop new biostimulant products from microalgae extracts capable of reducing the application of nitrogen fertilizers in horticultural and citrus crops. In addition, the project aims to improve the environmental quality of natural areas affected by nitrate accumulation.

As Pedro Sánchez, a member of the Federation of Agricultural Cooperatives of Murcia (FECOAM) , coordinator of the GO, explains, “the main idea has been to transform an environmental problem into an opportunity, using these microalgae to produce innovative solutions that allow us to reduce the use of chemical fertilizers in agriculture and improve the sustainability of crops.”

To achieve this, the following specific objectives have been defined:

• Identify and isolate species of microalgae with the ability to remove nitrates present in water.

• Analyze the physical-chemical characteristics of the biomass obtained to select species with greater potential for transformation.

• To produce algal biomass on a large scale using specific cultivation systems.

• Develop and formulate biostimulants for horticultural and citrus crops.

• Validate agronomically the products obtained under real growing conditions .

• Incorporate technological tools for the monitoring and tracking of trials.

How algae from the Mar Menor and the Albufera are transformed into biostimulants

The initiative is based on harnessing microalgae capable of absorbing nitrates present in bodies of water affected by agricultural activity, such as the Mar Menor and the Albufera. Through these microalgae, innovative biostimulants are developed, simultaneously contributing to the environmental recovery of ecosystems affected by excess nutrients. To this end, the project carries out tasks such as:

• Water sampling and analysis at different points in the Mar Menor and the Albufera.

• The selection of the best adapted species with the greatest growth capacity.

• The study of the chemical composition of the selected microalgae.

• Scaling up production using "raceway" systems, channels or shallow cultivation ponds that allow for large-scale, controlled production of microalgae.

As the research progressed, the team found that microalgae could not only be used as raw material for the production of biostimulants, but also as bioremediation tools, that is, organisms capable of capturing nutrients present in polluted waters and contributing to their recovery.

The analyses carried out have made it possible to identify a wide variety of bioactive compounds with potential agricultural application, which has opened up new possibilities for the development of more efficient products.

Results of biostimulants for improving crop efficiency

The GO LINOMAR project is currently in its final phase and has already yielded promising results. These include the isolation and cultivation of different microalgae species from the Mar Menor and Albufera lagoons, as well as the characterization of their biochemical composition and the identification of those with the greatest potential for the production of biostimulants.

In addition, various experimental extracts have been developed and agronomic trials have been carried out to evaluate their ability to improve crop growth and nutrient use efficiency .

Currently, the team is working on selecting the most effective formulations for larger-scale agronomic validation. The ultimate goal is to obtain new biostimulants with the potential to be transferred to the agricultural sector, enabling a reduction in the use of mineral fertilizers and progressing towards more sustainable production systems.

Participants and EAFRD funding of the LINOMAR project

The GO LINOMAR is coordinated by FECOAM and brings together entities from the agricultural, scientific and technological fields:

• Farmers and Livestock Breeders Cooperative of Campo de Cartagena (COAGACART)

• University of Murcia (UMU)

• Center for Soil Science and Applied Biology of the Segura (CEBAS, CSIC)

• National Association of Fruit and Vegetable Exporters (Anecoop)

• Atlantic Natural Agriculture

• InnoTech Think Tank

According to Pedro Sánchez, “the collaboration among all partners has been excellent and has facilitated both experimental development and the transfer of knowledge to farmers.” He added that “this type of project demonstrates that cooperation between science, business, and the agricultural sector is a highly effective tool for generating applied innovation and offering real solutions to current environmental and agricultural challenges.”

The initiative has a budget of €595,173.56, is supra-regional in scope, and will be implemented between 2024 and 2026 in the Region of Murcia and the Valencian Community. The project is financed through the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) within the framework of the CAP Strategic Plan 2023-2027.

The LINOMAR Operational Group is part of the innovation initiatives promoted under the CAP to foster a more competitive and sustainable agriculture. Through collaboration between farmers, cooperatives, research centers, and companies, these projects facilitate knowledge transfer and the development of innovative solutions to address the environmental and production challenges of the agricultural sector.