Using compost from aquatic weeds to improve soil health and reduce nutrient pollution (Old ID 31118)

Fitzroy Basin Association
Role

Principal Investigator

Description

Excessive nutrient pollution can cause explosive aquatic weed growth, preventing fish migration, and causing mass fish kills. Weed management via herbicide spraying and removal is costly and detrimental to waterways. If the harvested weeds could be composted and used on crops, then aquatic weed management can shift from being a problem to an agricultural solution that reduces synthetic fertiliser use, while improving soil moisture, nutrient retention (reducing pollution), and soil microbial health (potentially reducing pathogens). This project examines the influence of aquatic-weed compost on the soil health and nutrient retention in tree crops near Rockhampton.

Date

07 Sep 2023 - 31 Dec 2024

Project Type

CONTRACT_RESEARCH

Keywords

Aquatic weeds;Compost;Soil Health;Tree crops;Soil nutrients;Pollution

Funding Body

Fitzroy Basin Association

Amount

75500

Project Team

N/A