Sphagnum Farming UK - First Steps to Commercial Peat-Free Growing Media

作为一种日益增长的媒介，商业开采泥炭是不可持续的，DEFRA要求在2030年之前停止。被开发的泥炭地是通过不饱和泥炭层的氧化而产生的二氧化碳排放的净来源，相当于英国每年18.5至23MtCO2e，相当于英国年二氧化碳排放量的4%。泥炭的需求量仍然很大，因为满足商业园艺性能的替代品无法大规模获得。MPS已经开发并申请了世界上第一个体外生产系统，以生产BeadaGel(商标)用于大规模繁殖和播种泥炭泥，用于商业规模养殖，收获和加工作为泥炭替代生长介质产品-BeadaGro(商标)。唯一替代泥炭种子的方法是转移泥炭泥植物，这对脆弱的生态系统造成破坏，其中许多是受法律保护的，大规模不可持续。这个与农民和商业苗圃合作的项目的目的是开发和展示泥炭泥种植的商业可行性的所有方面。该项目包括开发植物克隆以最大化生长和大小以优化产量，以及防止疾病和杂草侵扰的生物防治方法。将开发和试验用于大规模田间播种、收获和作物加工的机械和协议。园艺种植试验将证明收获的泥炭作为泥炭替代栽培基质的有效性。种植泥炭也提供了恢复碳平衡的机会，通过光合作用吸收二氧化碳，在试验期间，曼彻斯特城市大学将监测二氧化碳的捕获。

Commercial extraction of peat as a growing media is unsustainable and mandated by DEFRA to cease by 2030\. Exploited peatlands are a net source of carbon dioxide emissions through oxidation of the unsaturated peat layer, equating to between 18.5 to 23 MtCO2e/year in the UK, equivalent to 4% of annual UK CO2 emissions. Peat remains in high demand as alternatives, meeting commercial horticultural performance, are unavailable at scale.MPS have developed and patented a world-first in-vitro production system to produce BeadaGel (trademark) for propagating and seeding Sphagnum at scale for commercial scale farming to harvest and process as a peat alternative growing media product - BeadaGro (trademark).The only alternative method to seed Sphagnum is to translocate Sphagnum plants which is damaging for fragile ecosystems, many of which are legally protected and unsustainable at large scale.The aim of this collaborative project, with farmers and commercial growing nurseries, is to develop and demonstrate all aspects of commercial viability for Sphagnum Farming. The project includes developing plant clones to maximise growth and size for yield optimisation, as well as biological control methods to prevent disease and weed infestation. Machinery and protocols will be developed and trialled for large scale field seeding, harvesting and crop processing. Horticultural growing trials will demonstrate the effectiveness of the harvested sphagnum as a peat alternative growing media. Sphagnum farming also offer an opportunity to restore carbon balance, absorbing carbon dioxide through photosynthesis, during the trials Manchester Metropolitan University will monitor carbon dioxide capture.