Bio-fertilizers (Blackjack, Geohumat, and Cu++) Against Environmental Pollution

Abstract

As the population grows, the demand for food increases, the production of which is impossible without soil. Healthy soil means healthy food. Soil is the foundation of all agronomy; therefore, it is crucial to pay great attention to caring for the soil and its fertility. From contaminated soils, plants can accumulate large quantities of toxic elements such as mercury (Hg), cadmium (Cd), arsenic (As), chromium (Cr), thallium (Tl), and lead (Pb). The uptake of these heavy metals causes soil pollution, which poses a significant threat to human health.

Bio-organic fertilizers hold great potential for soil restoration, health maintenance, and the development of green agriculture. They offer immense ecological and environmental benefits along with broad prospects for application. To prevent soil pollution and obtain ecologically safe products, ecologically safe bio-preparations - Blackjack, Geohumat, and Cu++ - were purposefully introduced for the first time in stationary field trials under a mandarin plantation in the red soils of Adjara.

Based on field trials in an Unshiu mandarin plantation within the coastal zone of Adjara, new ecologically clean preparations were purposefully selected for the first time, and their optimal norms and dosages were established. The efficiency indicators of the selected preparations were studied to prevent soil pollution and ensure the production of ecologically safe products. 

To achieve this, experimental work was carried out under stationary field trial conditions. According to the experimental design, the ecologically clean bio-preparations (fertilizers) - Blackjack, Geo-humat, and Cu++ were applied to the mandarin plantation during the following periods: April, May, June, and July. Concurrently, soil samples were collected at a depth of 50 cm, along with leaf samples from model plants. Agrochemical and chemical indicator analyses were performed under laboratory conditions.

Based on the data obtained from the experiments, we can conclude that the applied bio-fertilizers showed the best results without the use of mineral fertilizers when administered as follows:

 Blackjack: Applied via soil drenching and foliar spraying;

 Geohumat: Applied via soil drenching and foliar spraying;

 Cu++: Used as a background treatment via foliar spraying (2 ml per 10 liters of water).

Judging by the data tables presented in this work, heavy metals (As,Cd,Cr,Hg,Pb) and pesticides were not detected in the soil, and consequently, were found neither in the plant nor in the fruit. This outcome is attributed to the fact that the soil was enriched exclusively with ecologically clean fertilizers, thereby preventing the pollution of Adjara's low-fertility red soils.