Kovács Flórián, Papdi Enikő, Gyalai Ingrid, Biró Borbála, Juhos Katalin
Department of Agro-Environmental Studies, Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Villányi Str. 29-43, 1118, Budapest, Hungary.
Institute of Plant Sciences and Environmental Protection, University of Szeged, Andrássy út 15, 6800, Hódmezővásárhely, Hungary.
Biol Futur. 2025 Jun 17. doi: 10.1007/s42977-025-00266-2.
Pellets made from waste wool, typically sourced from sheep shearing residues generated by the textile or wool industry, have recently emerged as a promising alternative for plant nutrition. However, limited information is available on the impact of wool pellets (WP), applied at a dosage of 4 g per pot, on soil functioning, biological activity, plant physiology, and nutrient supply. A pot experiment was set up in a randomized block design with four replicates on sweet peppers (Capsicum annuum L.). The effect of WP on permanganate-oxidizable carbon, fluorescein diacetate, and β-glucosidase enzyme activities were investigated in two soils differing in their soil organic matter (SOM) contents (low and high) and compared to the control and a reference N fertilizer solution. The nitrate and total nitrogen content of plants, the photosynthetic pigments, gas exchange intensity, shoot and root biomass, pepper fruit, and photosynthetic rate per total N-uptake were also examined. WP treatments (4 g per pot) increased soil biological activity in both soil types (with 0.58% and 1.84% soil organic matter, respectively) and significantly improved plant physiological parameters and N-use efficiency compared to the control and reference N fertilizer addition. Although the total N content in wool pellets was higher than in the mineral reference N-solution, this reference treatment served as a baseline dose allowing comparison with the N-supply intensity of the WP. WP significantly increased shoot biomass in both soil types, with a more pronounced effect in the low SOM soil due to faster mineralization and higher air capacity. In contrast, higher fruit was achieved in the high SOM soil. WP treatment increased N-uptake to 2.18 and 2.34 mg/week in low and high SOM, respectively. The research findings highlight wool pellets as a powerful alternative to inorganic fertilizers, offering a sustainable nutrient supply. Moreover, utilizing wool a by-product often considered waste as an organic fertilizer contributes to solving both economic and environmental challenges associated with wool disposal.
由废羊毛制成的颗粒，通常来源于纺织或羊毛工业产生的剪羊毛残渣，最近已成为一种有前景的植物营养替代物。然而，关于每盆施用4克羊毛颗粒（WP）对土壤功能、生物活性、植物生理和养分供应的影响，目前可用信息有限。在甜椒（辣椒属）上进行了一项盆栽试验，采用随机区组设计，重复四次。在两种土壤有机质（SOM）含量不同（低和高）的土壤中，研究了WP对高锰酸盐可氧化碳、荧光素二乙酸酯和β-葡萄糖苷酶活性的影响，并与对照和参考氮肥溶液进行了比较。还检测了植物的硝酸盐和总氮含量、光合色素、气体交换强度、地上部和根部生物量、辣椒果实以及每总氮吸收量的光合速率。WP处理（每盆4克）提高了两种土壤类型（分别含有0.58%和1.84%土壤有机质）的土壤生物活性，与对照和添加参考氮肥相比，显著改善了植物生理参数和氮利用效率。尽管羊毛颗粒中的总氮含量高于矿物参考氮溶液，但该参考处理作为基线剂量，便于与WP的氮供应强度进行比较。WP显著增加了两种土壤类型的地上部生物量，在低SOM土壤中由于矿化速度更快和通气能力更高，效果更明显。相比之下，高SOM土壤中果实产量更高。WP处理使低SOM和高SOM土壤中的氮吸收分别增加到2.18和2.34毫克/周。研究结果突出了羊毛颗粒作为无机肥料的有力替代品，提供了可持续的养分供应。此外，将通常被视为废物的羊毛副产品用作有机肥料，有助于解决与羊毛处理相关的经济和环境挑战。
