Kelp shows great promise for improving soil health and crop production in Alaska.
Kelp shows great promise for improving soil health and crop production in Alaska. Potential benefits include increased nutrient availability, improved soil pH, increased seed germination rates and increased crop biomass.
In a free webinar, Erin Oliver, a postdoctoral researcher with Washington State University, will discuss the lab and field studies conducted at the Matanuska Experiment Farm to investigate the effects of kelp on soil health and crop production. The webinar is hosted by the University of Alaska Fairbanks Cooperative Extension Service.
The goal of the lab and field studies is to determine the best method for applying kelp to Alaska soils. Using Alaska-grown kelp in agricultural soils provides both economic benefits for the mariculture industry and an alternative to commercial, inorganic fertilizers produced outside of Alaska. Studies have found that the benefits of kelp vary by soil type and amendment rates, but little research has been done in Alaska on this subject.
Read more at: University of Alaska Fairbanks
Photo Credit: asjjuni0 via Pixabay
