OrganicMaintenanceofHarvard’sLandscapewithSustainableBiofertilizer

DilekDogutanKiper(Ph.D.),PrincipalResearchScientist,LaurenChurchFacultyofArts&Sciences,DepartmentofChemistry&ChemicalBiology

QuentinGilly,SeniorCoordinator,OfficeforSustainability,CampusServices

PaulSmith,AssociateManagerofLandscapeServices,FacilityMaintenanceOperations,CampusServices

EarthDay22April2020

SustainableBiofertilizertoAddressLandscapeChallenges

Reduce runoff and lower carbon dioxide in air by avoiding synthetic fertilizer with healthier

biofertilizer discovered at Harvard

• Livingbiofertilizerusessolarenergytoabsorbcarbondioxideandnitrogenfromairandplacestheminsoilasnutrients

• LivingbiofertilizermaybedeliveredatlargescalesotherewillbeaplentifulsupplyforHarvardlandscapeservices

InformedbyUniversity’sScienceSustainableBiofertilizer

ProjectGoals

• Pilot University’s research/science to address landscaping challenge by using campus as a living lab

• Collect and measure (1) runoff and (2) nutrient data to evaluate this practical application

Summer

2019

Fall Winter Spring Summer Fall Winter

Milestone 1Sites chosen and study designed.

Milestone 2Produce and apply biofertilizer. Begin measuring runoff and CO2 sequestration.

Milestone3Conclude data collection.

Dec 31Final Report

2020

Completion

Study Period

LeveragingaHistoryofCollaboration

Quentin Gilly, OFSDilek Dogutan Kiper, FAS Lauren Church, FAS Paul Smith, FMO

2009-Present

FMO-Thought leaderPiloted organic compost teasTested soil micro-biomeOperational improvements in labs

2018-2019

Awarded: Campus Sustainability Innovation Fund (CSIF) to advance science

2019-2020

Potential: President’s Administration Innovation Fund (PAIF) to address University challenge using Harvard research

THANKYOU!Continueasathoughtleader

FieldTestsonHarvardCampus

FieldTestsArea• Biofertilizerfieldtestswere

conductedintwosmallplotsbehindtheNorthwestBuildingonHarvardcampustodetermineifthefertilizerwouldbeeffectiveandbenign

• Toplotsofapproximatelyequalsizewereclearedwith2feetofgrassbetween• Thetopplotnearestthebrick

wallreceiveda100mLtotalofbacteriaresuspendedinwaterperweek

• Thebottomplotfurthestfromthewallreceivedanequalamountofuntreatedwaterperweek

• Weplantedradishes,turnips,andspinachonApril10,2019

Radish,TurnipGrowth6 weeks 8 weeks

- + X. a.-+ X. a.

SpinachGrowth8 weeks

- + X. a.

Conclusions• Weeklybiofertilizerdosesweresufficienttoinduceavisiblegrowthimprovementinseveralplanttypesoverunfertilizedconditions

• Despitethecloseproximityofplots,theeffectsofthebiofertilizerwereconstrainedtotheareaofapplication,suggestingthatnutrientsaretakenupbyplantsbeforetheycandiffuselargedistances

• Xanthobacterautotrophicus isaneffectivebiofertilizerintheCambridgeareaformultipleplantspeciesthatdoesnotseemtodemonstrateharmfuleutrophication.