Assessing the environmental behavior of alternative fertigation methods in soilless systems: The case of Phaseolus vulgaris with struvite and rhizobia inoculation

Urban agriculture, while being a promising solution to increase food sovereignty in cities, can lead an unprecedented discharge of nutrient and fertilizer-related emissions into the urban environment. Especially relevant are nitrogen (N) phosphorus (P), due their contribution marine freshwater eutrophication. Therefore, alternative methods fertilization need be put practice avoid such impacts surrounding Struvite, has been studied as potential slow releasing fertilizer its high P content, bacteria rhizobium used fix N directly from atmosphere. Legumes, like common bean N-demanding crops capable symbiosis with have previously shown positive responses struvite. This study aims analyze environmental performance plant production hydroponic systems combining inoculation struvite (2 g, 5 10 20 g) irrigated deficient solution, using life cycle analysis (LCA). The content in- out-going irrigation was analyzed well plants beans. functional unit for LCA 1 kg fresh results obtained indicate yield reduction 60% 50% comparison control which full solution. operational stage less all impact categories, where most significant reductions up 69% 59% seen marine-eutrophication global warming respectively. Although infrastructure does not change between treatments, lower yields. We determine that below 10% yield, more than use conventional mineral fertilizers almost thus pointing importance truly reduce agriculture.