Fertile Ground
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A research agreement signifying a valuable collaboration between the University and a Japanese power company to test a new fertiliser for forestation was endorsed last year.
Representatives from the Japanese Hokkaido Electric Power Company (HEPCO) and UQ commercialisation company, UniQuest Pty Ltd, signed the agreement on October 1 on the FIELD ReALCA project, which was facilitated by UniQuest’s Consulting and Research division.
The project will test a coal fly ash-derived fertiliser on two types of soil to find optimum rates of application to reduce soil acidity. By improving the quality of soil, researchers hope the fertiliser can rehabilitate degraded land and enhance forestation. The fly ash is a by-product of coal burning from coal-fired power plants. HEPCO will provide the fertiliser for the project.
Executive Dean of the Faculty of Natural Resources, Agriculture and Veterinary Science, Professor Roger Swift, will work on the project with Senior Research Fellow, Dr Kaye Spark, from UQ Gatton. “Trials have indicated in addition to acting as an effective liming agent, the fertiliser contains a number of essential plant nutrients which are deficient in acidic soils,” Professor Swift said.
Managing Director of UniQuest, David Henderson, said the agreement had strengthened UQ’s reputation in the international arena for bringing industry and research organisations together for global benefit.
