BULGARIA

This infrastructure consists of laboratory infrastructure of ISSAPPNP, where soil and plant samples are analysed and experimental fields with different soil and climatic conditions – Bozhurishte open air field with Continental climate on Vertisol soil and Tsalapitsa open air field with Transitional-Continental climate on Alluvial-Meadow soil type (Fluvisol). 

Tsalapitsa open-air platform provides a field experiment with biochar addition and  rates of nitrogen fertilizer for monitoring the after-effects of biochar application.

The platform also gives an opportunity for measuring lysimeter water flows and their nutrients concentrations under the experiments of “maize-wheat” crop rotation. The scheme of the experiment is in accordance with installed Ebermeyer type lysimeter devices (Stoichev, 1974) at a depth of 0-100 cm from the soil surface, in three replications under each variant.  A randomized block design was used with experimental plots of 100.8 m2 for assessment of good agricultural practices for protecting groundwater from nitrate pollution as a result of agricultural activity.

Experiments are focused on improving yields and soil fertility under agricultural crop production, according to “soil-plant-atmosphere” relationships and enable researchers to manipulate and observe soil and plant responses to applied fertilization and irrigation practices.

Access facilities are a suitable tool for scientific research, data collection, interdisciplinary collaboration and project development. The platforms offer accommodation and logistics assistance, as well as specialized support with experimental design and data management.