Projects of the Department of Agro-environmental Studies (AKT)

Last modified: 12. February 2024

Projects of the Department of Agro-Environmental Studies

Current Projects

Effect of cover crop on soil aggregation, erosion and carbon storage; 2022-2026; 47.250 MFt

Considering that climate change is inducing less frequent but more intensive precipitation events, it is important to increase the water retention capacity of the cultivated areas of hilly regions. The excellent soil structure is one of the key factors of the effective infiltration of precipitation, which can considerably reduce soil erosion. The good soil structure depends mainly on the presence of water-stable soil aggregates, which stability is in turn depending on physical, chemical and biological factors together. One of these is the glomalin (produced by the mycorrhiza fungi), which is not only a binding agent but a potential C pool as well. During our research, the effect of regenerative agriculture (conservation tillage + cover crop) on soil aggregates and C storage will be examined on luvisol in sub-humid climate.

The main research questions are:

• What is the role of glomalin in the formation of soil aggregates?

• What is the role of the different binding agents in aggregate stability in diverse aggregate size fractions?

• How does the application of cover crops influence the biomass and activity of microbe communities, and thence the

• formation of soil aggregates and on the water management of the soil?

• What is the role of glomalin in the retention of unstable organic matter in the soil aggregates and in the increase of the

• stable C fraction?

• How are changes of the soil aggregates manifested on the plot scale? In other words, what is the effect of cover crop on

• the runoff, soil loss and water management of the study area?

• Which cover crop species can be used safely in this area?

Evaluation of the environmental effects of the municipal sewage sludge composting plant in Fót-Csomád; continuously since 2001

Since 2001, we have been examining the water volume of the monitoring wells and the changes in the water quality (physical and chemical parameters) of the wells as part of the environmental impact assessment project of the Fót-Csomád municipal sewage sludge composting plant (Fővárosi Csatornázási Művek Zrt.). Our task is also to examine the soil of the leachate disposal site (poplar plantation), coordinate accredited soil sampling and tests, and evaluate the results.