VALORISATION OF FOREST BIOMASS SIDE-STREAMS IN ADD VALUE GREEN-PRODUCTS FOR HORTICULTURAL INDUSTRY

Keywords Peat alternatives; forest residual biomass; non-native species; waste-flow valorisation; circular economy. Abstract Horticulture industry uses peat as the main constituent in growing media formulations due to its ability to support efficient plant production. However, peat is a non-renewable resource at its actual extraction rate, and environmental issues associated with greenhouse gases emission from peat harvest raised peatland ecosystem conservation awareness through environmental initiatives, organizations and politics worldwide, limiting its use. There has been an increasing demand for environmentally friendly peat alternatives focused on locally available, organic and renewable materials from industrial side-streams, mainly wood-based and forest biomass. Therefore, woody raw-materials physical, chemical and biological properties are important to determinate further pre-treatment identification and choice. This work evaluates bark- based growing media suitability from non-native forest species in Mediterranean region, Acacia melanoxylon – residual biomass from invasive species control – and Eucalyptus globulus – a pulpwood industrial waste-stream. A

FIS:VIVO