BioCordelia

Bio-based and Biodegradable Controlled Release Delivery Systems for Agricultural Inputs

Project details

Type of project: Research & Innovation Action
Feedstock origin: Forestry waste
Feedstock type: Lignin & wood residues

Project period: 1 June 2026 - 30 November 2029
Status: Upcoming
CBE JU Contribution: € 3 347 178,50
Call identifier: HORIZON-JU-CBE-2025

Summary

The EU faces growing pressure to boost agricultural productivity sustainably amid climate change, food security, and environmental concerns. Of its 161.8 million hectares of farmland, 122.9 million hectares receive controlled-release fertilisers. Although they improve nutrient efficiency and reduce leaching while lowering dosage and costs, most rely on non-biodegradable polymer coatings that persist in soil, causing microplastic pollution and damaging soil fertility, carbon storage, and biodiversity.

BIO-CORDELIA will address these challenges by developing two new categories of fully bio-based and biodegradable controlled-release fertilisers using unique lignocellulosic materials derived from underutilised sidestreams of European agricultural and forest industries. The project team will apply a patented aldehyde-assisted fractionation technology to fractionate lignocellulosic components. This technology will enable the extraction of cellulose and, for the first time, the isolation, purification, and functionalisation of native, uncondensed lignin and hemicellulose, two materials usually treated as waste. In BIO-CORDELIA, this technology will be used to valorise sustainably sourced olive pits and birch bark from Europe.

The extracted lignocellulosic materials will be used to develop two different bio-based controlled-release delivery systems, bio-matrix and bio-coating, with tailored release durations of up to two and eight months, respectively. The project will also evaluate biodegradability of the bio-matrix and bio-coating materials and their nutrient release efficacy, with focus on factors affecting the overall biodegradation process, as well as plant and soil health. Small-scale field trials in two European regions will demonstrate the viability of BIO-CORDELIA controlled-release fertilisers.

Transform underutilised European biomass sidestreams to produce sustainable and circular lignocellulosic materials suitable for the development of bio-based and biodegradable controlled-release delivery systems.
Develop and validate bio-based controlled-release matrices and coating formulations for use in slow- and controlled-release delivery systems for fertilisers.
Assess the applicability of project solutions to anti-caking and seed protection coatings.
Test and validate the biodegradation profiles and efficacy of the developed delivery systems under laboratory and natural soil conditions.
Develop and apply the safe-and-sustainable-by-design principles throughout the development of lignocellulose-based delivery systems, including their degradation products, microplastic risks, and applicability in different farming systems.
Communicate, disseminate, and exploit project outcomes to relevant stakeholders via a multi-actor approach to engage stakeholders, increase awareness, and promote widespread uptake of developed solutions.

Advance knowledge of biodegradable, lignocellulose-based controlled-release systems for agriculture.
Establish safe-and-sustainable-by-design and life cycle assessment datasets applicable across bio-based sectors.
Integrate the Joint Research Centre’s methodology for conventional and organic farming.
Create new avenues for economic growth, cost savings, and market opportunities for industry.
Create new value chains for forest and agricultural residues with potential for 500-1000 rural jobs post-project.
Boost commercialisation potential via uptake interest from BIO-CORDELIA industry partners.
Enable farmers to benefit from cost-effective, sustainable fertilisers for improved land productivity.
Prevent 0.125 million tonnes per year of microplastics and 100 million tonnes per year of nutrient leakage, reducing the carbon footprint of controlled-release fertilisers by 2.25% per tonne.
Replace 930 to 1,395 kilotonnes per year of controlled-release fertilisers in Europe.
Upcycle 5% of underutilised feedstocks and sidestreams, reducing CO₂ emissions by over 5 million kilograms per year in the mid-term.
Develop two circular value chains connecting the project partners BioPowder in Malta and Innomost in Finland with biorefineries, bio-based material technology developers, and agrochemical industries, ultimately linking olive farmers and the forestry sector as both end-users and primary feedstock suppliers.
Support policy compliance with the EU Fertilising Products Regulation and provide biodegradation and soil health data to accelerate market readiness.