March 19-25, 2025: Mission of Prof. Pidlisnyuk to Zagreb, Croatia

On March 19-25, 2025, Prof. Pidlisnyuk visited Zagreb, Croatia with NATO SPS MYP G6094 mission. She had a goal to meet with the colleagues from the University of Zagreb and firm Miscanthus d.o.o. While at the University of Zagreb Prof. Pidlisnyuk visited the Agricultural Faculty and had a meeting with professor Zeljka Zgorelec, Head of the Department of General Agronomy, Division for Agroecology, and Assoc. Prof. Nikola Bilandžija, Department of Mechanization and Autonomous Systems, Division of Agricultural Engineering. University of Zagreb is a linkage institution of G6094 and prof. Zgorelec is a Leader of the research on soil carbon, and carbon sequestration.

During the meeting the initial results of measuring the soil carbon at the M×g plantation in Chomutov, Czech Republic, amending by sewage sludge biochar in 5 and 10% doses, and M×g plantation in Vorzel, Ukraine amending by M×g biochar at doses 5 and 10%. were overviewed. The plan for evaluation of the results was prepared.

Prof. Pidlisnyuk visited the Miscanthus d.o.o. firm and had a negotiation with Director Sergey Chabannyi on purchasing and delivering of 1,500 M×g rhizomes for plantation to be established in April, 2025 at the brownfield in Chomutov.

Prof. Pidlisnyuk met with citizens of the village St. Helena, Zagreb region Mrs. Popovic Ivka and Mr. Popovic Ivica. In 2016 M×g plantation was established at their private land within NATO G4687; currently the plantation has to be liquidated. The size of the plantation is 10 m × 70 m. The problems with the absence of necessary technique for the liquidation was discussed. Prof. Pidlisnyuk collected soil samples from the M×g plantation for measuring the soil microbial communities and soil carbon within G6094.