Abstract
There is a global problem involving the generation, management, disposal, and treatment of agro-industrial waste, since it requires technologies for its transformation into the sustainable production of food, fodder, biofuels, fibers, bioproducts, and biofertilizers. The citrus and sugarcane agroindustries generate waste or byproducts that require a special treatment to be reused. Sugarcane byproducts already have an established but unsustainable use. In the case of citrus fruits, 50-60% of the organic waste has an acidic pH (3-4), 95% organic matter, and 80-90% moisture. The objective of this research was to evaluate and model the pile composting method applied to byproducts of the orange and sugarcane agroindustries to obtain compost with competitive physicochemical parameters for use as a soil improver. The pile was designed with a pyramidal rectangular arrangement, and 9 points were established for temperature sampling in three different sections during composting. An average of 55 °C and a pH of 9,1 were obtained at the end of the process. Compared to the regional control, the C/N ratio (27,5), organic matter (65,5%), and macro- and microelements show improved characteristics for use in food production in agroecological agriculture.
Highlights
Research aimed at the use of agronomic techniques that improve productivity in terms of quantity and quality of products has increased (Edgerton, 2009)
The incorporation of citrus and green sugarcane byproducts favors the process of conventional composting byproducts such as bagasse, filter mud, and ash, which can take more than 90 days to show signs of degradation
Considering the current situation of the country, acid soils, highly degraded by monocultures and waste burning and the technological, social, and economic conditions of citrus and sugarcane producers, as well as processing plants, composting is a viable option to valorize the byproducts obtained from these agroindustries
Summary
Research aimed at the use of agronomic techniques that improve productivity in terms of quantity and quality of products has increased (Edgerton, 2009). Recent studies that compare the properties of soil treated with organic and chemical fertilizers have shown the former to improve nitrogen and organic matter contents and increase productivity (Drinkwater and Snapp, 2007; Yang, Su, Wang, and Yang, 2016). With the use of biological processes, agricultural residues can be transformed into biofertilizers (Muscolo, Papalia, Settineri, and Mallamaci, 2018) for the development of sustainable agriculture. The speed and degree of degradation of the waste depends on the quality of the materials used and the conditions of the process
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