Agricultural Compost Research Articles

The effect of microplastic contaminated compost on the growth of rice seedlings

Microplastics (MPs) are pollutants that have contaminated compost, but there are few studies on the interaction between compost contaminated with MPs (MPsC) and rice seedling performance. This study investigated the effect of MPsC on the planting activity in rice. In this Three different treatments were applied: treatment 1 (P1) as a control without the addition of MPs, Treatment 2 (P2) with the addition of a 1 % PET MPs concentration, and Treatment 3 (P3) with the addition of a 2 % PET MPs concentration. Rice seedlings were planted in the planting medium of each treatment and observed for 24 days after planting (dap). Treatment with the addition of PET MPs showed a significant reduction 38 %, 25 %, 25 % at root length, height, and fresh weight respectively. Additionally, in chlorophyll content there was a decrease of 42 %, 45 %, 55 % in Chl a, Chl b, and total Chl. This decrease may be caused by disturbances in nutrition and photosynthesis processes due to exposure to MPs. The addition of PET MPs to compost as a planting medium can inhibit the growth and health of rice seedlings. These findings underscore the critical need for effective management of plastic waste in agricultural compost to mitigate its adverse effects on plant growth and environmental sustainability. Proper disposal and treatment of plastic contaminants are essential to maintain the integrity of compost used in agriculture, thereby ensuring optimal plant health and ecological balance.

Effects of Integrated Use of <em>Lantana camara, Calliandra calothyrsus</em> and Cow Manure with Diammonium Phosphate and Potassium Chloride on Haricot Bean Yield in the Northern Part of Burundi

Effects of Integrated Use of <em>Lantana camara, Calliandra calothyrsus</em> and Cow Manure with Diammonium Phosphate and Potassium Chloride on Haricot Bean Yield in the Northern Part of Burundi

Effects of composts obtained from hazelnut wastes on the cultivation of pepper (Capsicum annuum) seedlings

Mixing animal waste and agricultural waste in certain proportions forms agricultural compost through appropriate air, time, and water supply. One of their use areas is directly used as fertilizer, and the other one is used as a material that can partially or completely replace P (peat) in the PGM (plant growth media). In this study, the initial mixtures with an appropriate C/N ratio and moisture content, which were created by mixing cow manure, chicken manure, hazelnut husk, hazelnut pruning wastes, vegetable and fruit wastes, and dry leaves, were composted for 180 days. The physicochemical properties of the mature composts were determined. Their effects on the fruit yield (weight of fruits) and plant height of pepper seedlings were evaluated in pot and field experiments. N (nitrogen), P (phosphorus), Cu (copper), and Zn (zinc) content were the highest in C4 (2.59%, 1.12%, 83.11 mg/kg, and 605.3 mg/kg). K (potassium) and Mn (manganese) content in C3 (1.79% and 750.5 mg/kg) and Fe (iron) content in C1 (4025 mg/kg) were determined to be the highest. There was no phytotoxic effect of all composts on Lepidium sativum seeds. Except for pH and organic matter, C1 45%, C1 20%, C4 45%, C4 20%, and P 90% met the requirements for ideal media. The mean height of eight-week seedlings increased in media of C1 20%, C1 45%, C2 20%, C2 45%, and C4 20%, but decreased in media of C3 90%. In field studies, while the highest yield was determined in C3 as 1530 g/plant, the lowest yield was 765.5 g/plant in control. The highest mean height was observed in C3 at 76.33 cm; the lowest was 63.03 cm in control.

Assessing the growth-stimulating effect of tea waste compost in urban agriculture while identifying the benefits of household waste carbon dioxide

Tea is a globally popular beverage, leading to a significant accumulation of municipal waste. This study investigated the effects of tea waste compost on the growth traits of Raphanus sativus L. or radish while exploring the contribution of clean source carbon dioxide to sustainable production. The research team gathered the tea waste from urban households and allowed it to decompose for four months. Certain volumes of the tea waste compost ranging from 0% to 75% were mixed with locally available loamy textured garden soil (v/v). To simulate the impact of carbon dioxide waste from urban households on plant growth, the first greenhouse was enriched with carbon dioxide to reach elevated concentrations of 1500 ± 100 ppm, while the second greenhouse was maintained at the ambient level of 500 ± 20 ppm. The optimal growth temperature of both greenhouses was supplied with electricity. Using a split plot design, the effects of normal and elevated carbon dioxide levels, different volumes of tea waste compost, and the combined effect of tea waste compost and carbon dioxide levels on growth traits were investigated. The results showed that the elevated carbon dioxide level negatively influences the radish yield, biomass accumulation, and vegetative growth parameters. However, the tea waste compost improves growth traits with increasing volumes in garden soil from 0% to 75% (v/v). In the media containing 75% of tea waste compost, the elevated carbon dioxide level has the same effect as the normal level on growth traits, however, positive effects on total fresh weight but negative effects on measures of total dry weight, leaf dry weight, and total leaf area. These results show that the highest volume of tea waste compost ideally supports the growth of radish, which is mainly related to its high nitrogen content. The high and normal carbon dioxide levels in this volume are unable to dominate each other in terms of growth promotion. However, to reduce the amount of carbon dioxide emitted from houses and to produce fresh products, the waste carbon dioxide of urban houses should be transferred to the greenhouse to provide radishes with higher carbon dioxide levels during photosynthesis. Renewable energy sources such as solar or wind-generated electricitycan be used to increase the temperature to the optimal level. This production method should be evaluated in future studies for other horticultural crops that prefer high carbon dioxide levels.

Effect of Leached and Co-Composted Organic Fraction of Municipal Solid Waste with Bulking Agents on Soil Properties and Sweet Pepper Plant Development Under Calcareous Soil

ABSTRACT Composting of the organic fraction of municipal solid waste (OFMSW) and its utilization for agriculture has gained great popularity all over the world. However, the safe use of municipal solid waste compost (MSWC) in agriculture has been regarded with skepticism because of concerns over the possibility of excessive salt content. A field experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of the leached and co-composted OFMSW with wheat straw (WS) and wood shaving (WSH) as bulking agents (BAs) on soil properties and sweet pepper performance. Six mixtures of compost were prepared including; T1= (OFMSW), T2= (OFMSW+WS) and T3= (OFMSW+WSH). The last three piles, where OFMSW was subjected to leaching (L), including: T4= (LOFMSW), T5= (LOFMSW+WS) and T6= (LOFMSW+WSH). The compost was applied to the field at rates of 0, 40, and 80t/ha alone, as well as in a combination with NPK fertilizer. Plant growth and quality parameters were improved with the addition of compost containing BAs. The application of leached compost significantly reduced (P < .001) electrical conductivity (EC) and sodium (Na) in the soil. Most of the growth and yield plant parameters were increased at a compost rate of 40 t/ha + NPK. Increasing compost rates combined with NPK increased EC, and soil available nitrogen (N), potassium (K), phosphorus (P), and sodium (Na), while soil organic matter (SOM) increased with compost alone. Soil pH was lowered with increasing compost + NPK. Overall, findings suggest that applying leached compost with BAs could provide better results on soil and plant.

Quantitative analysis of index factors in agricultural compost by infrared spectroscopy

Hyperspectral technology, with its high spectrum resolution and nanometer continuous spectral information acquisition ability, provide a possibility for rapidly and nondestructive evaluating compost maturity. In this study, the near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) analysis techniques was used to analyze quantitatively organic matter (OM) content, total nitrogen (TN) content and carbon-nitrogen (C/N) ratio in compost based on two different composting procedures. In the basis of spectra preprocessing and strategies of variable selection, the nonlinear modeling LBC-siPLS-PLSR for OM, MSC-SPA-PLSR for TN and R-SPA-PLSR for C/N ratio was respectively constructed using partial least squares regression (PLSR). LBC-siPLS-PLSR, MSC-SPA-PLSR and R-SPA-PLSR provided a better prediction capability with root mean square error of prediction, the coefficient of determination for prediction and residual predictive deviation values of 4.061, 0.746 and 2.02 for OM, values of 0.205, 0.65 and 1.71 for TN and values of 1.11, 0.706 and 2.07 for C/N ratio, respectively. These results showed that the NIRS technique could be fitted to each element, using specific spectrum pretreatment, in order to achieve an acceptable accuracy in the prediction.

Ex-ante demand assessment and willingness to pay for human excreta derived co-compost: Empirical evidence from rural South Africa

Recovering plant nutrients from human excreta streams through circular bioeconomy initiatives like co-composting may offer a cross-sectoral solution to waste management, sanitation, and agriculture. However, the failure of composting innovations is attributed to a lack of a ready market for the compost produced. The current study hypothesizes that improving the desirable attributes of compost to the market through pelletization, fortification, packaging (with labelling), and certification of co-compost could enhance the market demand for co-compost. Socioeconomic variables such as income, religiosity, and environmental attitudes as measured by the new ecological paradigm, were also hypothesized to influence the willingness to pay for co-compost. Based on Lancaster's characteristics demand theory, the efficient Bayesian design, and the discrete choice experiment, we administered a mobile-based survey to 341 rural farmers. The conditional logit, random parameters, and latent class models show that the rural farmers were willing to pay for all the attributes included, especially certification by relevant authorities (ZAR1.70/kg) and fortification with inorganic mineral fertilizers (ZAR1.49/kg). The findings also indicate the influence of income, religiosity, and environmental attitudes on farmers' willingness to pay for co-compost. The results demonstrate the importance of addressing perceived and actual health risk through certification and the complementary role of co-compost in enhancing the agronomic efficiency of chemical fertilizers through fortification in farming systems. Redesigning compost to include the identified attributes could enhance its market appeal. Mainstreaming dissemination strategies and targeting customer segments could improve social acceptance of human excreta-derived compost in agriculture.

IoT-Based Agricultural Compost Monitoring System: Prototype Development and Sensor Technology Evaluation

Smart agriculture refers to the application of advanced technologies in the field of agriculture, such as the Internet of Things, big data, edge/cloud computing, among others. These technologies facilitate the monitoring, tracking, recording, visualization, automation, and analysis of various agricultural operations. One critical process in this domain is composting, an organic waste disposal method that enriches soil with nutrients and encourages sustainable farming practices. However, it requires constant monitoring to ensure high-quality compost production at an optimal rate, without the development of harmful toxins. In this context, we propose a novel IoT-based agricultural compost monitoring system. The system is composed of an IoT sensor probe, edge/cloud platforms, and integrated solutions for networking, monitoring, logging, reporting, and visualization. This paper provides a comprehensive physical implementation of the probe, including detailed prototype components, testing of pertinent sensor technologies, and analysis of experiments conducted on a compost site using several probe variants. The main contributions of this paper are twofold: (1) the development of a novel IoT system prototype for efficient compost monitoring, and (2) the identification of the optimal sensor technology for measuring compost temperature. Our findings indicate that infrared sensing technology delivers the fastest and most accurate readings.

Isolation and molecular identification of cellulose/hemicellulose degrading bacteria from agricultural compost and determination of their hydrolytic potential

Nine cellulolytic bacteria were isolated from agricultural residues compost on selective culture medium amended with cellulose (filter paper) as the sole carbon source. Five of the nine isolates (CX2, CX4, CX5, CX7 and CX9) were able to degrade both cellulose (CMC) and xylan in congo red agar plates. The five isolates were able to depolymerize the agricultural wastes, rice straw and sugarcane bagasse. CMC-ase and xylanase production by the five isolates were determined on rice straw and sugarcane bagasse. CX2 and CX9 exhibited the highest CMC-ase and xylanase production on both rice straw and sugarcane bagasse. Among the isolated strains, CX9 produced the highest CMC-ase activity (71 pKat ml−1) on rice straw, whereas CX9 produced the highest xylanase activity (7.83 nKat ml−1) on sugarcane bagasse. In general, higher CMC-ase and xylanase production was obtained on rice straw compared with sugarcane bagasse. According to the sequences of the 16 s rRNA genes, the five isolates were identified as: Paracoccus kondratievae strain GB (CX2 and CX4), Paracoccus communis (CX5), Bacillus australimaris (CX7) and Bacillus pumilus (CX9). The sequences of the 16S rRNA genes of five isolates were submitted to the gene bank.

Converting wood-related waste materials into other value-added products: A short review

This paper reviews converting wood-related waste materials from forestry, wood-based industry, and agriculture activities into other value-added products such as bio-energy, construction materials, agricultural compost, and handicraft application. The wood waste, however, needs to be processed before it can be utilized. The information obtained is reviewed in order to enable them to be useful to the government planners and those involved in the wood-based industry. The gross domestic product from the forest-related industry reached RM6.38 billion in 2019. This resulted in a large amount of waste produced annually. Utilizing these waste materials instead of letting them rot or deteriorate in the forests or at the factory yards sites could generate income and create job opportunities for the local community. A proper and systematic study needs to be undertaken in order to make them into reality.

Environmental management: Modelling Plants Nutrients Values During the Composting Process

Composting of domestic wastes is one of the natural methods of eliminating foods wastes without damaging the environment. This process provides plants nutrients in the form of hygienic products, similar to mineral-rich soil called agricultural compost. The content of these formed components depends on several factors in the process, such as the humidity, the rejects quantities, their ratios to each other, the type of waste, the composting temperature and the elements interactions during the physico-chemical transformations. The innovation in this study, which remains the essential aim of this work, is to show how the formed essential plants nutrients, such as potassium, nitrogen, and phosphorus, depend not only on the humidity of the environment, the aeration by oxygen and the composition of the domestic wastes, but also on the interaction between them combined with the transformation time. Mathematical modelling using the design of experiments method, revealing that the presence of one element of three in the compost is a function of the two others in time, shows this. The mathematical model showing the variation of composting time as function of the minerals presence in the compost by graphs, contours and response surfaces; they simultaneously interprets the results of this process. One of the final objectives is to estimate by prediction the values of composting days without new experiments.ε

The influence of bio-plastics for food packaging on combined anaerobic digestion and composting treatment of organic municipal waste

The use of bio-plastic-based packaging as an alternative to conventional plastic packaging is increasing. Among the plethora of different bio-based plastics, the most relevant ones are those that, at the end of their life, can be treated with the organic fraction of municipal solid waste. Even in these cases, their impact on the waste processing and recycling is not always positive. This study aim to assess on a laboratory scale the influence on combined anaerobic digestion and composting industrial processes of a bio-based plastic film, namely cellulose acetate (CA), in pure and modified (additions of additive) forms. CA films were mixed with organic waste and subjected to: (i) anaerobic digestion; (ii) active composting and (iii) two stages of curing composting. Anaerobic digestion and composting were monitored through methane yield and oxygen uptake respectively; additionally, the bio-plastics degree of disintegration was assessed during all the processes. The final disintegration of pure and modified CA was 73.82% and 54.66%, respectively. Anaerobic digestion contributes to the disintegration of the material, while aerobic treatment appears to be nearly ineffective, especially for modified CA. The presence of cellulose acetate during anaerobic digestion of food waste increased the methane yield by about 4.5%. Bioassay confirmed the absence of possible toxic effects on the final compost from the bio-plastic treatment. Although bio-based materials are not the only solution to plastic pollution, the findings confirm the need to upgrade the organic waste treatment plants and the necessity to revise the requirements for the use of compost in agriculture.

Quantitative Analysis of Agricultural Compost Indicator Factors Based on Different Nir Feature Variable Selection Methods

Quantitative Analysis of Agricultural Compost Indicator Factors Based on Different Nir Feature Variable Selection Methods

Farmers’ Perceptions and Willingness of Compost Production and Use to Contribute to Environmental Sustainability

Composting is an ecological method of recycling organic waste. It presents an effective solution to reduce the large volume of agricultural waste and provides an organic fertilizer and soil amendment. However, its implementation remains limited, especially in Morocco. The vast majority of farmers are unaware of the effectiveness of compost, and it is often considered as an inefficient product compared with chemical fertilizers. In order to develop a local marketing strategy for compost, this study aims to identify the perceptions and willingness of farmers to produce and use compost in agriculture, and to assess the factors shaping these perceptions and willingness, including socio-economic, agricultural and individual factors. The case of Morocco is investigated, where the vast majority of farmers practice inappropriate disposal of agricultural waste and excessive use of agro-chemicals. Data are collected using a standard questionnaire and face-to-face interviews with 350 farmers during their visit to the international agricultural exhibition in Morocco. Descriptive statistics and analysis of variance (ANOVA) are used for data analysis. The results showed a high level (80%) of acceptance by farmers of the production and use of compost. Farmers are also very willing to produce and use compost in agriculture. All the socio-economic, individual and agricultural factors, except gender, length of experience and cultivated area, had a highly significant influence on farmers’ perception and willingness to produce compost (p &lt; 0.005). The positive perceptions of farmers and the high level of willingness to produce compost imply that the composting of organic waste should be encouraged by our local authorities. The production of compost will thus contribute to environmental sustainability and to the promotion of the ecological management of agricultural waste meeting the requirements of a circular economy.

Influence of the Choice of Cultivar and Soil Fertilization on PTE Concentrations in Lactuca sativa L. in the Framework of the Regenerative Agriculture Revolution

Evaluating the relative weight of the choice of cultivar and soil fertilization on potentially toxic elements (PTEs) accumulation is crucial in promoting informed decisions in the framework of regenerative agriculture. To this end, 11 PTEs (Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, Na, Ni, Pb, Zn) were determined in both leaves and roots of six cultivars (Stylist, Xanadu, Aljeva, Bacio, Analena, Vincenzo) of lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) grown side by side on mineral fertilized or biowaste compost amended soils, under greenhouse conditions. The use of multivariate and linear modelling approaches indicated that the organ and cultivar primarily account for the variability in PTE concentrations. In terms of PTE partitioning between organs, Cd and Mg were preferentially accumulated in leaves, whereas Cu, Pb, K and Zn in roots. As for the cultivar, Xanadu showed the highest concentrations of several PTEs, with Cd reaching concerning levels. Fertilization had a detectable contribution only on Cd accumulation, slightly increased in leaves by compost. Findings highlight the key role of cultivar choice in guaranteeing food safety and grant the possibility to adopt biowaste compost in regenerative agriculture without concerns about PTE accumulation enhancements in lettuce, but demand a cautionary approach in the case of Cd.

Modelamiento matemático para el monitoreo y control de las condiciones de degradación aerobia de la fracción orgánica de los residuos sólidos urbanos

Compost has applications in agriculture and environmental restoration. Therefore, it is important to evaluate control parameters that help accelerate and improve the aerobic degradation and stabilization processes of organic waste. A mixture of pruning waste, organic fraction of municipal solid waste, paper, and sawdust was subjected to an aerobic degradation process using mature and stabilized compost from the Bordo Poniente composting plant in Mexico City at different aeration rates (0.064, 0.125, 0.201 and 0.392 L air min-1 kg-1 dry matter) in laboratory-scale bioreactors for 140 h. On-line monitoring of CO2 production and O2 consumption and their setting to mathematical models allowed to select the conditions to obtain a stable compost, as well as to analyze the concentration of trehalose, citric acid, glucose, xylose, erythritol, acetic acid, fructose, and the production of oxalic acid during the degradation process. Germination rates higher than 80% were obtained in the growth of Lactuca sativa seeds in organic waste extracts after aerobic degradation. A vkgm of 0.392 L air kg-1 min-1 DM is suggested as a strategy to obtain a compost free of phytotoxic compounds for the application of compost in agriculture or environmental restoration and a null maintenance coefficient.

Responses of heavy metals mobility and resistant bacteria to adding time of activated carbon during chicken manure composting

With the wide application of compost in agriculture, heavy metals (HMs) continue to accumulate in the soil environment, which poses a great threat to the health of the soil environment. Therefore, it is critical for effectively reduce the mobility of HMs. In this study, the influence of activated carbon (AC) addition time on mobility of HMs (Cu, Zn and Pb) and HMs resistant bacteria structure were evaluated during chicken manure composting. The result showed that the addition of AC in the thermophilic period could effectively reduce the mobility of HMs. Subsequently, high-throughput sequencing results showed that the dominant phyla were Proteobacteria, Firmicutes, Actinbacteria, Deinococcus-Thermus, Chloroflexi, Gemmatimonadetes and Bacteroidetes within the sample, which were ubiquitous and abundant in composting. The Redundancy analysis (RDA) results indicated that the mobility of HMs (Cu, Zn and Pb) by superior bacteria fate varied in AC amendment composting. Ultimately, a regulation method is proposed to influence the mobility of HMs by regulating the bacteria community in the AC compost. Our current studies suggest that the addition of AC during compost preparation (thermophilic period) is an effective strategy in regulating the mobility (bioavailability) of HMs, thereby significantly reducing environmental pollution problems.

Evaluation of Tomato-Based Packing Material for Retention of Ammonia, Nitrous Oxide, Carbon Dioxide and Methane in Gas Phase Biofilters: A Laboratory Study

Biofilters are an effective air pollution control technology to break down gaseous contaminants and produce innocuous end products. This laboratory study aimed to evaluate a biofilter media, mainly composed by tomato waste, as packing material to reduce NH3, N2O, CO2 and CH4 losses from stored pig slurry. Three mixtures of packing materials, with and without oxalic acid, were arranged in treatments, namely: mixture of tomato waste, pine bark and agricultural compost; mixture of tomato waste and rice husk; tomato waste only. A control treatment (no biofilter) was also included. The experiments were conducted using a system of laboratory scale biofilters connected to jars filled with pig slurry and under a constant airflow rate. The gas concentrations were measured for 14 days and the physicochemical of the packing materials were assessed. Results showed that biofilter media mixtures had a potential for NH3 retention ranging from 51 to 77% and the addition of oxalic acid to these biofilters increased NH3 retention to 72–79%. Additionally, the biofilter media mixtures with and without oxalic acid showed a potential retention for CH4 (29–69%) but not for N2O, yet with no impact on the global warming potential. It can be concluded that tomato based biofilters had the potential to reduce gaseous emissions from slurry.

ASSESSMENT OF SEAFOOD PROCESSING SLUDGE AFTER COMPOSTING ON GROWTH OF TAGETES PATULA L.

Sludge of seafood processing factories discharged directly into the environment can lead to environmental pollution. Research on the use of seafood processing sludge as compost for agriculture in the Mekong Delta is encouraged. The objectives of this study were (1) to evaluate the chemical composition of seafood processingsludge after 60 days composting and (2) to evaluate the growth of Tagetes patula L planted with composted sludge. The sludge composting experiment was carried out with 3 treatments: sludge + Trichoderma fungi; sludge + chicken manure + Trichoderma fungi; sludge + straw + chicken manure + Trichoderma fungi. The results showed that the treatment of sludge + straw + chicken manure + Trichoderma fungi had a betterquality than the other two treatments. The pH, TC, TN, NH+ 4 , NO- 3 , TP, PO3 4- and heavy metal(Pb, Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Zn and Hg) contents of sludge meet the environmental standard of Viet Nam (10TCN526:2002). E. coli and Salmonella were not present at the end of the composting experiment. Tagetes patula L grew and flowered on all 4 treatments: control – composted straw; sludge + Trichoderma fungi; sludge + chicken manure + Trichoderma fungi; sludge + straw + chicken manure + Trichoderma fungi. However,Tagetes patula L grew best on the sludge + Trichoderma fungi experimental condition .

Biosolid compost amendment increases soil fertility and soybean growth

This study evaluates the effect of soil amendment with biosolid compost with wood shavings and yard trimmings on soil fertility, and soybean (Glycine max) biomass, productivity, nutrient uptake, and potential accumulation of toxic elements, like Pb. Soil from agricultural fields under intense crop production were amended with compost at 0%, 5% and 10% w/w rate, and incubated under controlled conditions before planting. Then, a greenhouse experiment was performed to study soybean growth, physiological indicators of productivity, and antioxidant response (chlorophylls, carotenes, antioxidant power, soluble sugars and proteins), as well as nutrient (Mg, Cu, Mn, and Zn), and Pb accumulation. Moreover, soil nutrient status (pH, cation exchange capacity, organic matter, nitrogen, sulfur, extractable cations, and soil microbial activity) were analyzed. The results showed that compost improved soil fertility and microbial activity, including nodulation in soybean roots. Biomass production was strongly increased; content of chlorophyll, carotenes, sugars, and protein also increased. Grains were produced only in the compost treatments. Compost addition also reduced nutrient deficiencies in leaves and grains, and Pb accumulation in soybean. Our findings contribute with information about the role of biosolid compost in sustainable agriculture: allowing the recovery of soil fertility in agricultural soils under intensive production and, consequently, improvement of crop growth.