Crop Waste Research Articles

Physical–Chemical–Biological Pretreatment for Biomass Degradation and Industrial Applications: A Review

Lignocellulosic biomass, including agricultural, forestry, and energy crop waste, is one of Earth’s most abundant renewable resources, accounting for approximately 50% of global renewable resources. It contains cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin, making it crucial for biofuels and bio-based chemicals. Due to its complex structure, single-pretreatment methods are inefficient, leading to the development of combined pretreatment technologies. These methods enhance cellulose accessibility and conversion efficiency. This paper analyzes the principles, advantages, and disadvantages of various combined pretreatment methods and their practical benefits. It highlights recent research achievements and applications in biofuel, biochemical production, and feed. By integrating multiple pretreatment methods, biomass degradation efficiency can be significantly improved, energy consumption reduced, and chemical reagent use minimized. Future advancements in combined physical, chemical, and biological pretreatment technologies will further enhance biomass utilization efficiency, reduce energy consumption, and protect the environment, providing robust support for sustainable renewable energy development and ecological protection.

Hydrothermal pretreatment with microwaves: A new strategy for ensuring the sustainability of biorefineries

Lignocellulosic biomass (LCB) includes agricultural residues, crop wastes, and food wastes that are ubiquitously present and can be used as renewable resources to generate bioenergy or biofuels. Still, direct utilization of LCB to produce biofuel is not an easy task due to the recalcitrance property of LCB. The pretreatment strategy is an important step in a biorefinery to reduce biomass recalcitrance and to use it for bioenergy including value-added product generation. Microwave irradiation is procuring interest regarding LCB and waste material pretreatment over time before moving to biological transformation to biofuels. The coupling of microwave heating with water has made it the most effective treatment for biomass valorization to generate biofuel and other value-added products, turning it into the most cost-effective and eco-friendly approach. Despite its numerous advantages, scaling up microwave pretreatment from laboratory experiments to industrial applications faces several challenges. These limitations become significant hurdles in scaling up. As a result, it is necessary to focus research on cost evaluations and life cycle assessment (LCA) studies for commercialization that will benefit the bioeconomy and the environment. This review discusses microwave-assisted pretreatment significance in valorizing LCB for biofuel generation including the cost evaluation and LCA studies that have the most important role in commercializing the microwave-assisted pretreatment from lab scale to industrial scale.

Agriculture High-Quality Development and Nutrition

Modern Agricultural production wants to efficiently produce plant products and benefits to meet people's needs. However, because of better plant species and varieties, overuse of fertilizer and overdose of pesticide alters the plant resources relationship, resulting in soil degradation, vegetation decline, and crop failure or waste of resources, which influence the quality of fruit and benefit and are unfavorable for the sustainable utilization of nature resources and crops high-quality development. After a couple of years of study, the results showed that Agricultural development went into agricultural high-quality development in 2017, which is to use effective measures or methods to maximize yield and benefits and meet the need of people's need for better Agricultural produce and a better life. The theory foundation of the sustainable utilization of natural resources and Agriculture high-quality production is the resources use limit by plants, vegetation carrying capacity, and critical period of plant resources relationship regulation. The methods of Agriculture high-quality development are to select excellent plant species or varieties based on site conditions and market needs before planting crop young plants and sowing seeds, adopt appropriate initial planting density when planting crop young plants and sowing seeds, and regulate the relationship between plant growth and resources need in the process of crop production in a timely and appropriate amount, especially the chemical fertilizer and pesticide to obtain the maximum yield and benefits and realize the sustainable utilization of natural resources and achieve agricultural high-quality development.

Evaluation of Associative Effects on Degradability, Fermentation Parameters, and In Vitro Methane Production as a Result of Variation in the Ruminants Diets Constituents

This study aimed to investigate the effect of different forage sources and forage-to-concentrate ratios on digestibility, energy concentration, fermentation parameters, and in vitro estimate of methane. The experiment was carried out in a completely randomized design using a 3 × 6 factorial arrangement with three forages varying the chemical composition (pineapple crop waste silage [PS], corn silage [CS], and Tifton hay [TH]) associated with concentrate feed (C) in six combinations, using triplicates for each ratio. We evaluated in vitro digestibility, metabolizable and net energy, pH, redox potential, volatile fatty acids (VFA), and methane production. The in vitro neutral detergent fiber digestibility (IVNDFD) decreased (p = 0.0011) with the inclusion of concentrate. It was also affected by the forage source, but this fact was only observed in CS up to the 50:50 ratio. In TH, this fact occurred from the 80:20 ratio, and this behavior was not observed in the PS. Data on methane production, VFA, and fermentation parameters varied according to forage source and concentrate inclusion. In conclusion, the inclusion of concentrate reduces methane production, increasing the system’s energy contribution. Overall, the different forage sources and the inclusion of concentrate change digestion and fermentation parameters.

Bio-oil from Piper nigrum L. Crop Waste as a Potential Biofuel and Its Contribution to Chemistry Education through Problematized Experimental Activity

Bio-oil from <i>Piper nigrum</i> L. Crop Waste as a Potential Biofuel and Its Contribution to Chemistry Education through Problematized Experimental Activity

IoT- enabled crop waste mulching machine for sustainable farming: perspective of circular economy

Abstract A large amount of crop waste is generated after crop harvesting. A substantial quantity of waste on the farm is burnt to clear the field, contributing to environmental harm and global warming. The study aims to develop a technological solution for crop waste management (CWM) by designing and developing an IoT-enabled crop waste mulching machine. This initiative addresses the environmental and health issues caused by burning crop waste on farms. The research involves designing and developing an IoT-enabled mulching machine that can be attached to the back side of a tractor. The machine consists of power-transmitting elements, supports, and mechanisms to distribute mulching material evenly onto the plant bed. It incorporates advanced IoT load cell sensors, soil moisture sensors, and proximity sensors to optimize the mulching process based on soil moisture content and to prevent machinery blockages. The IoT-enabled mulching machine effectively manages crop waste by utilizing it in mulch, thus preventing the harmful practice of burning waste. This machine ensures a more efficient, safer, and environmentally friendly approach to mulching, offering significant improvements over traditional manual mulching methods.&amp;#xD;The novelty of this research lies in integrating IoT technologies within mulching machine. The mulching machine uses sensors to automate and optimize the mulching process, representing a significant technological advancement over conventional methods. The study offers practical benefits by reducing labour requirements, minimizing the risk of injuries, and ensuring a more uniform mulch application. This technology facilitates more sustainable farming practices, aligning with global sustainability goals. The study can potentially revolutionize the agricultural equipment manufacturing industry (AEMI) by shifting the focus toward environmental sustainability. It promotes replacing plastic film mulching machines with more eco-friendly crop waste mulching solutions. This technology has the potential to reduce air pollution, carbon emissions, and mitigate climate. It also enhances soil health through better mulching practices.

Assessment of Bioenergy Potential in Vindhya Plateau, Madhya Pradesh

Evaluating agricultural residue availability is crucial for assessing sustainable biomass energy production. Crop waste, a byproduct of agricultural production, can be used for soil amendment, animal feed, and energy generation. A survey in seven districts of central India (Bhopal, Damoh, Guna, Raisen, Sagar, Sehore, and Vidisha) was conducted to assess the availability of agricultural residue in the Vindhya Plateau, which comprises about 16% of Madhya Pradesh's geographical area. Agricultural residue availability was determined by selecting a crop, gathering data on yield and generated biomass (including surplus), and estimating the bioenergy potential. The cultivable areas in the selected districts have bioenergy potentials of 19.91, 15.19, 7.88, 21.89, 13.71, 15.09, and 17.21 kJ ha-1 for crops like soybean, rice, wheat, gram, and maize, respectively. The total residue potential, surplus residue potential, and bioenergy potential of the Vindhya Plateau were assessed as 6.08 MT, 2.42 MT, and 40 GJ, respectively. Vindhya Plateau's Raisen district offers the highest biomass potential, making it ideal for bioenergy development and fuel production from biomass.

Assessment of Physico-Chemical Properties of Biogas Slurry as an Organic Fertilizer for Sustainable Agriculture

Chemical fertilizers have been extensively used for growing crops and controlling plant diseases, but they pose potential hazards to the environment, soil health, plants, and people. The current world situation highlights the need to implement eco-friendly agricultural practices for sustainable crop production. Using environmentally friendly manure, such as biogas slurry, can help reduce the negative effects of chemical fertilizers. Biogas slurry is an efficient waste material and organic fertilizer, making it an ideal supplement for sustainable crop production and waste management. An experiment was conducted at IARI, New Delhi, to explore the nutrient potential of biogas slurry. The main objective of this study was to assess biogas slurry's physico-chemical characteristics and nutrient contents. Samples of biogas slurry were collected in three replications and analyzed using standard methods for macro and micronutrients. The data revealed that biogas slurry has a pH of 7.2-8.5, EC of 1.06 to 1.12 dS/m, and organic carbon content of 41.7 to 45.8%. In terms of fertility, it contains significant amounts of nitrogen (1.98-2.17%), phosphorus (0.97 to 1.15%), and potassium (1.98 to 2.17%). Additionally, biogas slurry contains micronutrients such as Zn (0.023-0.027 ppm), Cu (0.005-0.009 ppm), Fe (0.32-0.38 ppm), and Mn (0.089-0.094 ppm). Statistical analysis using ANOVA and Post Hoc tests indicated that the mean data values among all three replications do not differ significantly. Therefore, it can be concluded that the nutritive value of biogas slurry is sufficient to reduce the reliance on chemical fertilizers in agriculture. It represents an optimal long-term organic remedy for developing fertile soil, ensuring enduring agricultural productivity, and mitigating the negative environmental impacts associated with waste management.

Comparative Analysis of Biochar Derived from Rice Straw and Soybean Straw

Aim: Recycling agricultural postharvest waste and re-introducing it again into farmland is one of the tangible ways to address zero waste dream, soil infertility and climate change. Pyrolysis of crop leftovers into biochar remains the most acceptable alternative for proper management of crop waste. The possibility of sustainable biochar production practices and multi-functionality features makes it promising to fufill an increasing demand for soil amendment, agricultural sustainability, environmental protection, cutting-edge materials and mitigation of climate change. Methodology: Same amount (14450 g) in feedstock of rice straw (RS) and soybean straw (SS) undergo slow pyrolysis separately to produce biochar. Physical (percentage yield, moisture, ash, volatile matter, bulk density, pH, electrical conductivity), chemical characterization (Microwave Plasma Atomic Emission Spectroscopy (MP-AES), Scanning Electron Microscope Energy Dispersive X-ray (SEM-EDX), Fourier Transformed Infrared (FTIR) and Thermogravimetric Analysis and Derivative Thermogravimetry (TGA and DTA)) and evaluation of bochar was determined. Results: Rice straw biochar (RSB) recorded a higher char yield of 42.1%. Both lignocellulosic biochars were black and porous with a higher silica (10.6%) content in RSB and higher carbon (82.2%) content in SSB as was revealed by SEM-EDX. Higher ash 27.1%, volatile matter (VM) 31.3% and moisture 29.4% content was seen in RSB compared to SSB because of feedstock composition. Rice straw biochar show higher peaks of macro and micro mineral elements K(14561.21mg/kg), Ca (2401.28 mg/kg), and Na(1735.27 mg/kg) than soybean straw biochar. FTIR was used to identify functional groups that might act as cation adsorbents. As the temperature increased, the TGA and DTG graphs showed mass loss and sample breakdown. Conclusion: Rice and soybean crop wastes were converted into biochar, a nutrient-rich material that maybe utilized to balance acidic soils promoting healthy plant growth and also protecting the environment.

Evolution of the Pd0/PdO phase change on Pd-MCM-41 catalyst for efficient production of furfural from the fast pyrolysis of cellulose

Furfural (C5H4O2) is a high-value platform chemical that is traditionally derived from the solvolysis of hemicellulose. However, its production from pyrolysis is far from satisfactory. In particular, the abundant cellulose within lignocellulosic biomass has yet to be successfully upgraded into furfural. Consequently, the overall yield of furfural from a lignocellulosic biomass is extremely low. Herein, we report a facile heterogeneous catalyst prepared from a simple impregnation of palladium (Pd) onto MCM-41 mesoporous silica. The catalyst demonstrated a remarkably high selectivity of ∼58.5% and yield of ∼32.5 wt% for furfural from the fast pyrolysis of wet cellulose. It was also confirmed to reach a selectivity of 65.4% and yield of 44.5 wt% for furfural from wet xylan, as well as a furfural yield of 23.9 wt% from wet sugarcane bagasse. All these values are superior to the literature reports. Through advanced characterisation including in-situ synchrotron high-temperature XRD and DRIFTS measurement, the loading of Pd in a tiny quantity of 1 mol% was confirmed to be sufficient in enhancing the surface hydrophilicity of the MCM-41 support, promoting the adsorption of reactants especially the formaldehyde group (HCHO), as well as the desorption of the target product furfural. In addition, Pd oxide (i.e., Pd2+O) was confirmed to be the catalytic active site. However, it was partly reduced into metallic Pd0 during the cellulose pyrolysis, due to the preferred reduction by adsorbed formaldehyde group and other reductants including H2 and CO in the vicinity of the PdO sites on the Pd-O-Si interface. Nevertheless, the catalyst was proven to retain the memory of its initial state after combustive regeneration in air, having oxidation state of Pd, particle size, and dispersion degree being reversed to its original construction. Accordingly, its activity remained stable upon cyclic testing. All these results demonstrate a high practical viability of this heterogenous catalyst for the valorisation of cellulose-rich biomass, an otherwise abundant crop waste across the world.

Anti-oomycete activity of asparagus and olive by-products with potential to control Phytophthora cinnamomi root rot

AbstractThe development of environmentally friendly control methods to mitigate the severe damages caused by Phytophthora cinnamomi in the Mediterranean climate-type ecosystems is essential. In this way, crop waste and by-products which represent between 13 and 65% of agriculture production, are a rich source of bioactive compounds with antifungal and biocide activity. The main objective of this work was to determine the biocide activity against P. cinnamomi of three organic extracts. These extracts enriched in bioactive compounds come from residues of asparagus (Asp) and olive crops (Oliv and OH, from fruits and leaves respectively). They were evaluated at two doses (0.15 and 0.10%) on the mycelial growth and sporangial production of P. cinnamomi by in vitro experiments. Mycelial growth and sporangial production were significant reduced from the three plant extracts at the two doses tested, reaching a total inhibition with Asp at both doses. In general, no phytotoxicity symptoms were observed on seed germination and plant development, except for a plant yield reduction in the substrate treated with Oliv and Asp at the highest dose. In experiments performed in artificially infested soil, Asp induced a reduction of chlamydospores viability greater than 75% compared to unamended soil. Additionally, in planta experiments showed a significant reduction in plant mortality in substrate amended with OH. These results suggest that soil application of Asp and OH can limit P. cinnamomi infectivity and survival, setting the first steps to develop a sustainable method to control the root disease based on agricultural waste circular economy.

THE FACTORS IMPACTING OVER ORGANIC PRODUCT’S MARKET: A STUDY OF KUMAUN REGION OF UTTARAKHAND

Since ancient times, India has employed the organic farming technique, which is primarily concerned with producing agricultural products that are sustainable in a clean, unpolluted environment. In order to achieve the necessary agricultural production for human consumption, organic production methods make use of natural resources, maintaining the ecosystem and ecology alive and well. Using naturally occurring resources as inputs, such as organic wastes, farm, animal, and crop wastes, aquatic wastes, other biological materials, and beneficial microbes, is the environmental focus of organic production. Biofertilizers and biocontrol agents are used to release nutrients into crops and shield them from insect pests and diseases in order to increase agricultural productivity. It is imperative that farms move to organic practices. India, a nation that depends heavily on agriculture, must take measures to address the issue of its rapidly expanding population.Although there has been a noticeable movement in people's knowledge of organic food, it appears to be quite gradual. The cultivation of organic crops using the organic farming technique is gaining steam on a global scale. To achieve sustained food, livelihood, and environmental security, a range of alternatives to chemical intensive agriculture must be developed. The present study is an Exploratory cum Descriptive Research in nature with a sample size of 200 customers and various statistical tools such as frequency distribution, percentage, arithmetic mean and general linear Univariate model used. The respondents from different age group, different qualifications and others agreed that there should be an immediate improvement in the product accessibility in the market and the government as well as the producers, should play a key role in it. The study concludes that Organic product’s Market availability needs to improve from Govt. as well as producers both.

스마트팜의 공간배치 특성 연구

Globally, decreasing arable land, insufficient food supply, and rapid urbanization have intensified the contradiction between small urban farmlands and inadequate crop production. To address this, the study explores vertical crop cultivation in urban buildings using smart farm models. Employing literature review, inductive reasoning, analytical methods, and case studies, the paper determines smart farm spatial compositions and technical elements, analyzes spatial layouts, and examines Aero Farms in the USA and Spread in Japan. Smart farms include crop production, energy, and auxiliary spaces. Crop production spaces meet growth requirements, energy spaces reprocess waste for irrigation, and auxiliary spaces use smart technology to regulate the environment. Urban smart farms can alleviate food stress, using crop production technology, waste treatment, and renewable energy. This study promotes urban vertical planting and a new agricultural revolution.

POTENSI KETERSEDIAAN LIMBAH TANAMAN PANGAN SEBAGAI PAKAN TERNAK SAPI POTONG DI KABUPATEN MUNA BARAT

West Muna Regency in Southeast Sulawesi Province is a new autonomous region where the majority of the population is engaged in plantation, agriculture, livestock, and fisheries sectors. In the livestock sector, the population of beef cattle in this area reached 23,388 heads in 2023. However, cattle rearing still depends on natural forage whose production is limited due to seasonal changes and land conversion. This research aims to analyze the potential of food crop waste as a source of feed for beef cattle in West Muna Regency, using secondary data from BPS West Muna in 2023, with descriptive analysis methods. Data analysis is based on calculations of livestock units (ST), food crop waste dry matter (BK), waste carrying capacity and waste carrying capacity index (IDD). The analysis results show that the harvested area for food crops is 9,671 ha with the main commodities being corn (6,372.6 ha), peanuts (1,607.6 ha) and rice (1,048.9 ha). The potential of dry matter from food crop waste reaches 33,221.7 tons of DM/year, with the largest contribution from corn (28,676.7 tons of DM/year). West Muna Regency has an IDD for feed from food crop waste of 0.89, which shows that 89% of beef cattle feed needs can be met from food crop waste. Four sub-districts have an IDD of more than 1, namely Wadaga, Lawa, Barangka, and Sawerigadi, indicating the potential for dry mater from feed crop waste to exceed the needs of the beef cattle population in these sub-districts. The sub-districts with the lowest IDD are Napano Kusambi, Tiworo Tengah, Tiworo Pulau, and Tiworo Utara.

Corn Waste Compost: Organic Fertilizer to Anticipate the Scarcity of Chemical Fertilizers and Agricultural Land Damage in Nagari Manggopoh

The Nagari Manggopoh is a central area for agricultural product corn, mainly corn for livestock, in Lubuk Basung District, Agam Regency, West Sumatra, Indonesia. The corn kernels produced are sold to animal feed processing factories. However, the corn stalk waste left after harvest is typically burned, leading to land biota damage and air pollution. This community service project aims to raise awareness and demonstrate the process of converting corn plant waste into compost. The project involved socializing, training, and practical demonstrations on composting corn crop waste. These activities have been conducted through counseling sessions, focus group discussions, and hands-on training from June to August 2022. Following the activities, an evaluation was conducted through discussions with the participants. The project's initial result was that ten stakeholders participated in the socialization of using corn crop waste for composting. Additionally, 15 Batang Piarau Jorong Sago farmer group members in Kenagarian Manggopoh have received training and successfully produced compost from corn stalk waste generated from animal feed crops.

Process and quality evaluation of different improved composts made with a smart laboratory pilot plant

This study monitored the process and investigated the quality of compost obtained from different biomasses. Five blends of agri-food waste were composted by a laboratory pilot plant named COMPOSTER, that is designed to optimize biodegradation, and produce compost efficiently. The COMPOSTER consists of two 35-liter nearly adiabatic, aerated bioreactors that simulate an industrial process involving the typical sequence of mesophilic-thermophilic-mesophilic phases. It continuously monitors and records temperature, internal pressure, and biomass weight, while controlling and quantifying oxygen consumption and carbon dioxide emissions resulting from aerobic biodegradation. All composts were characterized for their main chemical, physical, and molecular features, as well as their suppressiveness against Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. lycopersici (FOL), tested on tomato seedlings. Optimized biodegradation yielded 50–60 % mature compost with a cumulative oxygen consumption ranging from 282 to 456 gO2 per kg of dry matter, with peaks of 2.55 gO2 per kg of volatile solids per hour, and carbon dioxide emissions of 22–36 % of the initial carbon content, with peaks of 5.89 g CO2 per kg of volatile solids per hour. Blends containing more ligno-cellulosic ingredients showed higher yields and lower CO2 emissions. Most of the nitrogen present initially was retained in the final compost; indeed, all mixtures exhibited an apparent nitrogen concentration increase due to carbon loss. Composting determined deep modifications in the molecular structure of the organic matter. 13C CPMAS-NMR and off-line thermochemolysis GC-MS analyses highlighted decomposition degree of polysaccharides and peptidic moieties, selective preservation of aliphatic and aromatic recalcitrant compounds, and optimal ongoing humification. All composts were non-phytotoxic, except for that including pepper crop residues, and all resulted rich in macro- and micro-elements for plant nutrition and proved to be active in controlling FOL disease. Compost comprising 81.2 % tomato crop waste exhibited the best growth performance and pathogen control on tomato. Mature, non-phytotoxic, nutrient-rich, and suppressive composts represent promising by-products that can be successfully recycled in agriculture, including high-value applications, leading to lower use of fertilizers and pesticides.

Mechanical Characteristics of Biocomposites Based on Rice Husk Reinforced Recycled Polypropylene

This work aims to investigate the influence of the combination ofbetween agriculture waste, rice husk (RH) and domestic plastic waste, recycled polypropylene (RPP) in producing environmentally friendly materials. In the current investigation, four distinct compounds were selected to identify the most effective combination for achieving the highest result of mechanical properties outcomes.Samples were created with variable RH concentrations (10%, 20%, 30%, and 40% by weight). The results showed that RH-RPP with 20% of RH had the highest mechanical properties. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images prove the enhanced mechanical characteristics. In addition, the water absorption and thickness swelling analysis show that RH-RPP composites with 20% RH concentration produce competitive results of 1.14% and 2.06%, respectively. Therefore, the finding from the present study summarized that the combination of RH and RPP with 20% of RH percentage had a great potential in producing competitive eco-friendly material for engineering applicationsespecially for packaging materials. In addition, it is expected to provide an alternative for the management of crop waste and domestic plastic waste. Thus, able to contribute to the environmental sustainability and resource efficiency which towards sustainable development goals (SDGs), therebycontributing to sustainable development goals especially in line with the SDG 12, responsible consumption, and production. Therefore, able to contribute to environmental sustainability and resource efficiency towards sustainable development goals (SDG), especially SDG 12 which is responsible consumption and production.

Does biochar mitigate rainfall-induced soil erosion? A review and meta-analysis

Biochar has emerged as a promising soil amendment for improving soil structure. Yet, its impact on rainfall-induced soil erosion varies across individual studies. To address this gap, we conducted a statistical meta-analysis of 174 paired comparisons from 45 published studies to integratedly evaluate the impacts of biochar on rainfall-induced soil erosion through biochar and soil properties, as well as experimental conditions. Overall, biochar significantly reduced soil erosion by 27.86%. The response ratio (lnRR) of biochar-induced soil erosion exhibited significant variability across different subgroups. Concerning biochar properties, a more favorable influence was observed in other sources biochar (e.g., manure and sewage sludge biochar) compared to wood based and crop waste biochar, and those produced at lower pyrolysis temperatures (< 500 °C). Increasing biochar dosage was not consistently effective. The optimal range was 0.8%–2%, resulting in a 36.07% reduction in soil erosion. Regarding the soil properties, a higher sand/clay ratio of soil significantly enhanced the performance of biochar (p < 0.0001). Specifically, an insignificant effect was observed in fine-grained soils, whereas the highest reduction of 52.97% was noted in coarse-grained soils. Moreover, long-term field experiments induced greater reductions in soil erosion with biochar (35.30%) compared to short-term laboratory studies (29.62% and 12.59%). This meta-analysis demonstrates that biochar, as a potential soil amendment, could effectively mitigate rainfall-induced soil erosion by considering a combination of soil properties along with specific biochar properties.

Knowledge level of farmers of Dharwad district towards farm waste management

Farm waste is a serious economic, environmental and social problem. There is a need to analyze different types of waste produced in production, processing and management practices for better utilization of agricultural waste materials. Farm waste management helps framers to reduce cost on fertilizers and increasing yield of crops. Farm waste conversion reduces waste flow into air, water and reduces greenhouse gas emissions such as carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide. An exploratory research design was used to know the knowledge level of farmers towards management of farm waste in the selected talukas of Dharwad district. From Dharwad district Dharwad and Kundgol taluka were selected. In total 120 farmers were selected through purposive random sampling technique. The data was analyzed by using suitable statistical tools. The results revealed that majority (90.00%) of the farmers in both Dharwad &amp; Kundgol taluka had fully aware that farm waste includes crop waste, domestic waste and livestock waste followed by more than 75 per cent of the farmers were fully aware about utilizing farm waste and that will increase their crop yield. About 80 per cent of the farmers were aware that the farm waste can be used for production of different products. While very few of the farmers (37.00%) fell in low knowledge category. It could be concluded that, all the crop wastes are placed in the right time and right place for best utilization in order to convert into useful products and control of pollution by proper waste management

Hierarchical rapeseed stalk-derived activated carbon porous structure with N and O codoping for symmetric supercapacitor

The high specific surface area, excellent electrical conductivity, and chemical stability of porous carbon have increasingly garnered attention in supercapacitors. Herein, rapeseed stalks were utilized as precursors to synthesize nitrogen (N) and oxygen (O) co-doped porous activated carbon (RSAC) through processes of high-temperature carbonization and KOH activation. The optimally synthesized RSAC-10 exhibits an ultra-high specific surface area of 3085 m2 g−1, a specific capacitance of 354.7 F g−1 at 1 A g−1, and remarkable cyclic stability (105% of its specific capacitance after 10,000 cycles). Moreover, a symmetric supercapacitor (SSC) fabricated with RSAC-10 electrodes and a 6 M KOH electrolyte demonstrates a high specific capacitance of 85.21 F g−1 at a current density of 0.25 A g−1, maintaining 89.8% of its initial capacitance after 10,000 cycles. Additionally, an SSC comprising RSAC-10 electrodes and [BMIM]BF4 electrolyte delivers an energy density of 52.6 Wh kg−1 at a power density of 375.1 W kg−1. This work presents an effective method for valorizing crop waste and successfully prepares electrode materials with high specific surface areas alongside substantial energy and power densities.