Rice Straw Research Articles

Valorization of rice straw and vascular aquatic weeds for sustainable prebiotic hemicellulosic autohydrolysate production: Extraction, characterization and fermentability.

This study describes the extraction and characterization of the hemicellulosic autohydrolysates (HAHs) derived from rice straw (RS) and vascular aquatic weeds like Typha angustifolia (TA) and Ceretophyllum demersum (CD). It further explores their capacity to sustain the proliferation of selected lactic acid bacteria (i.e., prebiotic activity) isolated from milk samples. To fractionate HAH from RS, TA and CD hot water extraction (HWE) method was used and RS, TA, and CD biomasses yielded 6.8, 4.99 and 2.98% of HAH corresponding to the hemicellulose extraction efficiencies of 26.15 ± 0.8%, 23.76 ± 0.6%, and 18.62 ± 0.4% respectively. The chemical characterization of HAH concentrates through HPLC showed that they comprised galactose, arabinose, xylose and glucose. The total phenol content of the RS, TA and CD-derived HAH concentrates were 37.53, 56.78 and 48.08mg GAE/g. The five lactic acid bacteria (LAB) isolates Q1B, Q2A, Q3B, G1C and G2B selected for prebiotic activity assays generated mixed responses with the highest growth in RS-HAH for Q2A and the least in TA-HAH for Q3B. Further, the isolates Q2A, Q3B, G1C, and G2B, which showed the highest growth performance, were identified through MALDI-TOF and 16S rRNA sequencing as Lactobacillus brevis. All the tested LAB isolates showed diauxic growth in crude HAH preparations to maximize the utilization of carbon resources for their proliferation. This suggests that the selected LAB isolates are efficient degraders of hemicellulosic sugars. This paves the way for the valorization of lignocellulosic biomass to produce prebiotic hemicellulosic autohydrolysate and consequently enhances environmental sustainability by improving resource efficiency.

A sustainable bio-circular way for biorefinery of rice straw into bioproducts based on energy-efficient pretreatment

Lignocellulosic biorefinery faces challenges associated with high energy input during pretreatment and high enzyme cost for enzymatic hydrolysis of cellulose, as well as the intricate valorization of lignin and hemicellulose. This study applied KOH-urea pretreatment to obtain maximum lignin removal of 68.93 % from rice straw at 80 °C for 60 min. The pretreatment consumed only 10.49 % of the total energy input. Five-time dilution of neutral black liquor can optimally stimulate the plant growth. Enzymatic conversion of KOH-urea-treated rice straw attained 92.02 % at 20 % solid concentration with 10 FPU cellulase/g substrate. The ethanol concentration achieved 37.02 g/L at a yield of 75.89 %. The solid residue after fermentation contained 42.40 % dietary fiber and 16.70 % protein, which is suitable as animal feed. This study developed a simple bio-circular way to concurrently produce liquid fertilizer, bioethanol, and animal feed from rice straw.

Effects of Water Irrigation Methods Combined with Mulching Materials on the Growth and Yield of Allium chinense on Acid Sulfate Soil

Background: To determine the optimal water irrigation method combined with covering material for Allium chinense growth and yield on acid sulfate soil. Methods: The field experiment was carried out in a randomized complete block design, which include four treatments, each with four replications. The plot size was 83.3 m2 (19.6 m in length, 4.25 m in width). Treatments were flooding irrigation combined with rice straw covering (FI-RS), flooding irrigation combined with Eleocharis dulcis covering (FI-ED, control), spray irrigation combined with rice straw covering (SI-RS) and spray irrigation combined with Eleocharis dulcis covering (SI-ED). Result: Experimental results showed that Allium chinense planted on the treatment of SI increased clump height (47.2 cm) and weight of bulb (4.38 g), gave the highest yield of 40.9 t ha-1 and increased up to 25.9% in comparison to planted in conventional method (control). The spray irrigation method was more suitable than the flooding irrigation method for growing Allium chinense. Vitamin C content in bulbs was not changed under different water irrigation methods combined with mulching materials.

From Residue to Resource: A Physicochemical and Microbiological Analysis of Soil Microbial Communities through Film Mulch-Enhanced Rice Straw Return Strategies

Promoting rice straw in situ return is an important strategy for improving soil quality. From 2018 to 2021, we investigated the effects of rice straw return with microbial agents and film covering technology on soil physical and chemical properties at different layer depths, as well as the soil microbial community structure, in Hunan, southern China. This study was designed to evaluate the effects of microbial agents (T1), film mulch covering (T2), and the application of microbial agents combined with film mulch (T3) on the soil physicochemical properties and microbial community after rice straw in situ return. The results show that, after three years of continuous treatment, T3 significantly increased the soil temperature by 17.76–22.97%, T2 significantly increased the water content by 34.27–46.23%, and T1 and T3 significantly increased the soil pH. The addition of microbial agents combined with film mulch resulted in a notable increase in both the number of OTUs and the Chao1 index of soil microorganisms. Additionally, the model of promoting rice straw in situ return (the application of a microbial agent combined with film mulch) was shown to promote the growth of beneficial soil microorganisms. RDA was used for the investigation, and the findings showed that soil microorganisms were significantly influenced by the TOC content, pH, and water content. These findings provide evidence of an effective method for accelerating the decomposition of late rice straw and guiding soil improvement in tobacco–rice rotation regions.

Effects of different irrigation methods and mulching on yield, growth and water use efficiency of strawberry

ABSTRACT A greenhouse experiment was conducted from 2015–2016 to 2017–2018 on an Aeric Haplaquept to evaluate the effect of irrigation (surface irrigation at furrows at irrigation water: cumulative pan evaporation = 1, drip irrigation to meet 100%, 80% and 60% of actual crop evapotranspiration demand), and mulch (nonwoven jute agro textile, biodegradable plastic film, rice straw and no mulch) regimes on strawberry. Average soil water storage in root zone (86 mm) and fraction of potential plant available water (61%) was highest in jute agrotextile mulched and drip irrigated at 80% actual evapotranspiration. This combination of mulch and irrigation regime increased belowground (root length density, 7.15 × 103 mm−3) and above ground (leaf area index, 9.4) crop growth and emerged as the best option with three- and four-times higher yield (31.1 Mg ha −1) and water use efficiency (23.1 kg m−3), respectively than surface irrigated unmulched strawberry. Results suggest that these findings be incorporated into packages and practices of strawberry cultivation in the moist tropical sub-humid region of Bengal basin and other similar agroecological regions of South Asia.

Cupriavidus B-7 immobilized biochar: an effective solution for Cd accumulation alleviation and growth promotion in pakchoi (Brassica Chinensis L.)

Cd contamination, especially in farmland soil, can pose serious threats to human health as well as ecological security. Stabilization is an important strategy for agricultural soil Cd remediation. In this study, a Cd-resistant strain (Cupriavidus B-7) was isolated and loaded onto cow manure (CDB), rice straw (RSB) and pine wood biochar (PB) to investigate its effects on Cd stabilization by a 60-day pot experiment. Results indicated that the Cupriavidus B-7-loaded biochar (labelled as CDBB, PBB and RSBB) reduced the CaCl2-extractable Cd by 43.06–59.78%, which was significantly superior to individual applications of Cupriavidus B-7 and biochar. Likewise, the soil physicochemical properties, urease, catalase and phosphatase activities were improved, indicating improved soil health. Consequently, dry weights of pakchoi’s shoot and root were increased by 938.9–1230.9% and 149.1–281.2%, respectively, by applying CDBB, PBB and RSBB. Meanwhile, the Cd accumulation in pakchoi shoots decreased by 38.06–50.75%. Notably, the RSBB exhibited an optimal performance on pakchoi growth promotion and Cd accumulation alleviation. The structural equation model indicated the synergistic effect on pakchoi growth promotion and Cd accumulation decreased between biochar and Cupriavidus B-7. Our research provides some new insights into the development of strategies for green and sustainable remediation of Cd-contaminated soil.Graphical

Supported bimetallic PtNi-vinyl complex for hydrosilylation of straight-chain terminal alkenes with tertiary silanes: Effect of Ni promoter on catalytic performance

A bimetallic PtNi-vinyl complex as catalytic active center was created on modified rice straw biochar by introducing an appropriate amount of cheap Ni component as a catalytic promoter. The constructed bimetallic catalyst (PtNi-VTES-RSOC) was used to catalyze hydrosilylation of terminal alkenes with tertiary silanes to produce alkylsilanes with high commercial application value. The experimental results proved that the conversion of 1-octene 96.5 % and selectivity for target product 97.1 % were obtained in hydrosilylation of 1-octene with triethoxysilane catalyzed by PtNi-VTES-RSOC with mass ratio of Pt/Ni = 1.5:1 (molar ratio of Pt/Ni≈1:2) under mild conditions (atmospheric pressure, solvent-free, 50 ℃ and 3 h). It also possessed higher catalytic ability and regioselectivity for hydrosilyation of long-chain alkenes (1-octadecene) with tertiary silanes compared to the counterpart monometallic catalysts. The characterization and theoretical calculation results demonstrated that the introduced suitable amount of Ni(II) could affect the structure of original Pt(II)-vinyl complexes and form a stable and unique bimetallic vinyl coordination microstructure by using a shared vinyl group, thereby affecting morphology, structure, and catalytic performance of the as-prepared bimetallic catalyst with mass ratio of Pt/Ni = 1.5:1. Changing the introduction order and introducing excessive or insufficient of Ni(II) would both disrupt the formation of this special structure and affect the catalytic performance. Additionally, the formed stable complex structure with vinyl groups could well maintain the catalytic stability. The study results exposed that the as-prepared bimetallic catalyst would possess a great industrial application potential in the hydrosilylation of alkenes by efficiently increasing the product quality and reducing operation cost.

Agricultural performance of biomaterials mulching based on nitrosamine-free natural rubber latex

Natural rubber mulching material is generally more environmentally friendly than a conventional mulching. Artificial straw and mulch derived from natural rubber latex (NRL) with no presence of nitrosamines were used as sustainable alternatives to substitute for conventional materials like rice straw and polyethylene plastic. A real-time recorded field study employed Internet of Things (IoTs) with tracking devices and sensors to monitor the growth and quality of cucumber plants (Cucumis sativus L.) over a 50-day period. Results of the study highlight the superior efficiency of artificial straw, showcasing enhanced growth and quality. NRL mulching from natural rubber latex contained nanocellulose (CNC) filler and was vulcanized at room temperature. The addition of 3 parts per hundred rubber (phr) of CNC significantly enhanced the mechanical properties of the NRL formulation, particularly in tensile (22.13±2.26 MPa) and tear strength (39.13±4.58 N/mm). The NRL mulching was demonstrated to promote plant growth and increase yield. It has been developed to ensure the safety of agricultural products and to support environmental conservation.

A lysing polysaccharide monooxygenase from Aspergillus niger effectively facilitated rumen microbial fermentation of rice straw

A lysing polysaccharide monooxygenase from Aspergillus niger effectively facilitated rumen microbial fermentation of rice straw

Ecological weed management and square planting influenced the weed management, and crop productivity in direct-seeded rice

Herbicide use may pose a risk of environmental pollution or evolution of resistant weeds. As a result, an experiment was carried out to assess the influence of different non-chemical weed management tactics (one hoeing (HH) at 12 DAS followed by (fb) one hand weeding at 30 DAS, one HH at 12 DAS fb Sesbania co-culture and its mulching, one HH at 12 DAS fb rice straw mulching @ 4t ha−1, one HH at 12 DAS fb rice straw mulching @ 6 t ha−1) on weed control, crop growth and yield, and economic returns in direct-seeded rice (DSR). Experiment was conducted during kharif season in a split-plot design and replicated thrice. Zero-till seed drill-sown crop (PN) had the lowest weed density at 25 days after sowing (DAS), while square planting geometry (PS) had the lowest weed density at 60 DAS. PS also resulted in a lower weed management index (WMI), agronomic management index (AMI), and integrated weed management index (IWMI), as well as higher growth attributes, grain yield (4.19 t ha–1), and net return (620.98 US$ ha–1). The cultivar Arize 6444 significantly reduced weed density and recorded higher growth attributes, yield, and economic return. In the case of weed management treatments, one HH at 12 DAS fbSesbania co-culture and its mulching had the lowest weed density, Shannon-weinner index and eveness at 25 DAS. However, one hoeing at 12 DAS fb one hand weeding at 30 DAS (HH + WH) achieved the highest grain yield (4.85 t ha–1) and net returns (851.03 US$ ha–1) as well as the lowest weed density at 60 DAS. PS × HH + WH treatment combination had the lowest weed persistent index (WPI), WMI, AMI, and IWMI, and the highest growth attributes, production efficiency, and economic return.

Assessing paddy methane emissions through the identification of rice and winter crop areas using Sentinel-2 imagery in Korea

AbstractThe global efforts on reducing methane (CH4) emissions was emphasized in COP 28 and the potential for improved estimation became feasible through bottom-up data acquisition with advanced remote sensing technology. The objectives of this study were to extract summer rice and winter crop cultivation areas based on satellite images and to incorporate into estimating CH4 emissions in South Korea for the year 2020. Satellite images of Sentinel-1 and Sentinel-2 were acquired from European Space Agency. Rice paddy was classified with backscattering coefficient from Sentinel-1 images, while the normalized difference vegetation index from Sentinel-2 images was used to identify winter cropping field. The equation of IPCC guidelines was used to estimate CH4 emissions by incorporating the areas of rice paddy and winter crop extracted with the respective satellite image. National farming statistics were used to determine the scaling factors for paddy organic matter and water management practices. The estimated areas for rice paddy and winter crop cultivation were 712,237 ha and 117,840 ha, respectively. The rice paddy areas were primarily concentrated in the western regions of the Korean peninsula, whereas winter crop cultivation was predominantly found in southern part of the country. The total amount of CH4 emissions was 6272 Gg CO2 eq./yr when considering rice straw and winter cropping practices into estimation (modified Tier 2 method). This represents a 7% increase compared to the method that considered solely the rice straw incorporation (current Tier 2 method). The CH4 emissions per unit area were also 8.82 tons CO2 eq./ha/yr with the modified Tier 2 method, indicating a 10% greater compared to the current Tier 2 method. Substantial CH4 emissions were primarily concentrated in western regions where extensive rice paddy cultivation occurs, while greater CH4 emissions per unit area were predominantly found in southern regions with substantial winter crop cultivation. The study findings hold importance for improving the accuracy of CH4 emissions estimation by employing bottom-up approach that utilizes satellite imagery to assess rice paddy and winter cropping areas. Further study would be needed to incorporate field-based data on rice crop management practices, such as rice straw and water management, to further refine CH4 emission estimation method.

Synergistic interactions between lignite and biomass during co-pyrolysis from volatile release, kinetics, and char structure

One of the most efficient techniques to achieve efficient utilization of both is coal and biomass co-pyrolysis. Despite a great deal of recent research on the co-pyrolysis process, it is still unknown how biomass affects the co-pyrolysis's synergistic effect and how volatiles interact. This study uses a thermogravimetric analyzer to examine the weight loss law of co-pyrolysis of wheat straw, rice straw, and bamboo powder with various amounts of Zhundong coal. According to the findings, there is a strong positive interaction, a mild positive interaction, and a negative interaction when three different types of biomass (wheat straw, rice straw, bamboo straw) are co-pyrolysis with Zhundong coal. The interaction between wheat straw and Zhundong coal is the strongest when the mass ratio of wheat straw to Zhundong coal is 6: 4. Using a thermogravimetric-infrared spectrometer, the changes in volatile functional groups during co-pyrolysis are investigated. It is discovered that adding wheat straw decreased the amount of CO2 produced by Zhundong coal pyrolysis. Regarding the mechanism of co-pyrolysis, the alkali and alkaline earth metals (AAEMs) on the surface of biochar catalyze the pyrolysis of Zhundong coal, while the “hydrogen donor” and “free radical donor” generated by biomass pyrolysis inhibited the cross-linking and polymerization of macromolecular volatiles produced by Zhundong coal pyrolysis. The activation energy of the mass ratio of wheat straw to Zhundong coal = 6: 4 sample is calculated by three model-free methods. The co-pyrolysis process's average activation energy is determined to be between 175.95 and 194.18 kJ/mol. Through scanning electron microscopy, it is found that the morphology of co-pyrolysis carbon is significantly different from that of single pyrolysis carbon. The porous structure of biochar promotes the secondary cracking of heavy volatiles produced by coal pyrolysis, while the cracking of volatiles further promotes the development of the pore structure of biochar.

Estimation of greenhouse gas emission due to open burning of rice straw using Sentinel data

In recent decades, Vietnam has gradually become a critical global rice producer. During that production process, residual straw becomes an environmental pollutant due to open burning, raising greenhouse gas emissions. This study combines the optical images of the Sentinel-2 satellite and the radar images of the Sentinel-1 satellite to estimate the dry biomass of rice and to determine gas emissions due to rice straw burning over the fields in Quoc Oai district, Hanoi city for urban environmental management purposes. Sentinel-2 images have been classified into the land covers, thereby identifying the areas of ​​rice cultivation and the areas of ​​burned straw. Meanwhile, the Sentinel-1 radar image has been used to calculate the dry biomass of rice due to its ability to penetrate clouds, an obstacle to optical images in tropical regions. Furthermore, a field trip during harvesting season allows us to measure aboveground dry biomass. Then, the analysis shows a high correlation between the backscatter V.V. and V.H. of the radar image and the in-situ dry biomass (R=0.923 and R2=0.852), with a relatively low average error (RMSE = 6.58 kg/100 m2). By linear regression method, the study found the total rice dry biomass of 28728.5 tons, which was obtained after the Summer rice crop 2020 for the whole Quoc Oai district, of which 2037.91 tons of rice straw have been burned, releasing a large amount of greenhouse gas emission with 2398.6 tons of CO2, 189.5 tons of CO, 18.8673 tons of PM10 dust, 17.2087 tons of PM2.5 dust and some other gases. The identical procedure has also been applied to the western region of Hanoi city center to estimate the amount of gas emissions. This study has proven the effectiveness of an approach and contributed to supporting urban managers in proposing appropriate policies to monitor and protect the environment.

Green approach on pretreatment of rice straw using deep eutectic solvent for lignin recovery and efficient hydrolysis

Green approach on pretreatment of rice straw using deep eutectic solvent for lignin recovery and efficient hydrolysis

Appropriate Concentration of Rice Straw Decomposition Liquid Prompted Germination and Seedling Growth of Common Buckwheat

Appropriate Concentration of Rice Straw Decomposition Liquid Prompted Germination and Seedling Growth of Common Buckwheat

Enhancing petroleum-contaminated soil remediation using pulverized rice straw

Enhancing petroleum-contaminated soil remediation using pulverized rice straw

Enhancing biogas production through photocatalytic pretreatment of rice straw co-digested with cow dung and food waste using a novel g-C3N4/SiO2/bentonite catalyst

This study investigates the application of a novel composite photocatalyst, g-C3N4/SiO2/ Bentonite, for rice straw pretreatment, aiming to enhance biogas production in anaerobic digestion. The photocatalytic pretreatment disrupts rice straw's lignin and hemicellulose structures, reducing silica content for improved microbial degradation. Five 2 L anaerobic digesters were employed with rice straw as the substrate and co-digestion materials, including cow dung and food waste. Rice straw treated with the g-C3N4/7.5% SiO2/5% Bentonite catalyst exhibited a remarkable 37% increase in methane yield compared to untreated rice straw. This photocatalytic process led to a 31% increase in cellulose content and a 30% reduction in lignin after 6 hours of pretreatment. Simultaneously, silica content in the rice straw decreased to 6.4% after 6 hours, resulting in a 48% increase in the carbon proportion. These findings underscore the potential of integrated photocatalysts for significantly enhancing biogas production efficiency through the pretreatment of lignocellulosic biomass.

Organometallic-component analysis of lignocellulosic biomass: A thermochemical-perspective-based study on rice and bamboo waste

Thermochemical treatment significantly impacts the physiochemical properties of lignocellulosic biomass. Traditional characterization methods lack granularity, requiring advanced analytical techniques for comprehensive biomass characterization. This study analyzed elemental composition and distribution in untreated rice husk, rice straw, and bamboo chips at micron and sub-micron scales. Results reveal significant variations in composition and spatial distribution among agro-residues. Thermogravimetric analysis shows divergent decomposition patterns, while spectroscopic analysis indicates structural complexities and distinct silica content. Surface mapping illustrates prevalent silica and alkali metals on rice husk and rice straw. Atomic force microscopy depicts distinctive surface morphologies, with rice straw exhibiting heightened roughness due to silica bodies. Inductively coupled plasma-mass-spectrometry identifies the abundance of alkali and alkaline earth metals in rice waste. Time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry elucidates elemental spatial localization, affirming heterogeneous distribution across rice waste and homogenous distribution across bamboo waste. Findings bridge the gap between biomass composition and optimized thermochemical conversion outcomes.

Straw application improved soil biological properties and the growth of rice plant under low water irrigation

The application of organic amendments is one way to manage low water irrigation in paddy soils. In this 60-day greenhouse pot experiment involving paddy soil undergoing drying-rewetting cycles, we examined the effects of two organic amendments: azo-compost with a low carbon to phosphorus ratio (C:P) of 40 and rice straw with a high C:P ratio of 202. Both were applied at rates of 1.5% of soil weight (w/w). The investigation focused on changes in certain soil biochemical characteristics related to C and P in the rice rhizosphere, as well as rice plant characteristics. The irrigation regimes applied in this study included constant soil moisture in a waterlogged state (130% water holding capacity (WHC)), mild drying–rewetting (from 130 to 100% WHC), and severe drying–rewetting (from 130 to 70% WHC). The results indicated that the application of amendments was effective in severe drying–rewetting irrigation regimes on soil characteristics. Drying–rewetting decreased soil respiration rate (by 60%), microbial biomass carbon (by 70%), C:P ratio (by 12%), soil organic P (by 16%), shoot P concentration (by 7%), and rice shoot biomass (by 30%). However, organic amendments increased soil respiration rate (by 8 times), soil microbial biomass C (51%), total C (TC) (53%), dissolved organic carbon (3 times), soil available P (AP) (100%), soil organic P (63%), microbial biomass P (4.5 times), and shoot P concentration (21%). The highest significant correlation was observed between dissolved organic carbon and total C (r= 0.89**). Organic amendments also increased P uptake by the rice plant in the order: azo-compost > rice straw > control treatments, respectively, and eliminated the undesirable effect of mild drying–rewetting irrigation regime on rice plant biomass. Overall, using suitable organic amendments proves promising for enhancing soil properties and rice growth under drying–rewetting conditions, highlighting the interdependence of P and C biochemical changes in the rhizosphere during the rice vegetative stage.

Quantifying the contribution of lignin to humic acid structures during composting

The transformation behavior of different types of lignin structure was investigated during composing with particular interest of revealing the contribution rate of lignin functional groups as well as their interaction to humic acids (HA). Rice straws, tree branches, and pine needles were selected as composting materials, because they predominantly contain G-S-H, G-S, and G-type lignin. Results showed that microorganisms were the driving force behind the conversion of lignin into HA. During composting, appeared different levels of cleavage, tearing, and fragmentation on the superficial lignin structures. In depth analysis of lignin transformation, lignin primarily consisted of aromatic groups, CO bonds, alkyl groups, hydroxyl groups and linkage between monomeric units (β-O-4, β-5 and β-β) in the early stage of composting. As lignin degraded, the CO bonds were gradually exposed. But due to their unstable nature, the CO bonds were prone to undergo changes with the cleavage of the aromatic rings at positions 2, 5, and 6 during composting. CO bonds could be converted into aromatic rings, alkyl groups, hydroxyl groups, and CO groups in HA. Through multiple linear regression analysis, it could be concluded that the CO bonds in G-type and S-type monomeric units contributed significantly to the aromatic rings, accounting for 30.4 % and 48.4 %, respectively. The main mechanism might be related to the cleavage of CO bonds and subsequent atomic rearrangement after the release of carbon atoms. This in-depth analysis filled the gap in the mechanism of HA formation during composting.