Industrial Waste for Crops Production: Effects on Soil Nutrient Dynamics, Crop Growth and Food Quality

A special issue of Agronomy (ISSN 2073-4395). This special issue belongs to the section "Soil and Plant Nutrition".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 November 2022) | Viewed by 8347

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
School of Science and the Environment, Memorial University of Newfoundland, Corner Brook, NL A2H 5G4, Canada
Interests: Integrated nutrient management; nutrient cycling; sustainable cropping systems; boreal climate; agronomic crops; horticultural crops; growth media/formulations; soil amendments; industrial waste; wood ash; wood sludge; dairy digestate; rock dust; fish waste; abiotic stresses management strategies; stress tolerance; GHG emission monitoring; GHG emission mitigation; crop rotation/cover crops; biochar; nitrification inhibitors
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Science and the Environment, Memorial University of Newfoundland, Corner Brook, NL A2H 5G4, Canada
Interests: sustainable agroecosystem; crop production; forage crops; forage quality; grain crops; inter and monocropping; soil fertility; soil health; integrated nutrient management; soil nutrient dynamics; industrial waste; soil amendments; podzolic soils; mitigating GHG emissions; abiotic stress; plant lipidomics; boreal climate
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Feeding the burgeoning world population, 7.79 billion in 2020 and projected to increase to 9.5 billion by 2050, necessitates an increase in agricultural production of about 70% between 2020 and 2050. Soil degradation, characterized by a decline in quality and health, is a major constraint for achieving the required increase in agricultural production. To attain sustainable crop production and soil health without damaging the environment under a climate change scenario, it is important to explore the potential of industrial wastes as a liming and mineral nutrient source. For example, livestock and dairy industries, forestry, fisheries, mining, and pulp and paper industries produce an enormous amount of waste products each year. Disposing of such large amounts could cause environmental degradation and a great financial burden. There is a need to explore alternate options to efficiently utilize these waste products to enhance soil fertility for sustainable crop production and reduce carbon footprints. Investigating the effects of waste products as a soil amendment on soil physiochemical properties, heavy-metal contamination risks, active microbial communities, nutrient dynamics, soil enzyme activities, plant growth, crop production under controlled environmental and field conditions is imperative to improve soil and crop quality and health. For this Special Issue, submissions on the following topics (but not limited to) are invited:

  • Industrial waste as a soil amendment and potting media
  • Effect of soil amendments on soil physiochemical properties
  • Effect of soil amendments on soil quality and health
  • Soil nutrient dynamics and soil fertility
  • Effects of soil amendment on crop growth, yield and produce quality
  • Heavy metal contamination risk assessment

Dr. Mumtaz Cheema
Dr. Muhammad Nadeem
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • Soil amendments
  • Organic soil amendments
  • Soil fertility
  • Nutrient cycling
  • Industrial waste
  • Agro-industrial waste
  • Crop growth
  • Crop quality
  • Nutrient uptake
  • Cropping systems
  • Sustainable agroecosystem

Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

20 pages, 791 KiB  
Article
Agronomic Performance and Phytochemical Profile of Lettuce Grown in Anaerobic Dairy Digestate
by Muhammad Faran, Muhammad Nadeem, Charles F. Manful, Lakshman Galagedara, Raymond H. Thomas and Mumtaz Cheema
Agronomy 2023, 13(1), 182; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy13010182 - 06 Jan 2023
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1725
Abstract
Anaerobic liquid dairy digestate is a by-product of dairy waste anaerobic digestion from dairy operations and is associated with environmental risks if not handled properly, particularly nutrient leaching losses, water contaminations, and greenhouse gas emissions. We tested the applications of anerobic digestate (AD) [...] Read more.
Anaerobic liquid dairy digestate is a by-product of dairy waste anaerobic digestion from dairy operations and is associated with environmental risks if not handled properly, particularly nutrient leaching losses, water contaminations, and greenhouse gas emissions. We tested the applications of anerobic digestate (AD) as a biofertilizer and water source in greenhouse vegetable production to integrate food production and industry waste management for sustainable environments. We used a deep water culture system to assess the effects of AD effluent alone, inorganic nutrient solution (NS), and a combination of AD and NS on the growth, yield, and phytonutrient profile and heavy metal contamination assessment of hydroponically produced lettuce. Lettuce produced in AD had a lower leaf area, total chlorophyll content, and fresh biomass; however, it displayed significantly higher chicoric acid (200%), chlorogenic acid (67%), luteolin (800%), quercetin-3-O-β-d-glucuronide (378%), quercetin-3-glucoside (200%), quercetin-3-O-(6″-O-malonyl)-β-D-glucoside (1077%), folate (248%), pantothenic acid (200%), total phenolics (111%), total antioxidants (44%), and soluble sugars (253%) compared to control (inorganic feed). The AD-produced lettuce also showed significantly lower heavy metal bioaccumulation risks associated with the human consumption. Based on various results, we may conclude that AD utilization in hydroponics can offer a sustainable solution to harvest a better lettuce yield, higher phytonutrients, and environmental benefits. Full article
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25 pages, 2138 KiB  
Article
Supplementation of Soil with Waste Sulfur and Its Effect on Availability of Mn and Zn
by Aneta Lisowska, Barbara Filipek-Mazur, Andrzej Kalisz, Zofia Gródek-Szostak and Agnieszka Kowalczyk
Agronomy 2022, 12(11), 2679; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy12112679 - 28 Oct 2022
Viewed by 1262
Abstract
Sulfur is a necessary nutrient for the proper functioning of living organisms, both plants and animals. However, following pro-environmental activities carried out for many years, there is now a deficit of this element in the soils of many countries. The aim of this [...] Read more.
Sulfur is a necessary nutrient for the proper functioning of living organisms, both plants and animals. However, following pro-environmental activities carried out for many years, there is now a deficit of this element in the soils of many countries. The aim of this model study was to determine the effect of the application of waste elemental sulfur and its mixtures with organic materials (cattle manure, digestate and biochar) on the availability of manganese and zinc in soils. In addition to the standard analysis of variance (ANOVA), the authors propose various methods of advanced statistical analysis, e.g., simplified linear or polynomial regression model development, multiple regression analysis, heatmap statistics and principal component analysis (PCA). The presented findings indicate significant relationships between the soil pH value, S-SO4, Zn and Mn contents, dehydrogenase activity, and experimental duration. The results of regression analysis revealed that the applied materials had a more significant influence on the zinc content than on the manganese content during the incubation period. Full article
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12 pages, 1308 KiB  
Article
Biochar and Compost Application either Alone or in Combination Affects Vegetable Yield in a Volcanic Mediterranean Soil
by Giuseppina Iacomino, Tushar C. Sarker, Francesca Ippolito, Giuliano Bonanomi, Francesco Vinale, Alessia Staropoli and Mohamed Idbella
Agronomy 2022, 12(9), 1996; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy12091996 - 24 Aug 2022
Cited by 14 | Viewed by 1934
Abstract
The aim of this work was to compare the application of biochar, compost, and their mixtures on soil fertility and crop yields using a volcanic Mediterranean soil. For this reason, three types of organic amendments (OAs) were selected: compost1, made from olive mill [...] Read more.
The aim of this work was to compare the application of biochar, compost, and their mixtures on soil fertility and crop yields using a volcanic Mediterranean soil. For this reason, three types of organic amendments (OAs) were selected: compost1, made from olive mill waste and orchard pruning residues; compost2, made from olive mill waste, animal manure and wool residues; and biochar made from beech wood pyrolyzed at 550 °C. When selected, the OAs were characterized chemically for organic carbon (OC), total N, pH, electric conductivity (EC) and the bulk fraction of organic matter using 13C CPMAS NMR spectroscopy. In addition, soil chemistry was analysed at the end of each year for the following parameters: pH, OC, total N, CaCO3, P2O5, NH4, FDA and EC. Results showed that biochar had the highest OC and the lowest N and EC compared to both composts. Moreover, 13C CPMAS NMR showed that biochar had the lowest content of O-alkyl, methoxyl- and alkyl-C and the highest content of aromatic-C. On the other hand, compost2 and compost2+biochar mixture reduced Aubergine yield by −60% and −40%, respectively, and tomato yield by −50% and −100%, respectively. Nevertheless, a significant increase in onion and rape yields were observed when compost1, compost1+biochar and compost2 were applied, while biochar and compost2+biochar significantly decreased the yield of these crops. Overall, our results highlight that the effect of OAs on crops yield is largely variable and influenced by the interaction with soil chemistry. Full article
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16 pages, 1448 KiB  
Article
Comparative Effects of Bio-Wastes in Combination with Plant Growth-Promoting Bacteria on Growth and Productivity of Okra
by Hammad Anwar, Xiukang Wang, Azhar Hussain, Muhammad Rafay, Maqshoof Ahmad, Muhammad Latif, Muhammad Usman Jamshaid, Imran Khalid, Abubakar Dar and Adnan Mustafa
Agronomy 2021, 11(10), 2065; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy11102065 - 14 Oct 2021
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 2288
Abstract
Plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria with multiple growth-promoting traits play a significant role in soil to improve soil health, crop growth and yield. Recent research studies have focused on the integration of organic amendments with plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) to enhance soil fertility and reduce [...] Read more.
Plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria with multiple growth-promoting traits play a significant role in soil to improve soil health, crop growth and yield. Recent research studies have focused on the integration of organic amendments with plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) to enhance soil fertility and reduce the hazardous effects of chemical fertilizers. This study aims to evaluate the integrated application of biochar, compost, fruit and vegetable waste, and Bacillus subtilis (SMBL 1) to soil in sole application and in combined form. The study comprises eight treatments—four treatments without inoculation and four treatments with SMBL 1 inoculation in a completely randomized design (CRD), under factorial settings with four replications. The results indicate that the integrated treatments significantly improved okra growth and yield compared with sole applications. The integration of SMBL 1 with biochar showed significant improvements in plant height, root length, leaf chlorophyll a and b, leaf relative water content, fruit weight, diameter and length by 29, 29, 50, 53.3, 4.3, 44.7 and 40.4%, respectively, compared with control. Similarly, fruit N, P and K contents were improved by 33, 52.7 and 25.6% and Fe and Zn in shoot were 37.1 and 35.6%, respectively, compared with control. The results of this study reveal that the integration of SMBL 1 with organic amendments is an effective approach to the sustainable production of okra. Full article
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