Potential Roles of Forage Silage in Sustainable Agricultural Production
A special issue of Agronomy (ISSN 2073-4395). This special issue belongs to the section "Farming Sustainability".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 November 2020) | Viewed by 33248
Special Issue Editor
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
There is an increasing demand worldwide for high‐quality silage providing conserved forage for livestock due to heightened competition for limited arable land. In the context of sustainable agriculture, ensiling forages faces important challenges and offers opportunities to increase farm productivity while reducing environmental impacts. Growing and ensiling legumes can improve protein self-sufficiency throughout the year, soil fertility and forage yields, while decreasing global negative impacts on ecosystems and biodiversity. Technological innovations, including sensors, robotics, and silo packaging, offer opportunities to improve silage quality. Analytical advances in molecular microbiology and metabolomics can allow better controlling the microbial activity in silage and the rumen, leading to enhanced feed efficiency and reduced energy and nitrogenous losses as pollutant emissions (GHG, ammonia) from the silo to the animal. The incorporation of natural bioactive compounds, byproducts or silage additives and inoculants can improve fermentation and aerobic stability and reduce contamination by pathogens and mycotoxins. Fermented forages are now also used as substrates for biogas production and biorefineries.
This Special Issue is intended to provide an insight into forage types, farming practices, and all types of innovations that allow producing safe and high-quality silages while minimizing detrimental impacts on the environment throughout the agricultural production chain.
Dr. Vincent Niderkorn
Guest Editor
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Keywords
- fermentation;
- GHG emissions;
- legumes;
- bioactive compounds;
- byproducts;
- silage additives;
- aerobic stability;
- silage microbiology;
- mycotoxins;
- biogas;
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