OICC PRESS Improvement of soil health and crop production through utilization of organic wastes: A sustainable approach Volume 13 (2024) IJROWA Issue 1, January 2024 2023 10 13 Improvement of soil health and crop production through utilization of organic wastes: A sustainable approach 10.57647/j.ijrowa.2024.1301.01 EN R.Y. Hiranmai School of Environment and Sustainable Development, Central University of Gujarat, Gandhinagar, Gujarat, India. Ajay Neeraj School of Environment and Sustainable Development, Central University of Gujarat, Gandhinagar, Gujarat, India. Parul Vats School of Environment and Sustainable Development, Central University of Gujarat, Gandhinagar, Gujarat, India. Journal Article 2023 10 13 Purpose: Solid organic waste is a major environmental issue in various parts of the world. Proper management techniques for disposing of such wastes can reduce health issues as well as contamination of the environment. Modern scientific techniques in conjugation with traditional practices can manage biowaste in an efficient, economical, and sustainable manner. This present review highlights the possibilities of utilizing biowastes from various sources for the enhancement of soil fertility, residue management, crop growth and higher yields. Methodology: The article is prepared from secondary materials i.e. research and review articles published in different journals. The review of literature from these articles in terms of soil quality, salinity, impact of salinity on crop production and possibilities to reclamate saline soil to improve productivity of soil were systematically carried out. A summary of the present work was developed using the following approach. Result: Various management practices, in-situ and ex-situ techniques help reduce biowastes and transform them into useful nutrients that could be applied to soil for alleviating the nutritional deficiency in saline/sodic soil. Composting using microbes and earthworms has been traditionally practiced for reducing/converting waste into compost and applying them to agricultural fields to improve soil fertility and crop productivity. Conclusion: Using waste management techniques and converting biowaste into manure for enhancing agricultural productivity provides sustainable agriculture practices in addition to pollution reduction.

OICC PRESS Feasibility of mango by-products and biogas solid residue aerobic co-composting at different C/N ratios Volume 13 (2024) IJROWA Issue 1, January 2024 2023 10 13 Feasibility of mango by-products and biogas solid residue aerobic co-composting at different C/N ratios 10.57647/j.ijrowa.2024.1301.02 EN Do Thi My Phuong Department of Environmental Engineering, College of the Environment and Natural Resources, Can Tho University, Can Tho, Vietnam Le Hoang Viet Department of Environmental Engineering, College of the Environment and Natural Resources, Can Tho University, Can Tho, Vietnam Nguyen Thuy Duong Department of Environmental Engineering, College of the Environment and Natural Resources, Can Tho University, Can Tho, Vietnam Nguyen Xuan Loc Department of Environmental Science, College of the Envi-ronment and Natural Resources, Can Tho University, Vietnam Journal Article 2023 10 13 Purpose: Co-composting of mango by-products and biogas solid residue eliminates some shortcomings of composting these wastes separately. Specifically, co-composing solves the problem of the low pH values in mango by-products while enhances biodegradable organic matter of biogas solid residues. However, no research report is available on co-composting of mango by-products (MB) and biogas solid residue (BR). Method: This study established three in-vessel lab-scale composting bins with 3 different C/N ratios, including Bin 1: 27.4/1 (156 kg MB + 144 kg BR); Bin 2: 30.23/1 (193 kg MB + 107 kg BR); and Bin 3: 37.7/1 (224 kg MB + 76 kg BR). The raw compost materials underwent 57 days of incubation, including 36 days of raw incubation and 21 days of mineralization. Results: Bin 3 containing larger amounts of mango by-products and less amounts of biogas residue showed a higher percentage of remaining carbon in the final products (17.97%), lower nitrogen loss (17%), and showed 0.5% increase in available P2O5 content, compared to the other bins. From 300 kg of initial raw material, the final compost mass in Bin 1, Bin 2, and Bin 3 were 26.2 kg, 32.7 kg, and 88.1 kg, respectively. Conclusion: Resultantly, an initial C/N ratio of 37.7/1 could be suggested in the aerobic co-composting of biogas residue with mango by-products.

OICC PRESS Oil palm empty fruit bunch biochar fertilizer as a solution to increasing the fertility of peat soil for sustainable agriculture Volume 13 (2024) IJROWA Issue 1, January 2024 2023 10 13 Oil palm empty fruit bunch biochar fertilizer as a solution to increasing the fertility of peat soil for sustainable agriculture 10.57647/j.ijrowa.2024.1301.03 EN Sri Nuryani Hidayah Utami Faculty of Agriculture, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Flora Num 1, Bulaksumur, Yogyakarta, Indonesia. Uray Suci Yulies Vitri Indrawati Faculty of Agriculture, Universitas Tanjungpura, Jalan Profesor Nawawi, Pontianak, Kalimantan Barat, Indonesia. Journal Article 2023 10 13 Purpose: Utilization of waste oil palm empty fruit bunches as an ameliorant in the form of biochar enriched with chicken manure and urea fertilizer to increase the fertility of immature (seedling) oil palm planted on peat soil which has poor soil physical, chemical, and biological characteristics. Methods: Biochar material, namely empty fruit bunches, was subjected to conventional pyrolysis for 3, 4 and 5 hours at a temperature of 400°C. Then the biochar is weighed to get the desired proportion of biochar then sieved through a 60 mesh sieve.nd analyzed for pH, ash content, organic-C, total-N, total-P, total-K, as well as biochar functional groups using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), and structural analysis using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). The implementation of the research consisted of 2 activities, namely 1) Planting oil palm seedlings in polybags by giving treatment according to the dose and 2) Chemical characterization of biochar, peat soil properties and growth and NPK uptake of oil palm seedlings. Results: Bs1 treatment: (Biochar oil palm empty fruit bunches: chicken manure:urea by (280g:555g:90g) increased plant height to 213%, 36% number of leaves, 49.7% soil total N, 16.2% available P, and 35% available K compared to control. Conclusion: Palm oil waste in the form of empty bunches of biochar, has special properties such as porous structure, relatively large surface area with various functional groups, hence it has the potential as an ameliorant to increase marginal soil fertility including peat and increase plant growth of oil palm seedlings.

OICC PRESS Assessment of toxic response of Lactuca sativa to compost extracted from agri-food waste Volume 13 (2024) IJROWA Issue 1, January 2024 2023 10 13 Assessment of toxic response of Lactuca sativa to compost extracted from agri-food waste 10.57647/j.ijrowa.2024.1301.04 EN Diego Andr´es Zapata-Gonz´alez Instituto de Ciencias Ambientales de la Orinoquia Colombiana ICAOC, Facultad de Ciencias B´asicas e Ingenier´ıa, Universidad de los Llanos, Campus Barcelona Villavicencio, Colombia. Juan Manuel Trujillo-Gonz´alez Instituto de Ciencias Ambientales de la Orinoquia Colombiana ICAOC, Facultad de Ciencias B´asicas e Ingenier´ıa, Universidad de los Llanos, Campus Barcelona Villavicencio, Colombia. Marco Aurelio Torres-Mora Instituto de Ciencias Ambientales de la Orinoquia Colombiana ICAOC, Facultad de Ciencias B´asicas e Ingenier´ıa, Universidad de los Llanos, Campus Barcelona Villavicencio, Colombia. Daniel Gonz´alez-Santamaria Departamento de Geolog´ıa y Geoqu´ımica, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Aut´onoma de Madrid, Spain. Raimundo Jim´enez-Ballesta Departamento de Geolog´ıa y Geoqu´ımica, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Aut´onoma de Madrid, Spain. Journal Article 2023 10 13 Purpose: In this study, we aim to investigate the suitability of five samples of compost extracted at various concentrations by testing for their phytotoxic response on Lactuca sativa L. We analyze relevant parameters with regards to the quality of the compost. By doing this, we hope to contribute to the attainability of clean, high-value organic fertilizer from local food waste production. Method: We set up a mini composting pilot where raw materials were classified, chopped into bits, and finally mixed. They include residues of Solanum tuberosum (potatoes), Zea mays (corn), Musa Paradisiaca (bananas), Allium cepa (onions), Lactuca sativa (lettuce), Daucus carota (carrots), Solanum lycopersicum (tomatoes), as well as fruits such as Passiflora edulis (passion fruit), Carica papaya (papaya). Composting was run over a period of 90 days. We then measured several bromatological analyses of compost. For phytotoxicity tests of compost relative seed germination (RSG), relative radicle growth (RRG) and Germination Index GI on L. sativa were measured. Results: The prepared compost showed the following parameters: pH (8.6), OM (21.4%), C/N (11.59), EC (7.24 dS/m), Total N (1.72%), P (325.6 ppm), Al (0.1 cmol.kg−1) K (41 cmol.kg−1), Ca (8.12 cmol.kg−1), Mg (5.62 cmol.kg−1), Na (0.76 cmol.kg−1). Minor elements appeared in acceptable ranges, and do not pose any risk. Besides, the compost showed a germination rate of 112.6% on L. sativa, which allowed us to validate its high maturity. Conclusion: The compost produced stands out for its quality and efficiency, due to its low phytotoxicity, specific mixture of the materials and the processing method. The mature compost produced represents a valuable material for the acidic and nutrient-poor soils of the Colombian Piedmont.

OICC PRESS The inoculum potential of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in soil amended with swine slurry Volume 13 (2024) IJROWA Issue 1, January 2024 2023 11 03 The inoculum potential of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in soil amended with swine slurry 10.57647/j.ijrowa.2024.1301.05 EN A. S. Nakatani Soil Microbiology, Institute of Rural Development of Paran´a, Londrina, Paran´a, Brazil G. S. Machineski Soil Microbiology, Institute of Rural Development of Paran´a, Londrina, Paran´a, Brazil A. S. Scaramal Soil Microbiology, Institute of Rural Development of Paran´a, Londrina, Paran´a, Brazil A. Colozzi-Filho Soil Microbiology, Institute of Rural Development of Paran´a, Londrina, Paran´a, Brazil Journal Article 2023 11 03 Purpose: This study was carried out to evaluate the effects of the tillage system and consecutive application of swine slurry for seven years on arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal abundance and infective propagules in Brazilian soil with crop rotation. Method: The spore density, the external mycelium, and the most probable number of infective propagules of mycorrhizal fungal abundance were assessed in soil samples from an Oxisol in a long-term field experiment in response to soil management (no-tillage and conventional tillage) and following successive application of swine slurry (0, 30, 60, 90 and 120 m3·ha-1·year-1). Results: A greater amount of external mycelium was observed in soil under no-tillage, while mycorrhizal fungal abundance spore density was greater in soil under conventional tillage. In soil under no-tillage, mycorrhizal fungal abundance infective propagules were more abundant; however, in soil with both management systems, this variable was reduced with different levels of swine slurry application. In no-tillage, the main source of mycorrhizal fungal abundance propagules is the external mycelium, while in conventional tillage, the main inoculum component is the spores. Conclusion: In this study, we verified that the application of swine slurry, with high phosphorus contents, reduces arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi propagules. However, these effects are mitigated in no-tillage systems compared to conventional tillage.

OICC PRESS Fermentation of poultry manure for improving its quality and safety as ruminant feed Volume 13 (2024) IJROWA Issue 1, January 2024 2023 11 03 Fermentation of poultry manure for improving its quality and safety as ruminant feed 10.57647/j.ijrowa.2024.1301.06 EN Sharmeen Islam Department of Animal Science, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh, Bangladesh 0000-0002-2167-6427 A. K. M. Ahsan Kabir Department of Animal Science, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh, Bangladesh Md. Rokibul Islam Khan Department of Animal Science, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh, Bangladesh Journal Article 2023 11 03 Purpose: Poultry manure (PM) is a concern for Bangladesh. The improvement of quality and safety is always desirable. The experiment assesses the quality and safety parameters of PM with the addition of Saccharomyces cerevisiae and indigenous microorganisms (IMO) in different fermentation conditions (aerobic, facultative anaerobic, and anaerobic) for 7 days. Method: Fermentation condition × treatment factorial analyses were performed to explore their effect on the quality and safety of PM. The organoleptic quality (color, smell, and texture), pH, nutritional components (organic matter, crude fiber, crude protein, ether extract, nitrogen-free extract), in-vitro organic matter digestibility, metabolizable energy, mineral contents (phosphorus, potassium, sulfur), heavy metals (lead, copper), and microbial properties (total coliform count, E-coli, Salmonella) of fermented PM at 0, 3, 5, and 7 days were evaluated. Results: All parameters of the different treatments in different fermentation conditions changed significantly (P < 0.05) with increasing the fermentation time. All parameters were found desirable in 10% IMO treated PM. Organoleptic parameters (color, smell, and texture) were satisfactory in aerobic fermentation but other parameters were acceptable in anaerobic fermentation conditions. pH was dropped significantly (P < 0.05) with increasing the duration. Conclusion: To summarize all properties, it could be noted that the quality and safety of PM were improved after 7 days of fermentation with a fermentation mixture of PM (90%) and molasses (10%) inoculating 10% IMO under an anaerobic condition which could be used for animal feeding.

OICC PRESS Effect of raw materials C/N ratio on the quality of Bokashi Volume 13 (2024) IJROWA Issue 1, January 2024 2023 11 03 Effect of raw materials C/N ratio on the quality of Bokashi 10.57647/j.ijrowa.2024.1301.07 EN Irfan Department of Agricultural Product Technology, Agriculture Faculty, Universitas Syiah Kuala, Banda Aceh, Indonesia Dewi Yunita Department of Agricultural Product Technology, Agriculture Faculty, Universitas Syiah Kuala, Banda Aceh, Indonesia Muhammad Fadhil Department of Agricultural Product Technology, Agriculture Faculty, Universitas Syiah Kuala, Banda Aceh, Indonesia Penulis Fauzan Magister Programme of Agricultural Industry Technology, Faculty of Agriculture, Universitas Syiah Kuala, Banda Aceh, Indonesia Journal Article 2023 11 03 Purpose: To assess the effect of C/N ratio in organic raw materials on the quality of bokashi and to obtain the proper C/N formulation of raw materials and fermentation time for bokashi production. Method: The bokashi was made using a Completely Randomized Design (CRD) with two factors: the C/N ratio in raw materials (R: 30, 70, 110) and the fermentation time (L; 10, 17, 24 days). Then, the bokashi was evaluated for microbial and chemical properties. In the second stage, the bokashi was made using raw materials with C/N of 30 and 150 and fermentation time (0, 10 days) with 5 replications for analyzing the C/N. The pH and temperature were also observed every day during 10 days. Results: The highest TCC (1.44x1011 CFU/g) was in the bokashi which produced from raw materials with C/N of 70. In general, C/N of bokashi was lower than that of initial raw materials; however, 10 days fermentation was not sufficient to decompose organic matter in raw materials with a C/N of 150 perfectly. Daily observations of the pH and temperature during 10 days fermentation showed a continuously increasing of pH, while temperature first increased and began to experience a constant decrease starting on the 8th day. Conclusion: A good quality bokashi which match the soil C/N ratio range of 10-20 can be produced from organic raw materials with C/N of 30 to 70 within 10 days fermentation as well as from raw materials with C/N of 110 after being fermented for 24 days.

OICC PRESS Grape pomace transformed by specific fungi has the potential as a promising substrate for vermicomposting Volume 13 (2024) IJROWA Issue 1, January 2024 2023 11 03 Grape pomace transformed by specific fungi has the potential as a promising substrate for vermicomposting 10.57647/j.ijrowa.2024.1301.08 EN Mar´ıa Ines Troncozo Instituto de Botanica Spegazzini, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, Comisi´on´ de Investigaciones Cient´ıficas de la Prov, de Buenos Aires, La Plata, Argentina. Catedra de Microbiolog la Agr´ıcola, Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias y Forestales, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, La Plata, Argentina. 0000-0001-9553-3093 Mart´ın Eduardo Escaray Catedra de Microbiolog la Agr´ıcola, Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias y Forestales, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, La Plata, Argentina. Mar´ıa Florencia Vianna Instituto de Botanica Spegazzini, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, Comisi´on´ de Investigaciones Cient´ıficas de la Prov, de Buenos Aires, La Plata, Argentina. Mario C. N. Saparrat Instituto de Botanica Spegazzini, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, Comisi´on´ de Investigaciones Cient´ıficas de la Prov, de Buenos Aires, La Plata, Argentina. Catedra de Microbiolog la Agr´ıcola, Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias y Forestales, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, La Plata, Argentina. Instituto de Fisiolog´ıa Vegetal (INFIVE) Universidad Nacional de La Plata (UNLP)-CCT-La Plata-Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cient´ıficas y Tecnicas (CONICET) Diag, La Plata, Argentina. Journal Article 2023 11 03 Purpose: It is known that the combination of bioprocesses can contribute to obtaining better results compared to those achieved by applying each process individually. Solid state fermentation of Vitis labrusca grape pomace was carried out using different saprotrophic fungi following a vermicomposting process. Method: A palatability test was performed to evaluate the permanence of Eisenia foetida adults on pomace transformed by fungi. Subsequently, pomace treated with Ulocladium botrytis LPSc 813 was vermicomposted for 90 days to evaluate comparatively the earthworm population dynamics and different physio-chemical and biological parameters with respect to control treatment. Results: The pomace treated with Coriolopsis rigida LPSc 232 and U. botrytis showed a 100% permanence of the earthworms, though only this last fungus was able to modify the acidity of the parent grape pomace (pH 7.66 ± 0.84) without increasing its salinity. The combination of U. botrytis-vermicomposting showed a reduction in the adult and juvenile earthworm number at 60 days and presented a higher germination index compared to the control. Conclusion: Results suggest that grape pomace pretreated with U. botrytis could be an optimal starting substrate for vermicomposting, obtaining an organic fertilizer in a short period.

OICC PRESS Biochar production from agricultural waste (corncob) to remove ammonia from livestock wastewater Volume 13 (2024) IJROWA Issue 1, January 2024 2023 11 03 Biochar production from agricultural waste (corncob) to remove ammonia from livestock wastewater 10.57647/j.ijrowa.2024.1301.09 EN Hamza El Ouassif Department of Water Technology, School of Engineering and Architecture, SRH University Heidelberg, Germany Ulrike Gayh Department of Water Technology, School of Engineering and Architecture, SRH University Heidelberg, Germany 0000-0001-5776-7577 Mohammad R. Ghomi Department of Water Technology, School of Engineering and Architecture, SRH University Heidelberg, Germany Journal Article 2023 11 03 Purpose: With the constant increase in food demand, agriculture became the second-highest waste-generating industry. Crop residues and wastewater from livestock farming are the major contributors and irrational disposal of them has a serious impact on ecosystems as well as human health. In this study, corncob as agriculture waste was used as a treatment agent, after converting it to biochar that adsorbs ammonia nitrogen in swine wastewater. Method: The biochar was prepared by pyrolysis at two different temperatures 350 °C and 450 °C. The physical properties of the biochar were investigated using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis. The ammonia adsorption capacities and removal efficiencies of the two biochars were investigated using batch experiments by changing the pH of the wastewater solution as well as the contact time. Results: The highest ammonia removal efficiency of 83.98% was recorded at 450 °C after 90 min of contact time under alkaline pH (12) wastewater conditions whereas the lowest removal efficiency of 34.64% was obtained for 350 °C after 30 min exposure to wastewater at normal pH (7.32) condition. Conclusion: This study contributed to the ongoing research on the potential of feedstock-derived biochar to remove pollutants from wastewater.