Bioconversion of Scotch broom into a high-quality organic fertiliser: Vermicomposting as a sustainable option

Domínguez, Jorge; Gómez-Brandòn, María; Martínez-Cordeiro, Hugo; Lores, Marta

doi:10.1177/0734242x18797176

Cited by 23 publications

(18 citation statements)

References 46 publications

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“…For better understanding the results obtained, the average treatment time for each animal dung is reported in Figure 2. Similar results were obtained by Domínguez et al (2018), who obtained a peat-like substance from leguminous plants after 42 days of the vermicomposting process.…”

Section: Resultssupporting

confidence: 88%

Vermicomposting process for treating animal slurry in Latin American rural areas

2019

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The management of animal slurry is a big issue in low-income rural areas worldwide. Bolivia suffers this issue related to collection, treatment and final disposal since the main solution applied is the open dumping. The aim of this study is to introduce a feasible treatment of animal slurry in the rural area of Carmen Pampa, where about 670 kg of dung are produced per day and disposed of in open areas. The objective is the improvement of the environmental sustainability and human health, providing an alternative solution for encouraging the circular economy. The study is focused on the vermicomposting process, a sustainable solution for low-income regions. The analysis was conducted in function of the earthworm breeds used locally ( Eisenia fetida and Lumbricus terrestris) and the application of activated bacteria (AB) for improving the process. The mass loss, the treatment time, and the growing rate of the earthworms were analyzed. The results suggest that the different breed of the worms allows gaining up to 19 days, while the use of the AB allows saving about 30 days. Moreover, the vermicomposting process reduced the mass of the slurry of about 65% for the swine’s dung and the bovine’s dung, and 90% of the hens’ dung. Finally, experimental evidence shows that the growing rate of the E. fetida is higher than the L. terrestris (F[1,8] = 78, p < 0.05), with an average of about 193%. The data obtained could be of interest for other stakeholders who live in similar environmental, climatic, and economic conditions for improving sustainability.

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Section: Resultssupporting

confidence: 88%

Vermicomposting process for treating animal slurry in Latin American rural areas

2019

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“…The shrub foliage may also supply other macronutrients, such as P, K + and Ca 2+ . Substrates based on composted gorse foliage are currently marketed for gardening and horticulture, whereas Scotch broom plant material has been proposed as an optimum starting material for vermicomposting [36].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Phytotoxic Potential of the Flowering Foliage of Gorse (Ulex europaeus) and Scotch Broom (Cytisus scoparius), as Pre-Emergent Weed Control in Maize in a Glasshouse Pot Experiment

Pardo-Muras

Puig

Souza‐Alonso

et al. 2020

Plants

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In our previous studies, the phytotoxicity of Ulex europaeus (gorse) and Cytisus scoparius (Scotch broom) was demonstrated in vitro and argued to be caused by the release of volatile and water-soluble compounds from fresh plant foliage. In light of these positive results, there was a need to test the effects ex vitro. In this work, gorse and Scotch broom were used as soil amendments in pot experiments in a glasshouse by incorporating slashed plant material into the soil at a ratio of 1% w/w on a dry mass basis. The phytotoxic effects on the emergence and early growth of maize and five accompanying weed species were analyzed, as were the effect on soil fertility and soil community-level physiological profiles. Thirty days after incorporation, significant decreases in weed density of 32.2% and 59.5% were found for gorse and Scotch broom soil amendments, respectively. Gorse soil amendment was notably effective impairing the establishment of Amaranthus retroflexus and diminishing the plant height of Digitaria sanguinalis and Portulaca oleracea. Scotch broom soil amendment was capable of significantly inhibiting the emergence of D. sanguinalis, Convolvulus arvensis, P. oleracea, and A. retroflexus, with a notable reduction of weed biomass. No undesirable side effects on maize crop or soil quality, including microbial activity, were detected. Our results suggest that the incorporation of gorse and Scotch broom foliage is promising for pre-emergent weed control in maize; however, field trials that support and expand these glasshouse results are essential.

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“…In 2017, 2718 t of oil equivalents (toe) of bioethanol was consumed for transport in Europe, of which 121 toe was consumed by the Netherlands [33]. Although much research has been done on the ethanol production from lignocellulosic biomass [34][35][36][37][38][39][40][41][42][43][44], the economic viability of a bioethanol plant in the Northern Netherlands is yet unknown. Therefore, this research aims to investigate the feasibility of a bioethanol plant treating organic residues (sugar beet pulp and grass straw) in the Northern Netherlands.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Feasibility Assessment of a Bioethanol Plant in the Northern Netherlands

et al. 2019

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Due to the exhaustion and increased pressure regarding the environmental and political aspects of fossil fuels, the industrial focus has switched towards renewable energy resources. Lignocellulosic biowaste can come from several sources, such as industrial waste, agricultural waste, forestry waste, and bioenergy crops and processed into bioethanol via a biochemical pathway. Although much research has been done on the ethanol production from lignocellulosic biomass, the economic viability of a bioethanol plant in the Northern Netherlands is yet unknown, and therefore, examined. In this thesis, the feasibility study of a bioethanol plant treating sugar beet pulp, cow manure, and grass straw is conducted using the simulation software SuperPro Designer. Results show that it is not economically viable to treat the tested lignocellulosic biomass for the production of bioethanol, since all three original cases result in a negative net present value (NPV). An alternative would be to exclude the pretreatment step from the process. Although this results in a lower production of bioethanol per year, the plant treating sugar beet pulp (SBP) and grass straw (GS) becomes economically viable since the costs have significantly decreased.

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Bioconversion of Scotch broom into a high-quality organic fertiliser: Vermicomposting as a sustainable option

Cited by 23 publications

References 46 publications

Vermicomposting process for treating animal slurry in Latin American rural areas

Vermicomposting process for treating animal slurry in Latin American rural areas

The Phytotoxic Potential of the Flowering Foliage of Gorse (Ulex europaeus) and Scotch Broom (Cytisus scoparius), as Pre-Emergent Weed Control in Maize in a Glasshouse Pot Experiment

Feasibility Assessment of a Bioethanol Plant in the Northern Netherlands

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