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The enhancement of cellulose degradation is important for improving the quality of corn-stalk silage. However, the rapid drop in pH caused by the propagation of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) can influence the degradation of cellulose by cellulose-degrading microorganisms (CDMs) during the mixed fermentation process of ensilage. In this study, a CDM (Bacillus methylotrophic 2–4, BM 2–4) was isolated, and its lyophilization condition was studied. Moreover, a slow-release strategy was developed to delay the release of LAB (Lactobacillus plantarum S-1, LP S-1) by embedding technology to provide time for BM 2–4 to degrade cellulose during the corn-stalk ensilage process. The results showed that BM 2–4 had a higher survival rate (89.53%) under the following conditions: cell collection (5,600 r/min in 4.4°C for 9.5-min centrifugation) and lyophilization using cryoprotectants [skim milk (10.4%), peptone (10.4%), and glucose (5.2%)] at −50°C with a vacuum pressure of <10 Pa. Based on the results of the previous study on embedded LP S-1, simultaneous inoculation of embedded LP S-1 and lyophilized BM2-4 at a 2:1 ratio, with an inoculum size of 6% and moisture content of 85%, significantly degraded CF by 3.8% and increased CP by 3.7% (p < 0.05). This treatment did not significantly influence the final pH of corn-stalk silage (p > 0.05) after 7 days of fermentation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights In this study, a series of sustainable eco‐friendly epoxy resin (EP)‐based biomass composites (DSA‐CS/EP) were prepared using bisphenol A EP as matrix, 2‐methylimidazole as curing agent, and corn stalk (CS) esterified with dodecene succinic anhydride (DSA) as filler. The static contact angle test results showed that the hydrophobicity of CS after esterification with DSA (DSA‐CS) was enhanced, which results in the compatibility of DSA‐CS with EP matrix was improved. And then, the DSA‐CSs were dispersed homogeneously in the matrix without agglomerating. The morphology and properties of the biomass composites were studied and analyzed in order to elucidate the toughening mechanism of CS and DSA‐CS. When the content of DSA‐CS is 15 wt%, the tensile strength and impact strength of DSA‐CS/EP reached a maximum value of 30.39 MPa and 3.34 KJ/m2, which were increased by 128.49% and 81.52% compared with pure EP. Finally, it is deduced that the possible toughening mechanism is that DSA‐CS can not only share part of the external stress but also a mutual solute region is formed between DSA‐CS and EP matrix. Corn stalks esterified by DSA were used as reinforcement filler for epoxy resin. The cellulose in CS was mainly esterified. The tensile and impact strength of DSA‐CS 15/EP reached a maximum value. A mutual solute region is formed between filler and matrix. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to address stalk rot in sweet waxy corn while simultaneously decreasing the chemical fertilizer usage without affecting the crop yield. The investigators implemented an innovative approach that integrated disease management with environmentally sustainable agricultural practices by developing an enhanced microbial vetch fertilizer (MVF). This novel fertilizer was produced through the fermentation of vetch (Vicia villosa var. glabrescens) straw utilizing beneficial strains of Trichoderma and Bacillus species. In vitro experiments demonstrated that the antifungal microbial strains effectively inhibited Fusarium graminearum growth by 46.9% to 64.0%. Subsequent pot trials revealed that MVF application significantly reduced the incidence of stalk rot, resulting in a disease index of 21.2, which was equivalent to control efficacy of 60.2%. Field experiments further demonstrated that applying MVF at 5250 kg·ha−1 produced optimal ear and grain weights, with the peak grain yield reaching 11,259.7 kg·ha−1 when combined with 90% of the standard chemical fertilizer regime. This study contributes to the advancement of environmentally sustainable agricultural practices by effectively managing corn stalk rot and improving productivity by using eco-friendly techniques. The MVF shows potential as a biological alternative to boost sweet corn yields and enhance the protective enzyme activity. This study advances the field of sustainable agriculture by introducing eco-friendly techniques that effectively combat corn stalk rot and enhance crop yields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: The black soil in Northeast China is one of the three largest black soil regions in the world. While producing large quantities of fresh waxy corn every year, this region also generates a significant amount of fresh waxy corn stalk. These high-sugar stalks not only hinder planting for the following year but also pose environmental pollution risks. A feasible solution to these issues is converting the fresh waxy corn stalks into ruminant feed through biological fermentation. In this study, we used three different silage additives to ferment fresh waxy corn stalks and compared their effects on the chemical composition, fermentation characteristics, ruminal degradability, culturable microorganisms, and bacterial community structure of the stalk. This study fills the data gap on the feed value of fresh waxy corn stalks and provides theoretical support for its application in ruminant production. The objective of this study was to assess the impact of Lactobacillus plantarum, Bacillus subtilis, and a lignocellulolytic enzyme system on the nutritional value, fermentation profiles, rumen digestion, and bacterial community of fresh waxy corn stalk silage. Fresh waxy corn stalks harvested after 90 days of growth were treated with no additives (CON), compound multiple lactobacilli (ML, comprising Lactobacillus plantarum at 1.0 × 105 cfu/g fresh weight and Bacillus subtilis at 1.0 × 105 cfu/g fresh weight), a lignocellulolytic enzyme system (LE, at 500 g/t), and a combination of the lignocellulolytic enzyme system and multiple lactobacilli (MLLE). Throughout the fermentation process, the contents of dry matter (DM) and water-soluble carbohydrates (WSC), as well as the counts of lactic acid bacteria, yeast, and mold, continuously decreased with the extension of the fermentation time. In contrast, the concentrations of acetic acid, propionic acid, and ammonia N progressively increased over time. Notably, the pH initially decreased and then increased as fermentation progressed, while the lactic acid concentration first increased and then decreased with the extension of the fermentation time. After 45 days of fermentation, the DM contents of LE and MLLE were significantly lower than that of CON, while the WSC content of MLLE was significantly higher than that of CON. LE most effectively increased the ED of DM and neutral detergent fiber (NDF). Compared to ML and LE, MLLE showed a greater increase in the "a" value of DM and NDF. The DM content in LE and MLLE was lower than in CON, with a higher WSC content. Both ML and MLLE produced more lactic acid than CON and LE, resulting in a lower pH in these groups. Additionally, the acetic acid content and ammonia N content were lower in ML and MLLE compared to CON and LE. The counts of lactic acid bacteria, yeast, and mold declined over the fermentation period, dropping below detectable levels on the seventh and fifth days, respectively. Relative to CON, the three additives reduced the relative abundance of Weissella and Klebsiella and increased that of Lactobacillus. In conclusion, LE improved the nutritional value and rumen digestion of the silage, ML enhanced its fermentation profiles and bacterial community, and MLLE significantly improved the nutritional value, rumen digestion characteristics, fermentation profiles, and bacterial community of the fresh waxy corn stalk silage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this research, the polydopamine coating method and acrylonitrile addition grafting method were used to obtain corn stalk carbon modified by –C≡N (CSC@CN). Next, the amidoxime-modified corn stalk carbon was synthesized using a hydroxylamine hydrochloride electrophilic addition method. This modified carbon material was used as an adsorption material of uranyl ions. A series of experimental results showed that at a temperature of 298 K, the solid-liquid ratio is 0.4 g/L, the initial concentration of uranium solution is 150 ppm with pH = 6, and the adsorption time is 420 min, achieving the maximum adsorption capacity of uranium of 230.58 mg/g. The kinetic study of the adsorption process showed that it conformed to the quasi-second-order kinetic model, which belonged to chemisorption, and the Langmuir model, which belonged to monolayer adsorption. Thermodynamic studies showed that the standard enthalpy change Δ H 0 < 0 , indicating that the adsorption process was endothermic. The standard Gibbs free energy change Δ G 0 < 0 , indicating that the adsorption reaction was spontaneous. Furthermore, entropy Δ S 0 > 0 , suggesting an increase in confusion at the solid-liquid interface during the adsorption process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Herein, biochars derived from corn stalks, rice husks, and bamboo powder were modified by nitric acid oxidation and sodium hydroxide alkali activation to identify efficient and cost-effective polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon-adsorbent and microbial-immobilized carriers. The surface characterization and adsorption investigation results suggested that acid/alkali modification promoted the phenanthrene removal ability in an aqueous solution of biochars via facilitating π–π/n–π electron donor–acceptor interactions, electrostatic interactions, hydrogen bonds, and hydrophobic interactions. Subsequently, the degrading bacteria Rhodococcus sp. DG1 was successfully immobilized on the rice husk-derived biochar with nitric acid oxidation (RBO), which exhibited the maximum phenanthrene adsorption efficiency (3818.99 µg·g−1), abundant surface functional groups, and a larger specific surface area (182.6 m2·g−1) and pore volume (0.141 m3·g−1). Degradation studies revealed that the microorganisms immobilized on RBO by the adsorption method yielded a significant phenanthrene removal rate of 80.15% after 30 days, which was 38.78% higher than that of the control. Conversely, the polymer gel network-based microenvironment in the microorganism-immobilized RBO by the combined adsorption–embedding method restricted the migration and diffusion of nutrients and pollutants in the reaction system. This study thus introduces an innovative modified biochar-based microbial immobilization technology characterized by a simple design, convenient operation, and high adsorption efficiency, offering valuable insights into material selection for PAH contamination bioremediation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article "The Okra Chapel" from ISLE: Interdisciplinary Studies in Literature & Environment describes the author's father, Warren, and their shared passion for gardening. Warren, a retired research chemist, meticulously tends to his garden in Advance Mills, Virginia, using recycled materials and traditional methods passed down through generations. The article delves into Warren's farming roots, his dedication to gardening, and the historical context of the land he cultivates. The narrative also touches on the author's reflections on Indigenous history, family heritage, and the significance of slow, intentional gardening practices. [Extracted from the article]

Corn stalks are a kind of common organic fertilizer and feed material in agriculture in China, as well as an important source of modern biomass energy and new materials. Hemicellulose is an important component in corn stalks, and it is very important to determine its content in corn stalks. In this paper, the feasibility of near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) combined with chemometrics for rapid detection of hemicellulose content in corn stalks was studied. In order to improve the accuracy of NIRS detection, a new intelligent optimization algorithm, dung beetle optimizer (DBO), was applied to select characteristic wavelengths of NIRS. Its modeling performance was compared with that based on characteristic wavelength selection using genetic algorithm (GA) and binary particle swarm optimization (BPSO), and it was found that the characteristic wavelength selection performance of DBO was excellent, and the regression accuracy of hemicellulose quantitative detection model established by its preferred characteristic wavelengths was better than the above two intelligent optimization algorithms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the demand for sustainable and environmentally friendly road construction materials increases, corn stalk fiber modified with NaOH is a promising candidate due to its renewable and eco-friendly nature. This study employs an orthogonal experimental design to optimize the investigation of multiple factors (corn stalk fiber length, content, and modifier concentration) in the experiments, ensuring that the effects of different factors on the high and low temperature performance of asphalt binder can be independently estimated. Dynamic shear rheometer (DSR) and bending beam rheometer (BBR) tests were conducted. The bonding between fiber and asphalt was analyzed by infrared spectroscopy, and the action mechanism of fiber in asphalt was revealed from a microscopic perspective by scanning electron microscopy and fluorescence microscopy. Evidently, the concentration of modifier is the main factor affecting the rheological properties of fiber asphalt mortar. Considering the influence of various factors on the rheological properties of modified corn stalk fiber asphalt mortar, the optimal modifier concentration is 7%, the fiber length is 6mm, and the content is 1.5%. After adding modified corn stalk fiber, the asphalt mortar did not produce new characteristic peaks, and the fiber and asphalt were mainly bonded by physical action. The large surface roughness of the modified corn stalk fiber determines its good adsorption capacity, which is conducive to increasing the bonding force of the asphalt. Fibers with a large aspect ratio are easy to bridge with each other, restraining the expansion of cracks and thus enhancing the crack resistance of the mortar. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dietary forage levels contribute to the performance of non-nutritive oral behaviors (NNOB) in cattle, yet the impact of varying forage levels on these behaviors is unknown. To evaluate the impact of dietary corn stalk inclusion (CSI) levels on NNOB, rumination time, and activity, pre-dominantly British-continental crossbred drylot-housed steers (n=27) were blocked by weight and randomly assigned to one of three dietary treatments (5%, 10%, or 15%) of CSI on a DM basis. Animals were fitted with a rumination collar upon arrival that measured rumination time and activity and video recorded. Cattle that spent more time bar licking had greater DMI, tended to have greater ADG and be more active. CSI in this study did influence NNOB performance; however, the impacts observed were not as expected. Cattle fed the 10% CSI performed the most bar licking and tongue rolling. This pilot investigation suggest that these CSI were insufficient to have a meaningful impact on NNOBs. Cattle spending more time bar licking and bar licked more frequently may be more orally motivated as reflected in their increased DMI and activity levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Co-composting slightly enhanced seaweed's plant stimulant effect, all GIs above 101%. • Biochar, high-buffering salts, and MgO raised organic matter degradation by 33.8%. • Biochar, high-buffer phosphates, and MgO enhanced NO 3 –-N by 16.8% and TN by 4.8%. • Biochar, high-buffer phosphates, and MgO increased HA/FA in humification by 49.6%. Seaweed waste, abundant and rich in plant-stimulating properties, has the potential to be transformed into valuable soil amendments through proper composting and utilization management. Given its low carbon-to-nitrogen ratio, co-composting seaweed with carbon-rich cornstarch dregs is an effective strategy. However, the potential application of co-composting largely depends on the efficiency of the composting and the quality of the product. This study explores the effects of adding 10 % corn stalk biochar to a co-composting system of seaweed and cornstarch dregs, alongside varying buffering capacities of phosphates (KH 2 PO 4 and K 2 HPO 4 ·3H 2 O-KH 2 PO 4) and MgO, on the degradation efficiency of organic matter, nitrogen transformation, and humification. The results indicate that the addition of biochar and salts enhances the oxygen utilization rate (OUR) and cellulase activity during the thermophilic phase. Additionally, X-ray diffraction (XRD) and parallel factor analysis (PARAFAC) demonstrate more intense solubilization and transformation of proteinaceous substances, along with cellulose degradation. These processes are crucial for enhancing organic matter degradation and humification, significantly boosting degradation (with an increase of 28.6 % to 33.8 %) and humification levels (HA/FA increased by 37.1 % to 49.6 %). Specifically, groups with high buffering capacity significantly promote the formation of NO 3 –-N and NH 4 +-N, and a higher degree of humification, creating an optimal environment for significantly improving nitrogen retention (increased by 4.80 %). Additionally, this treatment retains and slightly enhances the plant-stimulating properties of seaweed. These findings underscore the potential of integrating biochar with specific ratios of phosphates and MgO to enhance composting efficiency and product quality while preserving the plant-stimulating effects of seaweed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The demand for particleboard is increasing along with economic and population growth. However, two major barriers to the manufacture of particleboard are a shortage of raw materials (woodchips) and the emission of formaldehyde from conventional adhesives. Agricultural by-products such as corn stalks contain an abundance of renewable lignocellulosic fiber. This study evaluates the effect of citric acid as a natural adhesive and fire retardant addition on the physical, mechanical, and fire retardancy properties of particleboards fabricated from corn stalks. A cost-effective and inorganic salt, calcium carbonate, was tested to enhance the fire retardancy. Ammonium dihydrogen phosphate was also considered as a comparative control. Particleboards with the addition of calcium carbonate was pretreated with sodium chloride. The particleboards were pressed for 10 min at 200°C. Japanese Industrial Standard JIS A 5908:2022 was used as the benchmark for the physical and mechanical tests. Fire retardancy was dynamically tested by simulating a Bushfire Attack Level of 19 kW/m2. The particleboard with 25 wt% citric acid had superior mechanical properties and complied with the JIS A 5908 standard for Type 13 base particleboard. Particleboard with the addition of calcium carbonate (5% and 10%) showed significantly delayed pyrolysis time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Responding to the problem of over-returning of corn stalk to the field, this article proposes a comprehensive utilization model that returns 30% of corn stalk to the field from above the surface and recycles the remaining 70% as fodder is proposed. For the problems of poor quality of stalk crushing and fast knife wear, the experimental platform for corn stalk crushing with vertical shaft stepped saw disc knife was designed. The effects of different factors on the qualified rate of stalk cutting length and cutting power were investigated. The qualified rate of cutting length was the best 96.57% when the plant spacing was 20 cm. The cutting power was the smallest 322.94 W when the rotational speed of knife roller was 600 r/min. The stalk crushing process was analysed by high-speed camera, and the stalk crushing mechanism was clarified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, experimental work was undertaken to investigate the engineering factors that influence the agricultural residual chopping machine's performance for producing unconventional feed. The research was conducted at the Textile Agriculture Laboratory, Al-Rasheed Municipality, Baghdad- Iraq. Two types of chopping knives (smooth edges and serrated), two feeding speeds (5.5 and 9.5 rpm), and two types of agricultural Residuals (corn stalks and palm fronds) were used for investigation. The technical parameters evaluated comprised productivity, total required power, cutting efficiency, and fuel consumption. The moisture content of corn stalks was 56% and palm fronds 34%. The results showed that the serrated knife was the most effective achieving the highest productivity of 109.60 kg.h-1, the minimal total power consumption of 7.00 kW, and the lowest fuel consumption of 2.22 l.h-1. Additionally, the lower feeding speed of 5.5 rpm resulted in the highest cutting efficiency at 66.90%, the lowest power requirement at 7.20 kW, and the lowest fuel consumption at 2.28 l.h-1. Among the materials used, corn stalk exhibited the highest cutting efficiency at 72.41%, the lowest total power requirement at 7.00 kW, and the lowest fuel consumption at 2.22 l.h-1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: In this study, we explored the effect of fruit and vegetable waste addition on the quality of corn stalk silage. Methods: Corn stalks were ensiled 20 days after ear harvesting and mixed with fruit and vegetable waste (FVW) consisting of apple, orange, broccoli, and Chinese cabbage waste as 3% of fresh matter. Fruit waste consisted of solid residue obtained after juicing, and vegetable waste was collected from farms and cut into small pieces (2 to 3 cm). The materials were stored anaerobically in 20-L silo buckets and opened after 60 days of fermentation. Results: There were significant differences in dry matter (DM), acid detergent fiber (ADF), neutral detergent fiber (NDF), total digestible nutrient (TDN), and relative feed value (RFV) levels in FVW derived from all tested raw materials (p<0.05). Corn stalk mixed with orange waste (CSOW) had the highest DM content (28.77%), lowest ADF and NDF content (47.78% and 26.62% of DM, respectively), and highest TDN and RFV content (69.21 and 133, respectively). After 60 days, there were significant differences in all chemical parameters examined (p<0.05). Corn stalk mixed with broccoli waste (CSBW) had the lowest DM loss (2.23%), and the CSOW group had the lowest NDF and ADF content and highest in vitro DM digestibility. CSBW had the lowest pH and ammonia nitrogen content, but the highest lactic acid/acetic acid ratio among the treatment groups. CSOW had the highest lactic acid content (2.27% of DM). The microbial contents of each group differed only in lactic acid bacteria counts before and after ensiling, showing a slight increase (p>0.05) and significant decreases in yeast and mold counts (p<0.05) after ensiling. Conclusion: These findings confirmed that mixing various FVW materials, particularly orange waste, with corn stalks improved the nutritional value of silage. Adding broccoli waste resulted in better fermentation quality than the addition of other FVW materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Corn, as one of the three major grain crops in China, plays a crucial role in ensuring national food security through its yield and quality. With the advancement of agricultural intelligence, agricultural robot technology has gained significant attention. High-precision navigation is the basis for realizing various operations of agricultural robots in corn fields and is closely related to the quality of operations. Corn leaf and stalk recognition and ranging are the prerequisites for achieving high-precision navigation and have attracted much attention. This paper proposes a corn leaf and stalk recognition and ranging algorithm based on multi-sensor fusion. First, YOLOv8 is used to identify corn leaves and stalks. Considering the large differences in leaf morphology and the large changes in field illumination that lead to discontinuous identification, an equidistant expansion polygon algorithm is proposed to post-process the leaves, thereby increasing the average recognition completeness of the leaves to 86.4%. Secondly, after eliminating redundant point clouds, the IMU data are used to calculate the confidence of the LiDAR and depth camera ranging point clouds, and point cloud fusion is performed based on this to achieve high-precision ranging of corn leaves. The average ranging error is 2.9 cm, which is lower than the measurement error of a single sensor. Finally, the stalk point cloud is processed and clustered using the FILL-DBSCAN algorithm to identify and measure the distance of the same corn stalk. The algorithm combines recognition accuracy and ranging accuracy to meet the needs of robot navigation or phenotypic measurement in corn fields, ensuring the stable and efficient operation of the robot in the corn field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to figure out the optimum stocking density of weaned lambs in northern China. A series of experiments were carried out to investigate the impact of different stocking densities on the growth performance, serum indexes of physiology and biochemistry, as well as the rumen microbial fermentation of weaned lambs. The experimental animals were selected male Australian white lambs with an initial weight of (14.78 ± 2.15) kg. Seventy-two lambs were then divided into three groups, according to the different stocking densities: 0.875, 0.625, 0.375 m² /lamb. The lambs of each group with three replicates were fed a mixture diet of corn stalk, corn, concentrate, premix. The suitable stocking density was fully investigated to evaluate, according to the production performance, rumen microbial fermentation, physiological, and biochemical indicators. The results indicated that the body weight gain, average daily gain, and average daily feed intakes of weaned lambs were positively related to the increasing stocking density, while the feed/gain was negatively related (P < 0.05). The lowest feed/gain was observed in the group with 0.625 m² /lamb. Furthermore, the apparent digestibility of dry matter and crude protein showed a quadratic increase with the increasing stocking density (P < 0.01) after chemical analysis, whereas, there was no variation in the digestibility of rest nutrients. In serum physiological and biochemical parameters, there was a linear increase with the high density of stocking in the total cholesterol and triglyceride concentrations of the serum. While the increasing stocking density significantly increased the immunoglobulin G, immunoglobulin A, interleukin-6, interleukin-10, tumor necrosis factor-α (P < 0.05). In addition, there were significantly increasing levels of superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione peroxidase in the serum, particularly with the increasing stocking density (P < 0.05). In terms of rumen fermentation and microbial composition, the rising stocking density resulted in a linear increase in the total volatile fatty acids and propionate concentration in the rumen of early-weaned lambs, except for a notable decrease in the acetate/propionate ratio (P < 0.05). According to 16s rRNA sequencing, the stocking density of weaned lambs shared a significantly positive influence on the relative abundance of unclassified_c_Clostridia. The relative abundance of Olsenella was negatively affected by the increasing stocking density (P < 0.05). Correlation analysis revealed that there was a positive relationship between unclassified_c_Clostridia and body gain, average daily gain, and average daily feed intake, while a negative relationship was observed with feed/body (P < 0.05). However, there was a negative correlation between Olsenella, body gain, average daily gain, and average daily feed intake. However there was a positive correlation with the feed/body (P < 0.05). In conclusion, the increasing stocking density positively resulted in the growth performance, the apparent digestibility, and rumen propionate fermentation of weaned lambs. Conversely, the stocking density of 0.375 m² /lamb presented adverse effects on immunity, oxidative stress state, and rumen microbial fermentation. Thus, the stocking density of 0.625 m² /lamb was recommended for the weaned lambs. The finding can also provide the engineering technical parameters in standardized facilities for the weaned lambs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Efficient extraction of lignin from intricate lignocellulose is a challenge for the high-value utilization of lignocellulosic biomass in sustainable biorefinery. In this work, a p-toluene sulfonic acid-coupling ethylene glycol (PTSA/EG) pretreatment was developed to extract lignin from cornstalks. The results showed that the synergistic effect between p-toluene sulfonic acid and ethylene glycol resulted in an increase in the delignification ratio from 43.43 to 85.37% compared with PTSA aqueous pretreatment. When the concentration of PTSA was 5 wt.%, the delignification ratio reached 85.37% at 383.15 K under the PTSA/EG pretreatment. Moreover, the lignin fractions obtained by water precipitation have high purity (>90%) and a low molecular weight (1777~2271 Da). The fractionated lignin was depolymerized with Ru/C catalyst and methanol at 508.15 K for 3 h. When the pretreatment temperature is 368.15 K, the fractionated lignin has a good depolymerization performance, and the detected monomers yield reaches 17.46%. Overall, pretreatment using PTSA and EG could realize the disruption of the degradation barrier of lignocellulose and fractionate lignin with specific structures by adjusting the pretreatment conditions, which was conducive to commercial applications in biomass refining. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Corn straw-based board has great potential for the protection of forest resources, waste recycling, and sustainable economic development. However, corn stalk-based board has poor mechanical properties due to its short fiber length and poor water resistance because of the presence of numerous hydrophilic hydroxyl functional groups in its structure. Natural mycelium originating from waste Pleurotus ostreatus substrate is a hydrophobic bio-adhesive. In the present study, formaldehyde-free corn stalk/P. ostreatus substrate bio-composites were prepared using the hotpressing technique without the addition of any chemical adhesive. The mechanical properties and water resistance of the prepared biocomposites were excellent. The highest internal bonding strength (IBS) of 2.16 MPa and the minimum thickness swelling (TS) of 18.3% were observed, which are beyond the national standards for particleboard in China. These bio-composites were prepared using a simple, green, and convenient manufacturing method to promote their popularization and application. The method may, therefore, be used as a novel technical measure to resolve the problem of overuse of forestry resources and waste disposal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The characteristics of soil phosphorus (P) fixation and release have a critical impact on the availability of P and the risk of environmental loss. Investigation of the effects of corn stalk and corn stalk biochar on the P adsorption–desorption characteristics of brown earth can provide a theoretical basis for the rational return of crop stalk to the field and improving the availability of soil P. The Langmuir adsorption isotherm equation provided a better fit than the Freundlich equation for the curve of soil P adsorption and equilibrium solution P concentration. Biochar application increased the maximum adsorption capacity (MAC) and maximum buffer capacity (MBC) of the soil for P by 8.5% and 17.2%, respectively. Corn stalk and its biochar reduced the P adsorption saturation (DPS) by 41.8% and 31.9%, respectively, but increased the amount of readily desorbable P (RDP) by 39.7% and 154.4%, respectively. The application of corn stalk and its biochar improved the soil P desorption rate at substrate P concentrations of less than 5 mg L−1, whereas significant reductions in the soil P desorption rate were observed between 5 mg L−1 and 30 mg L−1, and no significant effects were observed at P concentrations over 40 mg L−1. In addition, the total P and Olsen‐P contents of the soil were significantly associated with the P adsorption–desorption process (p <.05). Therefore, corn stalk and corn stalk biochar can enhance the capacity of soil for P adsorption, with a stronger effect observed for biochar than for corn stalk, and the rate of P desorption from treated soil is dependent on P concentration in the soil solution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Developing low‐cost, durable, and highly‐active bifunctional electrocatalysts from sustainable biomass for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER) remains a formidable challenge. Here, a novel approach is demonstrated for fabricating a porous biochar‐derived nanocellulose‐cornstalks aerogel by engineering of synergetic N, B, and F incorporation. Nanocellulose is used to disperse the carbonous cornstalks as the sufficiently nanostructured porous template, enabling the facile incorporation of N, B, and F to strengthen electron transfer efficiency and synergistically guarantee bifunctional ORR activity of a half‐wave potential of 0.845 V which outperforms the commercial Pt/C catalysts; moreover, it also shows an overpotential of 368 mV at 10 mA cm−2 by a maximum several or dozens of times compared to the exiting biomass‐derived electrocatalysts. The N, B, and F‐engineered agro‐forestry biomass with tailoring nanostructure that shows similarly high‐performance ORR/OER activity, directing the next generation of biomass‐derived electrocatalysts with ecological sustainability and cost‐effectivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Establishing a sustainable program for biomass necessitates society's active involvement, particularly in the supply of biomass feedstock (such as sawdust, waste wood, and corn stalks). Because of this practical need, our study aims to identify the most influential factors within a conceptual model that determine society's intention to participate in biomass projects, specifically in biomass feedstock supply. We utilize the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) with ten indicators and Partial Least Squares (PLS) to measure public participation in biomass projects. Our research subjects were corn farmers and wood artisans located at Banyuwangi. We employed a purposive convenience sampling technique, involving 75 respondents (with a response rate of 75%). The results revealed that three variables (attitude toward behavior, subjective norm, and perceived behavioral control) significantly influence behavioral intention. The most influential factor determining the intention to participate in the biomass project is perceived behavioral control, with a loading factor of 0.382, followed by subjective norms, with a loading factor of 0.216, and attitude, with a loading factor of 0.207. These findings have practical implications for promoting public participation in biomass projects, highlighting the need to address these factors effectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Modifying plant fibers before their incorporation into the polymer matrix is a crucial factor that influences the characteristics of the resulting composites. This article reports on a study that investigated how modifying ground corn stalks impacted certain properties of a biodegradable polymer composite. The composite was made up of a mixture of polylactide and polycaprolactone in a ratio of 70:30, and the filler was modified using dopamine hydrochloride to create a thin polymer layer of polydopamine on the surface of the particles. The study evaluated the structural, mechanical, thermal, and thermomechanical properties of composites that contained 30%, 40%, or 50% of the filler by weight. Additionally, the tests to determine how well the composites would compost in an industrial setting were conducted. The results of the study showed that modifying the filler particles had a positive impact on most of the properties tested, including tensile strength, flexural strength, Young's modulus, storage modulus, and impact strength. Interestingly, despite concerns about the antibacterial properties of polydopamine, the composting tests revealed that the modification of the filler particles did not have any negative effects on the industrial composting process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The stalks left after harvesting corn, tomatoes, and tobacco have no further use and are usually burned on agricultural land. In our work samples of this waste were collected and pyrolyzed at 400 ℃ for 30 min in a nitrogen atmosphere. The solid residue (biochar) obtained by pyrolysis was analyzed, and the results were compared with widely used solid fuels such as wood, coal, coke and charcoal. The heat values of biochar from tomato, tobacco, corn ZP 6263, and corn BC 398 stalks were 24.12, 23.09, 26.24 and 25.78 MJ kg-1, respectively. These values are significantly higher than the heat value of wood, which is about 12.50 MJ kg-1. The ash content of biochar was 12-20 %, which is consistent with the ash content of solid fuels. No heavy metals were found in biochar samples. The results show that biochar obtained from the pyrolysis of agricultural waste, such as tomatoes, tobacco and corn stalks, has good potential for use as a solid fuel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current study deals with an examination of strategies for the sequential treatment of corn stalks (CSs) in an integrated manner aiming to obtain papermaking fibers and to recover both lignin and hemicelluloses (HCs). Several pathways of valorization were experimentally trialed, focusing on getting information from mass balance analysis in an attempt to reveal the potential outcomes in terms of pulp yield, chemical composition, and papermaking properties such as tensile and burst strength. The raw lignin amounts and purity as well as separated hemicelluloses were also characterized. In this work, pulp yields in the range of 44–50% were obtained from CSs, while lignin and hemicelluloses yielded maximum values of 10 g/100 g of CS and 6.2 g/100 g of CS, respectively. Other findings of mass balance analysis evidenced that besides the papermaking pulp, the lignin and HCs also have interesting output values. The recovered lignin yield values were shown to be less than 50% in general, meaning that even if 67 to 90% of it is removed from CSs, only about half is recovered. The removal rates of hemicelluloses were found to be in the range of approx. 30 to 60%. About 15 to 25% of the original HCs could be recovered, and polysaccharides-based products with 67 to 75% xylan content could be obtained. Some key opinions were developed regarding how the mass balance could turn as a result of the chosen CS valorization set-up. The determined antioxidant activity showed that both lignin and hemicelluloses had interesting values for IC50. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study focuses on recycling Shammi corn stalks in the cement industries, further avoiding air and soil pollution caused by their improper disposal. This crop residue was thermally treated at 700 °C for 2 h under an oxygen-rich environment to produce Shammi corn stalk ash (SCSA). This SCSA was used as a cement replacement material (2–10%, w/w), whereas the control sample included only cement. The compressive strength values for the 4% (w/w) replacement ratio at 2-, 7-, and 28-day ages were greater than those for the control by 26.5%, 15.8%, and 11.4%, respectively. This 4% (w/w) also maintained a better flexural strength than other mixtures, with proper initial and final setting times (135 and 190 min), workability (18.5 cm), and water consistency (27.5%). These mechanical/physical properties were integrated with socio-enviro-economic data collected from experts through a pairwise comparison questionnaire, forming the inputs of a multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) model. Recycling SCSA in the cement-manufacturing process attained positive scores in the achievement of the three pillars of sustainable development, revealing an overall score greater than the control. Hence, the study outcomes could be essential in developing green concrete, cement blocks, and mortar, based on the sustainable development goals (SDGs) agenda. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of the experiment was to study the degradation characteristics of the products of four roughage feeds, sugarcane tail leaves, corn stalks, elephant grass and cassava branch, fermented by cellulase (CE) in buffalo rumen, so as to provide a reference for the selection and utilization of roughage in buffalo breeding. Three buffaloes with permanent rumen fistula were used as experimental animals. Nylon bag method was used to determine the nutritional components and rumen degradation characteristics of four kinds of roughage and their products after CE fermentation. The results showed that before fermentation, the content of crude protein (CP) in sugarcane tail leaves and elephant grass was significantly higher than that in corn stalks and cassava branch (P<0.05). The content of neutral detergent fiber (NDF) in cassava branch was the lowest (P<0.05), and the content of acid detergent fiber (ADF) was the highest (P<0.05). After CE treatment, the content of CP in fermentation group increased in different degrees, while the content of NDF and ADF decreased in different degrees. Before fermentation, the effective degradation rates of all nutrients were as follows: Elephant grass > sugarcane tail leaf > corn stalk > cassava branch. The effective degradation rates of DM, NDF, and ADF of elephant grass were significantly higher than those of other groups (P<0.05), the effective degradation rates of CP of elephant grass were significantly higher than those of corn stalk and cassava branch (P<0.05), and the effective degradation rates of nutrients of cassava branch were significantly lower than those of other groups (P<0.05). After CE treatment, compared with the control group, the effective degradation rates of DM, CP, NDF, and ADF in the fermentation group were improved to varying degrees. The study indicates that the feed value of the four kinds of roughage is as follows: Elephant grass > sugarcane tail leaf > corn straw > cassava branch. Adding CE can improve the rumen degradation rate of the four kinds of roughage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Corn stalk and diatomite were cross-linked by N,N'-Methylenebisacrylamide (MBA) to obtain gel porous materials for methylene blue adsorption, which improved the multi-element pores effect. The process solved the difficult recovery problem of powder adsorbents as well. Results showed that the optimal preparation conditions of corn stalk/diatomite gel porous materials were: 1 mL of glutaraldehyde, 6 g of acrylic acid, 150 mg of MBA and 100 mg of potassium persulfate. The adsorption process conditions were optimized: At the pH = 8, 8 mg of gel porous material was adsorbed for 1 hour. Under the optimal conditions, the removal percentage was 93.65% and the adsorption capacity reached 288.43 mg/g. The characterization results indicated that the corn stalk was successfully combined with diatomite. Corn stalk/diatomite gel porous materials had a three-dimensional network structure with more active sites. The adsorption isotherms fit the Langmuir model. Furthermore, the adsorption kinetics fit the pseudo-second-order model. The adsorbent surface is uniform and the adsorption process is mostly monolayer adsorption. The adsorption process includes chemical and physical adsorption. The maximum saturated adsorption capacity was 657.89 mg/g. Corn stalk/diatomite gel porous materials maintained good adsorption performance after cyclic adsorption. The adsorbent prepared in this study has a good regeneration cycle and methylene blue removal capacity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel phytic acid-modified corn stalk-composite superabsorbent (PACS-g-p(AA-AM-VP)) with water absorbency of 391 g/g, water retention around 30% at 200 min under 90 °C, adsorption capacities of 284 mg/g and 448 mg/g for Ni(II) and Cu (II), respectively, was synthesized by graft copolymerization of acrylamide(AM), vinyl pyrrolidone(VP) and itaconic acid(IA) with phytic acid-modified corn stalk (PACS) in aqueous solution, using N,N-methylenebisacrylamide (MBA) as a crosslinker and ammonium persulfate (APS) and sodium bisulfite (SBS) as redox initiator. Factors influencing water absorbency and water retention of PACS-g-p (AA-AM-VP), such as PACS amount, initiator amount, crosslinker amount, neutralization degree of IA, IA/VP mass ratio and IA/AM mass ratio, were investigated. Morphologies and structure of PACS-g-p (AA-AM-VP) were characterized by FTIR and SEM. FTIR spectra indicate the structure of phytic acid-modified corn stalk graft-copolymer. SEM data shows that fiber structure of corn stalk is partially destroyed after phytic acid modification under ultrasonic wave. PACS-g-p (AA-AM-VP) has a coarse, fluffy and porous structure, facilitating the permeation of water and heavy metal ions into the polymeric network. Given these properties, PACS-g-p (AA-AM-VP) can be extensively applied in agriculture and horticulture as a water-retaining and soil remediation material which increases agricultural irrigation efficiency and remediates heavy metal-contaminated soil due to its low cost, environmental friendliness, high water retention and good adsorption for heavy metal ions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cellulose-based aerogel has attracted considerable attention for its excellent adsorption capacity, biodegradability, and renewability. However, it is considered eco-unfriendly due to defibrillation of agriculture waste and requires harmful/expensive chemical agents. In this study, cornstalk rind-based aerogel was obtained via the following steps: green H2O2/HAc delignification of cornstalk rind to obtain cellulose fibers, binding with carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC)/polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and freeze-drying treatment, and hydrophobic modification with stearic acid. The obtained aerogel showed high compressive strength (200 KPa), which is apparently higher (about 32 kPa) than NaClO-delignified cornstalk-based cellulose/PVA aerogel. Characterization of the obtained aerogel through SEM, water contact angle, etc., showed high porosity (95%), low density (0.0198 g/cm−3), and hydrophobicity (water contact angle, 159°), resulting in excellent n-hexane adsorption capacity (35 g/g), higher (about 29.5 g/g) than NaClO-delignified cornstalk-based cellulose/PVA aerogel. The adsorbed oil was recovered by the extrusion method, and the aerogel showed excellent recyclability in oil adsorption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the continuous advancement of large-scale high-grade highway construction and maintenance and repair projects, the demand for asphalt materials has been gradually increasing. As fossil materials are consumed, finding an alternative to petroleum asphalt materials has become an urgent need in the field of road engineering. This paper used corn stover tar as raw material and conducted resin treatment to prepare bio- bitumen. Based on the analysis of BOX-Behnken response surface, the resin yield was used as the evaluation index, the optimal process conditions for resin synthesis were as follows: phenolic molar ratio was 0.8, reaction time was 125 min, and straw tar addition was 10%. The results showed that with the increase of resinized products, the penetration degree of bio-bitumen also increased, which was higher than that of 70# petroleum asphalt. The ductility of B-PF bio-bitumen first increased and then decreased with the increasing of the content. However, the ductility of H-PF bio-bitumen decreased with the increasing of the dosage. Increasing the amount of bio-bitumen could reduce the softening point. The elongation and softening point of H-PF bio-bitumen were lower than 70# petroleum bitumen at 10% content, while the softening point and elongation of the bio-bitumen prepared at 20% content were lower than 70# petroleum bitumen. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lignocellulosic biomass from crop residues is an abundant and inexpensive resource that can be converted into high-value platform chemicals. An effective approach is a two-step and "lignin-first" process, utilizing ionic liquid pretreatment followed by ethanol–water liquefaction. In this work, the corn stalk (CS) was pretreated with the ionic liquid [B2-HEA][OAc] to remove lignin. The optimal pretreatment conditions were determined to be 130 °C for 5 h at a liquid–solid ratio of 10:1, achieving delignification of 85.88 wt% while recovering 52.22 wt% of cellulose and 30.18 wt% of hemicellulose. The pretreated CS was then converted into ethyl levulinate (EL) via ethanol–water liquefaction at 190 °C for 90 min. This resulted in a maximum EL yield of 39.93 wt%. Furthermore, the structural and thermal analyses via XRD, FTIR, TGA and SEM revealed the effective lignin removal and increased cellulose accessibility in the pretreated CS, as well as significant changes in chemical structure following liquefaction. Compared to the original CS, the crystallinity index of pretreated CS increased from 66.85% to 74.87%. The combination of ionic liquid pretreatment and ethanol–water liquefaction serves as an efficient process to convert the lignocellulosic residue corn stalk into value-added platform chemicals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As an agricultural waste, a large amount of corn stalk will cause environmental pollution. In order to realize the resource utilization of waste and meet the strict requirements of modern traffic on pavement strength and durability, it was modified and applied to an AC-13 asphalt mixture to study its influence on the road performance of asphalt mixture and its mechanism. The road performances of modified corn stalk fiber, lignin fiber, and ordinary asphalt mixtures were evaluated via the wheel tracking test, low-temperature bending test, water immersion Marshall test, freeze–thaw splitting test, and fatigue test. Based on the results of three-point bending fatigue test, the viscoelastic parameters and indexes of the fiber asphalt mixture were obtained by fitting the loading specimen and deflection data with the Burgers constitutive model, and the creep strain response was analyzed by applying dynamic load, so as to explore the relationship between the viscoelastic characteristics and creep behavior of modified corn stalk fiber and AC-13 mixture. The long-term high-temperature performance test of the asphalt mixture with the best fiber content was carried out by using the long-term pavement intelligent monitoring equipment independently developed by the group of investigators. According to the findings, the ideal fiber contents for modified corn and lignin in asphalt mixture are 0.2% and 0.3%, respectively. Among them, the modified corn stalk fiber with a 0.2% content has the best effect on road performance, viscoelastic performance, and the asphalt mixture's creep behavior under dynamic load. Compared with the 0.3% lignin fiber asphalt mixture, its dynamic stability, bending stiffness modulus, immersion residual stability, freeze–thaw splitting strength ratio, and loading times at failure increased by 19.9%, 18.28%, 4.19%, 8.6%, and 9.15%, respectively. Compared with ordinary asphalt mixture, it increased by 47.0%, 28.72%, 7.65%, 15%, and 75.81%, respectively. Moreover, when modified corn stalk fiber is added at 0.2%, the viscoelastic delay time of asphalt mixture is the longest, the strain peak value and rut depth are at a minimum, and the viscoelastic properties, creep properties, and long-term high-temperature properties are the best. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study was to explore excellent silage production through co-ensiling whole-plant cassava and corn stalk, and different ratios of whole-plant cassava (0%, 10%, 20%, 30%, 40%, and 50%, fresh-matter basis) co-ensiled with corn stalk were analyzed based on the silage bacterial community, function profile, and microbial ecological network features. The results demonstrated that co-ensiling 30% whole-plant cassava with 70% corn stalk could be considered an efficient mode of production. The mixed silage showed great quality, as reflected by the reduced pH value and concentrations of acetic acid, butyric acid, and ammonia nitrogen and the enhanced lactic acid concentration, V-score, and nutritional value compared with corn stalk ensiled alone. Meanwhile, co-ensiling restricted the undesirable bacterial Acetobacter fabarum of corn stalk and Pseudomonas aeruginosa of whole-plant cassava and raised the abundance of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) such as Levilactobacillus brevis, Lactiplantibacillus plantarum, Lactobacillus harbinensis, etc. Besides that, the predicted functions of the bacterial community showed large differences in mixed silage compared with whole-plant cassava or corn stalk ensiled alone. Moreover, the analysis of co-occurrence networks showed that mixed silage affected microbial network features, module numbers, and bacterial relative abundances and weakened the complexity and stability of the networks compared with whole-plant cassava single silage. Furthermore, silage microbial community composition had a huge impact on the network properties, and undesirable Pseudomonas aeruginosa played a crucial role in the complexity and stability. Overall, this study revealed the characteristics of whole-plant cassava with corn stalk mixed-silage microbial communities and co-occurrence network modules, complexity, and stability and partly clarified the microbial mechanism of co-ensiling for producing high-quality silage. The findings of this study have important implications for deeply understanding the ensiling process and precisely regulating silage fermentation quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The preparation of activated carbon (AC) from agricultural and forestry wastes is one of the effective methods for resource utilization. In this study, AC was prepared from corn stalk (CS) by pyrolysis, one-step activation, and two-step activation to determine the optimum preparation method. Based on this, a single-factor design was used to investigate the influence of activating agents (KOH, NaOH, KOH/NaOH), activation temperatures (600, 700, 800 °C), and activation times (60, 90, 120 min) on the physicochemical properties of AC. The physicochemical properties of AC were characterized by Thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and Cyclic voltammetry (CV). The results showed that the AC obtained by the one-step activation method (KOH, 800 °C, 120 min) exhibited a rich pore structure and excellent electrochemical properties (Ipa = 159.8 μA, Ipc = −169.5 μA). However, for the two-step activation method, the AC exhibited a poor pore structure and electrochemical properties (Ipa = 130.8 μA, Ipc = −129.9 μA). In addition, one-step activation provides high-quality AC in a shorter activation time than two-step activation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Corn stalk can be used as a potential adsorbent because of its abundance, cost-effectiveness, and accessible functional groups that allow chemical modifications. This study aims to synthesize cellulose xanthate alginate beads (ACX beads) from corn stalks to remove methylene blue from aqueous solutions. ACX beads with various doses of porogen CaCO3 were printed using the ionic gelation method, and then characterized using FTIR, optical microscopy, and SEM-EDX. The results of the FTIR analysis reported changes in the C-S, C=S, and S-C-S vibrations that indicated the xanthate formation. Furthermore, as the porogen dose increased, the OH intensity decreased. The high intensity of the OH group results in a high swelling process. The results of the optical microscopy analysis showed that the porogen made the ACX beads spherical. SEM-EDX analysis showed that the higher the porogen dose, the rougher the surface morphology of the ACX beads and the larger the pore diameter. The maximum adsorption capacity was obtained on ACX beads without porogen with a contact time of 360 hours. The study reveals that the kinetic adsorption followed a pseudo-second-order kinetic model proposed chemical adsorption. The larger the porogen, the more crosslinks between the divalent cations and alginate or cellulose that are formed, inhibiting the bond between the ACX beads and water and methylene blue, thereby reducing the swelling process and the adsorption capacity of the ACX beads. In addition, the pore size that is too large does not match the size of the methylene blue molecule. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lignin is main composition of agricultural biomass which can be decomposed through enzymatic hydrolysis by fungi. However, there are still needs to identify more efficient and effective fungal stain for biomass valorization. In this study, lignin degrading fungi from birch forest were screened for sustainable degradation of waste agricultural straws. The most effective strain was identified as Cerrena unicolor GC.u01 using 18 S rDNA gene-sequencing technology. Three different crop straws (corn stalk, rice and wheat straws) were used for the biotreatment studies. The activities of lignin degrading enzymes, laccase (Lac), cellulase and xylanase, secreted by C. unicolor were also determined. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and thermal gravimetric analyzer (TGA) were further used to monitor the effects of the biotreatment process. The results showed that C. unicolor degraded 34.3% rice straw lignin, a percentage which was higher than other isolated strains after 15 d straw liquid fermentation. The highest Lac activity (8.396 U•mL− 1) was observed with corn stalk on the 7 d. Cellulase and xylanase activities, in the same biomass, were higher than those of wheat and rice straws after 15 d. Furthermore, SEM, FTIR and TGA analyses showed that C. unicolor pretreatment process had significant effects on corn stalk, rice and wheat straws' structures. The newly isolated stain of C. unicolor demonstrated high lignin degradation potential that can provide effective, ecofriendly means of valorizing biomass to industrial useable raw-material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wet sewage sludge (WSS) self-moisture gasification is a promising route for H 2 -rich syngas production. This research investigated the co-gasification of WSS and corn stalks (CS), focusing on the effects of self-moisture content. Thermogravimetric analysis of the pyrolysis of the mixture (WSS:CS = 40:60 wt%) revealed that the reactions followed a three-parallel-reaction model. The co-gasification process was performed to compare the effects of self-moisture and external steam used as gasification agents, respectively. The results showed that the self-moisture gasification led to higher H 2 yields (0.057–0.11 L/g), gas yields (0.19–0.21 L/g), and specific gas energy (2.62–2.72 MJ/kg) than those in external steam gasification (0.055–0.090 L/g, 0.16–0.18 L/g and 2.32–2.52 MJ/kg, respectively). Additionally, self-moisture gasification also resulted in lighter tar with primarily light organic acids (28.0%), and char with weaker aromatic structure features, attributed to longer reaction time during diffusion of pyrolysis products. Overall, this study provided theoretical foundations for the high-value exploitation of WSS. [Display omitted] • The self-moisture in wet sewage sludge was used as a gasifying agent. • Co-gasification performance of sewage sludge and corn stalks were investigated. • Self-moisture gasification produced more H 2 with higher LHV than external steam case. • The mechanism of self-moisture and external steam gasification processes was compared. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study evaluates the mold fungal resistance of newly developed loose-fill thermal insulation materials made of wheat straw, corn stalk and water reed. Three distinct techniques for the processing of raw materials were used: mechanical crushing (Raw, ≤20 mm), thermo-mechanical pulping (TMP) with 4% NaOH and steam explosion pulping (SEP). An admixture of boric acid (8%) and tetraborate (7%) was applied to all processed substrates due to their anti-fungal properties. The fourth sample group was prepared from SEP substrates without added fungicide (SEP*) as control. Samples from all treatments were separately inoculated by five different fungal species and incubated in darkness for 28 days at 28 °C and RH > 90%. The highest resistance to the colonization of mold fungi was achieved by TMP and SEP processing, coupled with the addition of boric acid and tetraborate, where molds infested only around 35% to 40% of the inoculated sample area. The lowest mold fungi resistance was detected for the Raw and SEP* samples, each ~75%; they were affected by rich amount of accessible nutrients, suggesting that boric acid and tetraborate additives alone did not prevent mold fungal growth as effectively as in combination with TMP and SEP treatments. Together, the achieved fungal colonization scores after combined fungicide and pulping treatments are very promising for the application of tested renewable materials in the future development of thermal insulation products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The European corn borer is a major pest of corn that overwinters in corn stubble and stalks. Shredding these residues disrupts the larvae's habitat or directly harms them. A corn header has been engineered with a new type of cutting tool on its horizontal choppers, featuring sharp edges and dulled flails, to shred corn stubble near the soil surface. This study investigated the effect of the dulled flails on the shredding intensity of corn stover. Field trials compared flail knives with standard knives for particle size distribution of corn stover and structural integrity of corn stalk segments. Additionally, a common two-step method, which involved a standard knives-equipped corn header followed by tractor-driven flail mowers, was tested. The flail knives reduced the mean particle size by 3.6 mm compared to the standard knives. Subsequent processing with tractor-driven flail mowers, following the corn header using standard knives, led to a reduction in mean particle size by 11.8 mm. It also further reduced the number of incompletely destroyed stalk segments. However, completely intact internodes were scarce in all methods. Given that flail knives enhance shredding intensity without a second processing step, this concept is concluded to be effective for corn stover shredding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the steady operation of the 9FF square bale corn stalk pulverizer, the rapidly rotating spindle drives the hammers and impellers to form a complicated airflow field environment in the crushing chamber. The flow field characteristics in the crushing chamber can affect the motion law of stalks, thus influencing the pulverizing effect of the hammer blades on stalks and the ejection of materials. Based on establishing the Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) calculation model of the crushing chamber in the 9FF square bale corn stalk pulverizer, in this paper, the effect of three groups of components, such as the hammer rack and blades, hammer rack and blades and the sieve, as well and the sieve and the impeller, on the distribution characteristics of airflow field in the crushing chamber. The simulation results show that the hammer piece group, screen, and impeller in the crushing room can effectively improve the crushing quality of materials, with the crushing efficiency and conveying efficiency at the highest speed of 3000 r/min. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The cover of corn stover has a significant effect on the emergence and growth of soybean seedlings. Detecting corn stover covers is crucial for assessing the extent of no-till farming and determining subsidies for stover return; however, challenges such as complex backgrounds, lighting conditions, and camera angles hinder the detection of corn stover coverage. To address these issues, this study focuses on corn stover and proposes an innovative method with which to extract corn stalks in the field, operating an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) platform and a U-Net model. This method combines semantic segmentation principles with image detection techniques to form an encoder–decoder network structure. The model utilizes transfer learning by replacing the encoder with the first five layers of the VGG19 network to extract essential features from stalk images. Additionally, it incorporates a concurrent bilinear attention module (CBAM) convolutional attention mechanism to improve segmentation performance for intricate edges of broken stalks. A U-Net-based semantic segmentation model was constructed specifically for extracting field corn stalks. The study also explores how different data sizes affect stalk segmentation results. Experimental results prove that our algorithm achieves 93.87% accuracy in segmenting and extracting corn stalks from images with complex backgrounds, outperforming U-Net, SegNet, and ResNet models. These findings indicate that our new algorithm effectively segments corn stalks in fields with intricate backgrounds, providing a technical reference for detecting stalk cover in not only corn but also other crops. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]