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This study investigated cellobionate production from a lignocellulosic substrate using Neurospora crassa HL10. Utilizing NaOH-pretreated wheat straw as the substrate obviated the need for an exogenous redox mediator addition, as lignin contained in the pretreated wheat served as a natural mediator. The low laccase production by N. crassa HL10 on pretreated wheat straw caused slow cellobionate production, and exogenous laccase addition accelerated the process. Cycloheximide induced substantial laccase production in N. crassa HL10, enabling the strain to yield approximately 57 mM cellobionate from pretreated wheat straw (equivalent to 20 g/L cellulose), shortening the conversion time from 8 to 6 days. About 92% of the cellulose contained in the pretreated wheat straw is converted to cellobionate. In contrast to existing methods requiring pure cellobiose or cellulase enzymes, this process efficiently converts a low-cost feedstock into cellobionate at a high yield without enzyme or redox mediator supplementation.

Biogenic methane (BM) production from coal is quite limited due to its complex chemical nature, which makes the responsible microbes sensitive to its denaturation. In the current investigation, wheat straw (WS) at different concentrations as a cosubstrate were used with coal to augment methane generation from coal. Results revealed that the codigestion approach significantly enhanced the cumulative methane generation in CS1 (17.25 mmol) (coal:straw, 75:25), which was 59.52%–256.47% higher than the CS2 (coal:straw, 85:15), and WS single digestion, respectively. Moreover, the lowest methane yield (0.295 mmol/g) was achieved from single coal digestion. Particularly, the highest methane content, 68.37% in the collected biogas, was observed in CS1, followed by CS2 (49.53%), WS (44.92%), and coal (3.53%). Microbial community analysis illustrates that Methanobacteriaceae (51.33%) and Methanosarcinaceae (48.66%) were the leading archaeal communities at the peak methanogenic stage in CS1. While the abundant bacteria at this stage were Hungateiclostridiaceae (40.18%), Rhodobacteriaceae (21.40%), and Lentimicrobiaceae (19.20%) in CS1. According to scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis, several microbes were seen to be attached to the coal surface in CS1 and CS2. Moreover, the nontargeted metabolomic results showed that aromatics, aliphatic, long‐chain fatty acids, and alkane (C19–C36) compounds were found to be highly expressed in only coal, CS1, and CS2 reactors compared to WS. In addition, volatile fatty acids (VFAs) analysis showed that acetic acids were abundantly present in CS1 (2,190,175 ng/ml), followed by WS (1,543,492.88 ng/ml), CS2 (1,159,050 ng/ml), and coal (50,998.31 ng/ml). These results promote the significance of using WS as a cosubstrate with coal to enhance methane production, which can be used as a fuel in power plants. Further studies are required to investigate the potential cosubstrate with coal to enhance methane production and identify the specific metabolic pathways involved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Safeguarding the agricultural environment from pollution is one of the most critical challenges facing the world in the context of climate change. The loss of nitrogen fertilizers through agricultural runoff or volatilization in the form of nitrate or ammonia emissions is a significant contributor to pollution. This loss also represents an economic waste that may lead to increased prices of agricultural products. Therefore, finding a solution to this problem has become imperative. An experiment was conducted on wheat plants using various rates of urea coated with slow-release materials. The study aimed to assess the impact of these fertilizers on wheat growth and yield, nutrient uptake, and nitrogen utilization efficiency (NUtE). Results demonstrated that urea fertilizers coated with slow-release materials outperformed conventional fertilizers in terms of wheat growth and yield, uptake of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, as well as NUtE. The most favorable outcomes were achieved using urea-formaldehyde, urea-humic, and urea-biochar fertilizers at 100% of the recommended nitrogen application rate. This resulted in economically viable grain production with high fertilizer efficiency. Based on these findings, we recommend applying either urea-formaldehyde or urea-humic at a rate of 107 kg N ha−1 to produce wheat grain and straw with enhanced NUtE. This approach can help reduce environmental pollution caused by nitrogen losses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work was focused on the manufacturing of strawboard from agricultural waste like wheat straw (WS) and rice straw (RS) as natural resources of fibre by a sustainable and eco-friendly approach. Pineapple crown waste (PCW) fibre was used to replace the binder chemicals that are being used in the strawboard manufacturing industries to improve their quality in terms of mechanical strength properties. The strawboard with admirable properties like 4.74 mN·m2/g tear index, 14.96 N·m/g tensile indexes, 1526 m breaking length, 8.87 burst factor, and 20.3 stiffness factor was developed by adding 40% of PCW with 60% of WS pulp which was prepared by hydrothermal treatment of the material at 165 °C followed by the refiner mechanical pulping of the material. In addition to that, blending 60% RS with the same quantity of PCW pulp could develop strawboard with similar properties as that of wheat straw, which met the grade A and grade B strawboard required specifications as per Indian Standard: 2647–1967. The step towards utilizing agricultural waste to develop chemical-free strawboard not only minimizes the dumping of waste into the open field but also reduced the chemical utilization by the strawboard manufacturing industries, with PCW fibre that has been measured about 43% and 48% longer than WS and RS fibre, these could be the main reasons for developing such kind of strawboard with high mechanical properties. The fibre quality (morphology, crystallinity, and functional groups) of the different materials used was verified by different characterization techniques, such as FE-SEM, XRD, and FTIR-ATR analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The process of bioethanol production has several economic drawbacks such as the cost of enzymes, i.e., cellulase, which hydrolyze cellulose to produce fermentable sugars. In this study, to reduce the production cost of cellulase, agricultural wastes such as wheat straw (WS) and rice straw (RS) were used as carbon sources for cellulase production through solid-state fermentation. First, the standard cellulase production conditions were optimized, the initial moisture content of the solid medium was 60%, the biomass particle size was 100 µm to 4 mm size mixed, and the optimal carbon/nitrogen (C/N) ratio in the medium of WS and RS was 59.0 and 41.2, respectively. Subsequently, to simplify process handling, eliminating trace elements such as MgSO4, CaCl2, FeSO4, MnSO4, ZnSO4, CoCl2, and phosphorous compounds such as KH2PO4 in the general Mandel's medium was used for cellulase production medium and compared with the standard medium. Maximum 5.4 filter paper unit (FPU)/g-substrate (WS) and 5.3 FPU/g-substrate (RS) were attained under trace element eliminating medium; these were similar to that from the standard medium of WS (4.8 FPU/g-substrate) and RS (5.7 FPU/g-substrate). Moreover, the produced crude cellulases from RS were evaluated for their potential in hydrolysis of alkaline-treated RS. The performances of the crude cellulases were similar to those of commercial cellulases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flexible lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) are receiving widespread attention, and how to obtain the high flexibility, safety, and energy density of LIBs at the same time are one of the main challenges in the field of flexible electronics. The multi-network structure formed by cellulose nanofiber (TOCNF) not only provided sufficient mechanical support and excellent flexibility for the electrode but also promoted uniform distribution of conductive agents and active materials. In this work, we prepared an eco-friendly TOCNF binder from wheat straw, using a method involving 2, 2, 6, 6-tetramethylpiperidinyl-1-oxyl oxidation and high-intensity ultrasonic treatment. Additionally, we enhanced the performance of TOCNF by introducing Li+ through ion exchange, resulting in lithium-functionalized cellulose nanofibers (TOCNF-Li), which were employed as a novel binder for LiFePO4 cathodes. The findings show that, when employing TOCNF-Li binder, batteries were able to obtain an initial discharge capacity of 163 mAh g–1 at 0.1 C rate and maintained 93.2% of the initial reversible capacity after 400 cycles at 2 C rate. Notably, at 5 C rate, the discharge capacity reached 133.7 mAh g−1, with a capacity decay of only 16.1%. TOCNF-Li played a role in increasing Li+ content, opening a new pathway for Li+ transport, consequently enhancing Li+ diffusion efficiency and charge–discharge performance. Overall, TOCNF-Li serves as a novel, environmentally friendly, and efficient binder for flexible LIBs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nowadays, with the mechanization of human societies, the demand for energy production and storage has also increased. Fossil fuels are running out, and thus, clean energy production using non-toxic and accessible sources is desirable. The valorization of waste materials into useful compounds is among the most important research subjects. Increasing interest in cost-effective raw materials and environmentally friendly precursors has brought agricultural residues up as promising, widespread biowaste all around the world. Rice husks (RHs), corn husks, wheat straws, sugarcane bagasse, fruit nut residues, and many other agricultural wastes have been broadly applied for designing novel materials, which can be applicable for energy conversion and storage. Agricultural waste contains useful chemical compounds, which may act as reducing, stabilizing, or capping agents, templates, precursors, etc., to produce various compounds viz. carbonaceous and (nano)materials. This review paper discusses the compounds that can be applicable for electrocatalytic applications for energy conversion in addition to energy storage. In fact, in this review, reports concerning agricultural waste-derived (carbon/nano)materials for energy conversion as well as energy storage devices such as different types of batteries, supercapacitors, and solar cell systems have been reviewed. The application of agricultural waste for energy conversion and storage is a very important issue due to the increase in the human population in the future, resulting in energy shortage problems. Therefore, suitable solutions must be developed for energy conversion and storage. On the other hand, the application of natural and environmentally friendly agricultural waste is very important for energy production and storage in addition to preventing the accumulation of this waste in the environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study assessed the impacts of wheat straw as a cosubstrate on coal biocoverion into methane and the associated mechanism within methane metabolic pathways. Co-digestion of coal with varying wheat straw concentrations resulted in a remarkable (1246.05%) increase in methane yield compared to that of the control (CK). Moreover, microbial analysis revealed a uniform distribution of Methanosarcinaceae (51.14%) and Methanobacteriaceae (39.90%) in the co-digestion of coal and wheat straw (CWS1) at a ratio of 3:1 (w/w) compared to other treatments such as coal and wheat straw (CWS2) at a ratio of 3:0.5. In addition, Hungatieclostridiaceae and Rhodobacteriaceae were abundant in both co-digesters, whereas the bacterial communities in the CK group were significantly different and more abundant than those in the Peptostreptococcaceae and Enterobacteriaceae groups. The key enzymes related to methanogenic metabolic pathways, including EC: 1.2.99.5 and EC: 2.1.1.86 (facilitating the conversion of CO2 into methane), and EC:1.12.98.1 exhibited significant abundance within CWS1. Aromatic compounds such as 4-(2-chloroanilino)-4-oxobutanoic acid and phthalic acid were substantially more abundant in CWS1 and CWS2 than in CK, indicating the increased bioavailability of coal to microbial activities. This novel approach demonstrates that wheat straw co-digestion with coal during anaerobic digestion modulates microbial communities and their metabolic pathways to enhance methane production from complex substrates such as coal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increasing demand for sustainable and efficient energy storage materials has led to significant research into utilizing waste biomass for producing activated carbons. This study investigates the impact of the structural properties of activated carbons derived from various lignocellulosic biomasses—barley straw, wheat straw, and wheat bran—on the electrochemical performance of supercapacitors. The Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy analysis reveals the presence of key functional groups and their transformations during carbonization and activation processes. The Raman spectra provide detailed insights into the structural features and defects in the carbon materials. The electrochemical tests indicate that the activated carbon's specific capacitance and energy density are influenced by the biomass source. It is shown that the wheat-bran-based electrodes exhibit the highest performance. This research demonstrates the potential of waste-biomass-derived activated carbons as high-performance materials for energy storage applications, contributing to sustainable and efficient supercapacitor development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we prepared a new type of iron and nitrogen co-doped porous carbon material (WSC-Fe/N) using a carbonization–activation process with wheat straw as a precursor and FeCl3 and NH4Cl as co-doping agents and analyzed the electrochemical properties of the resulting electrode material. Through precise control of the doping elements and carbonization temperature (900 °C), the resulting WSC-Fe/N-900 material exhibits abundant micropores, uniform mesopores, a significant specific surface area (2576.6 m2 g−1), an optimal level of iron doping (1.7 wt.%), and excellent graphitization. These characteristics were confirmed through X-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy. Additionally, the WSC-Fe/N-900 electrode demonstrated a specific capacitance of 400.5 F g−1 at a current density of 0.5 A g−1, maintaining a high capacitance of 308 F g−1 even at 10 A g−1. The solid-state symmetric supercapacitor in an aqueous electrolyte achieved an energy density of 9.2 Wh kg−1 at a power density of 250 W kg−1 and maintained an energy density of 6.5 Wh kg−1 at a power density of 5000 W kg−1, demonstrating remarkable synergistic energy–power output characteristics. In terms of structural properties, the porous characteristics of WSC-Fe/N-900 not only enhance the specific surface area of the electrode but also improve the diffusion capability of electrolyte ions within the electrode, thereby enhancing capacitance performance. The reliability of the electrode material demonstrated good performance in long-term cycling tests, maintaining a capacitance retention rate of 93% after 10,000 charge–discharge cycles, indicating excellent electrochemical stability. Furthermore, over time, the aging effect of the WSC-Fe/N-900 electrode material is minimal, maintaining high electrochemical performance even after prolonged use, suggesting that this material is suitable for long-term energy storage applications. This study introduces a novel strategy for producing porous carbon materials for supercapacitors, advancing the development of economically efficient and environmentally friendly energy storage solutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The application of wood-plastic composites (WPCs) in outdoor settings has led to growing emphasis on their aesthetics and weathering. Therefore, it is necessary to study the effect of inorganic pigments on the weathering behavior of WPCs. In order to reveal the effect of inorganic pigments on the aging process of composites, wheat straw fiber/polyvinyl chloride composites (WSFPs) incorporating inorganic pigments were prepared, and accelerated weathering tests of the different colored WSFPs were carried out, and the changes of chemical structure, color stability, three-dimensional morphology, mechanical properties and physical properties of composites during weathering were investigated. The results showed that WSFPs with inorganic pigment showed high color stability and weather resistance during accelerated weathering. After weathering for 480 h, the color change exhibited by WY was the least, only 13.00, and its tensile, flexural and impact properties decreased by 5.14%, 8.72% and 3.10%, respectively. This study demonstrates that inorganic pigments not only enhance the aesthetics of WSFPs through coloration, but also effectively improve their weather resistance. Inorganic pigments help maintain the vibrant color and structural integrity of the material during long-term use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cellulosic biomass‐to‐bioenergy systems provide fuel, reduce emissions, and offer economic benefits. Corn (Zea mays L.) and wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) residues could be used as feedstocks for biofuel production. However, the impact of residue removal on crop productivity in the Mid‐Atlantic region has not been thoroughly assessed. A trial was conducted to assess crop yield and quality response to different biomass retention rates in grain cropping systems during 2015–2017. Various combinations of corn stover (0–10 Mg ha−1) and wheat straw (0–3 Mg ha−1) were applied in a corn–wheat/soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] rotation in New Kent, VA. In Blacksburg, VA, corn stover (0–20 Mg ha−1) was applied in the continuous corn system. Residues were applied after grain harvest over two production cycles for each system. Residue retention showed no significant impact on grain or crop residue yields or nutrient uptake in either system. Treatment minimally impacted feedstock quality, except wheat straw's sulfur (S) concentration, optimized at around 70% retention in New Kent. Theoretical ethanol potential (TEP) and yield remained unaffected by total residue rates in New Kent. In Blacksburg, over 2 years, a minimum TEP for corn stover corresponded to a retention rate of approximately 30%. A retention rate of more than 30% increased TEP, likely due to improved feedstock quality. Nutrient replacement costs for primary macronutrients and S uptake ranged from $18.3 to $36.9 ha−1 for corn stover and $6.1 to $11.8 ha−1 for wheat straw. Residue harvest or addition did not harm short‐term biomass yield in Virginia's grain‐based cropping systems. Core Ideas: Crop residue removal has negligible impact on corn grain yield or quality in continuous cropping systems.Optimal residue retention preserves feedstock quality, notably sulfur levels in wheat straw.Theoretical ethanol yield remains stable despite varied residue retention rates.Residue can be removed for bioenergy without significantly raising nutrient replacement costs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The influence of seven mineral additives on wheat straw (Palaeas triticum) and fibre hemp (Cannabis sativa) ash melting behaviours was investigated. The aim was to characterize ash melting with the mineral additives magnesium oxide (MgO), silicon oxide (quartz) (SiO2), kaolin (Al2O3·2SiO2·2H2O), calcium oxide (CaO), and phosphogypsum (hemihydrate and dihydrate) and to compare the quality of the results obtained with those using potassium carbonate (K2CO3) as the ash melting modifier. The total elemental concentrations were distributed in the sequence Ca > Si > P > Na > K > Cl for fibre hemp and in the sequence K > Si > P > Cl > Ca > Na for wheat straw. The primary components were CaCO3, SiO2, Ca4O(PO4)2, KCl, K2SO4, and KCaPO4 in fibre hemp ash and SiO2 in wheat straw ash. XRD analysis revealed that the effect of combustion temperature on the crystalline phases of the biomass ash was significant. The study results showed that for hemp fibre, additives had a negative influence not only on the ash melting behaviour but also on the ash content. Based on these study results, incineration of wheat straw could be improved with the addition of MgO and Al2O3·2SiO2·2H2O at a 2% mass ratio of raw material, with a slight increase in the amount of ash. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractSaline calcareous soil presents significant challenges for crop production due to its poor nutrient availability and adverse effects on plant growth. Hence this study aimed to investigates the impact of integrating organic amendments—specifically Moringa seed residues, biogas manure, and vermicompost (Ver)—with and without phosphate-solubilizing bacteria (PSB), alongside two types of phosphatic fertilizers, ordinary super phosphate (OSP) and rock phosphate (RP), on the growth, yield, and nutrient uptake of wheat plants in saline calcareous soil conditions. The results indicate that the combined application of Ver + PSB, particularly when paired with OSP, consistently yields superior outcomes across all measured parameters, followed by Ver + PSB with RP. Notably, the Ver + PSB with OSP treatment exhibits the highest values across several key parameters: chlorophyll levels (chlorophyll a at 1.8, chlorophyll b at 0.84, and carotenoids at 0.72 mg g−1f wt), proline at 38.5 μg g−1 DW, relative water content at 80.76%, membrane stability index at 67.62%, as well as net photosynthetic rate (Pn), transpiration rate (Tr), and stomatal conductance (gs). Furthermore, this treatment showcases the highest antioxidant enzyme activities (Superoxide dismutase, SOD at 9.27 A564 min−1 g−1 protein, Catalase, CAT at 78.53 A564 min−1 g−1 protein, Peroxihdase, POX at 1.86 A564 min−1 g−1 protein), as well as NPK content and uptake in wheat straw and grains. Additionally, it leads to significant increases in wheat growth parameters, including plant height, straw weight, grain weight, 1000 grain weight, and protein content. However, it also results in a notable decrease in other parameters such as total soluble sugars and nonenzymatic antioxidants (Ascorbate, AsA; Total glutathione, GsH; and α-Tocopherol, α-TOC). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the potential of biochar derived from various biomass sources: apricot kernel (AK), pine sawdust (PS), rice husk (RH), wheat straw (WS), and reed stem (RS) to enhance the yield, nutritional quality, and environmental sustainability of parsley crops. Comprehensive characterization through SEM, EDAX, nitrogen adsorption–desorption isotherms, and FTIR analyses identified AK biochar as the most suitable for further enrichment due to its superior specific surface area (512.3 m2/g) and iodine number (51.23 mg/g). EDAX analysis revealed that AK biochar exhibited the highest carbon content (92.1%), while RH biochar contained the highest silicon content (46%), indicating different potential applications. FTIR analysis identified key functional groups, such as carbonyl (1740 cm⁻1) and hydroxyl (3430 cm⁻1) groups, which contribute to the biochar's reactivity and potential effectiveness in various applications. The effects of selenium (Na2SeO4), iodine (KI), their combination (Na2SeO4 + KI), and BISF (biochar‐enriched iodine and selenium fertilizer) on parsley growth, antioxidant properties, and nutrient accumulation were evaluated. The results demonstrated that joint applications of iodide and selenate led to a 3.1‐fold increase in iodine content (up to 16.8 mg/kg d.w.) and a 1.2‐fold increase in selenium accumulation (up to 2482.1 μg/kg d.w.) in parsley compared to separate treatments. Additionally, BISF treatment significantly improved key biometric parameters, with leaf weight increasing by 1.6 times (up to 326.5 g) compared to the control, and antioxidant content—ascorbic acid, polyphenols, and antioxidant activity—showing increases of 1.56, 1.27, and 1.50 times, respectively. This study underscores the effectiveness of selenium‐ and iodine‐enriched biochar in enhancing parsley crop yield and nutritional quality while also demonstrating the multifunctional role of biochar in environmental remediation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The work summarizes an innovative nanocomposite including synthesized copper nanoparticle (CuNP) impregnated wheat straw (WS) (the agronomic waste from an wheat plant) reinforced unsaturated polyester resin has been established. The addition of nanoparticles (NPs) increased the antifungal properties (~11%), durability (~9%), and strength (~39%) of the composites. Therefore, these nanoparticles have been synthesized from a copper chloride dihydrate precursor and they have been impregnated into wheat straw via cationization. This copper‐impregnated wheat straw (CuIWS) was formulated and employed to create a strong and long‐lasting nanocomposite with unsaturated polyester resin. Their morphological, mechanical, chemical, biodegradability (BD), and thermal properties were estimated and relationships were explicated systematically. Particularly, the tensile strength of polyester resin, crude and treated WS (cationized and copper‐impregnated) composites were 11.70, 14.20, 20.92, and 22.34 N/mm2 respectively. Therefore the reinforcement capability for crude, cationized and copper‐impregnated WS composites increased by ~22%, 75%, and 92% respectively. The residual ash was just about 16.23%, 12.04% and 6.56% for copper impregnated wheat straw composite (CuIWSC), Cationized wheat straw composite (CWSC) and untreated wheat straw composite (UTWSC) respectively point to the existence of ~4.1% Cu incorporated into the wheat straw which holds up the energy dispersive x‐ray (EDX) spectra of ~4.2% copper content. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) indicates that the nanocomposites are stable up to 325°C. These nanocomposites also show superlative crystallinity compared to other ones. Water uptake capacity followed typical Fickian diffusion law. The developed nanocomposites might be suitable for automobile and aircraft parts, furniture, and other indoor to outdoor applications. Highlights: TS of the composites increased by increasing the WS filling up to 15%.The crystallinity increased after the addition of nanoparticles.The typical water uptake properties followed the Fickian diffusion rule.Incorporation of nanoparticles increased 11% antifungal properties.The developed nanocomposites are used for inside and outside applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Food production is one of the most important sources of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, both in primary production and in processing and the logistics chain. The most problematic and risky is the optimization of environmental effects in the stage of primary production. This is due to the significant influence of factors related to climate and soil that are difficult to predict. The scientific literature offers much information on the impact of crop residue management, but the context for assessing the impact of crop residue management in corn production on the carbon footprint is still unclear. The effectiveness of using organic additives like biochar, compost, corn, or straw to maintain soil productivity is well acknowledged. Information about the effects of particular crop residue management strategies on soil carbon sequestration, soil quality, and crop yield in corn cultivation is currently scarce. The research aimed to assess the potential for optimizing corn production through modifications in crop residue management, with a focus on the efficiency indicator being the level of greenhouse gas emissions per functional unit of the product. A 3-year growing experiment was conducted to investigate the impact of different corn crop residue management strategies. The modifications of the corn cultivation technology in terms of the crop residue management strategy had a significant impact on the yield of plants and the amount of GHG emissions. The conversion of corn straw to biochar and its introduction into the soil reduced the GHG emissions from corn cultivation per functional unit, despite the energy expenditure related to straw transport and biochar production. From a 3-year time perspective, a beneficial effect of biochar addition on the size of the commercial yield of plants was observed. In variants with biochar and a reduced level of nitrogen fertilization, no reduction in yields was observed. This confirmed the hypothesis that biochar could be a useful material for the production of slow-acting fertilizers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study examined the impact of Salicornia supplementation on the biological efficiency and biochemical properties of white Elm oyster mushrooms, Hypsizygus ulmarius. Four substrates were used to cultivate the mushrooms. Wheat straw was used as the main substrate and the Salicornia was used to partially replace the main substrate at the ratios of 5, 10, and 20% while 100% wheat straw was used as the control. The study found that the 20% Salicornia completed the mycelial run earlier (41 days), while the control treatment took the longest (45 days). The 5% Salicornia supplemented treatment and control treatment had the highest and lowest biological efficiencies (126 and 65%) respectively. The elemental concentration was undetectable for Copper (Cu), Lead (Pb), and Cadmium (Cd). The mushrooms from the control had the highest while those from the 20% treatment had the lowest (Zinc (Zn) levels (0.0115 ug/100 g) and 0.0078 ug/100 g). Conversely, Chromium (Cr) levels were highest and lowest in the 20% (0.0022 ug/100 g) and control treatments (0.0007 ug/100 g). Similarly, the total unsaturated fatty acids were highest in the control treatment (78%) and lowest in the 20% treatment (69%) while the opposite was true for the saturated fatty acids (22% and 31%). The mushrooms investigated in this study had higher essential amino acids (44–49%) compared to non-essential amino acids (17–20%). The results from this study suggest that Salicornia is a promising marine resource with the potential to enhance the health-promoting properties of oyster mushrooms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To enhance the high-value utilization of straw waste and achieve efficient lignin extraction, wheat straw was selected as the feedstock for investigating the effects of reaction temperature, reaction time, solid–liquid ratio, and formic acid concentration on lignin yield using a formic acid/acetic acid solvent system. A single-factor experimental design was initially employed, followed by optimization using the response surface methodology. Additionally, a kinetic model was developed to describe lignin extraction kinetics in the formic acid/acetic acid system. The structural characteristics and thermal stability of the extracted lignin were analyzed via FTIR, UV spectroscopy, and TGA. The findings indicate that increasing reaction temperature, reaction time, solid–liquid ratio, and formic acid content all significantly enhanced lignin extraction yield from wheat straw, with the primary influencing factors being reaction temperature > solid–liquid ratio > reaction time > formic acid content. The optimal extraction conditions were identified at a reaction temperature of 90 °C, a reaction time of 3.5 h, a solid–liquid ratio of 1:16.5, and a formic acid content of 86.2 wt.%, yielding a lignin content of 79.83%. The analytical results demonstrated that the extracted lignin preserved the structural integrity of the original lignin and exhibited good thermal stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Podaxis pistillaris is neutraceutically, cosmoceutically and medicinally recognised macrofungus. During this research work, this edible mushroom was systematically characterised. Its culturability, laccase production, and dye decolorisation potential were evaluated and optimised. Among the different media tested, PDA proved as most efficient medium for culturability of P. pistillaris. Conditions for laccase production were optimised in submerged state fermentation. Maximum laccase secretion was noted after 14th day of Incubation at 35 °C with 130 rpm and 5 pH of medium. Fructose and ammonium-phosphate was found as best carbon and nitrogen source, while wheat straw revealed as good ligno-cellulosic source for strengthening laccase production. Congo-red dye decolorisation capability by crude laccase enzyme was evaluated and found maximum decolorisation potential (92.2%) after 288h of incubation. From this pilot study, it was confirmed that this edible macrofungus has culturability, laccase production and dye decolorisation attributes that will further contribute in delignification, biosorption and bioremediation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microbial and enzyme additives can improve silage performance, but there is limited comparative research on the effects of microbial and enzyme additives on improving silage fermentation quality, and the underlying microbial and metabolic pathways remain unclear. This study investigated the effects without inoculants (CK treatment) or with Lactiplantibacillus plantarum (LP treatment), xylanase (XY treatment) and their combination (LPXY treatment) on the fermentation quality, as well as on the microbial communities and metabolite profiles of the wheat straw silage. The results demonstrated that the LP treatment has a better effect on improving the fermentation quality of wheat straw silage compared to other treatments, as evidenced by markedly (p < 0.05) decreased the pH (4.06), acid and neutral fiber (ANF, NDF, 23.43 and 31.69%DM), and increased the lactic acid (LA, 965.89 mg/L) and acetic acid (AA, 656.10 mg/L) concentrations. After the fermentation process, the LP treatment significantly (p < 0.05) enhanced the abundance of Lactobacillus, reduced bacterial Shannon (p < 0.05) and increased some key metabolites content. The structural equation models (SEMs) and Pearson's correlation results proved that the LP treatment improved the wheat straw silage fermentation quality via increasing the abundance of Lactobacillus, decreasing the diversity of bacterial community and enriching the content of certain key metabolites. The present study provides mechanistic evidence that Lactiplantibacillus plantarum additive is superior to xylanase additive and their combination on improving fermentation quality of wheat straw silage, that is, by enriching certain key metabolites to increase AA and LA concentrations, providing a reference for the cross study of silage feed fermentation microbiome and metabolome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Understanding the complex relationship between soil characteristics and crop production is crucial for sustainable agriculture practices. Soil physicochemical properties such as pH, electrical conductivity (EC), organic matter (OM) and nutrient content (e.g., NPK) significantly influence crop yield. Additionally, the application of straw mulch can impact soil moisture retention, there by affecting crop growth and productivity. Intercropping system offers potential advantages in terms of water use efficiency (WUE) and productivity compared to monoculture system. Methods: The experiment was conducted using a randomised block design (RBD) with three replications. The study included six treatments with different cropping system: T1 = Monoculture soybean(planting size 30×10 cm), T2 = Monoculture maize (planting size 45×15 cm),T3 = Maize + soybean (2:2) line sown,T4 = Maize intercropping with soybean (2:2) + wheat straw (5 tha-1), T5 = Maize intercropping with soybean (2:2) + maize straw (5 tha-1), T6 = Maize intercropping with soybean (2:2) + mustard straw (5 tha-1). Result: Water use efficiency (WUE) varied among treatments, with the highest WUE (9.44) observed in application of maize straw mulch 5t ha-1, indicating 42.57% increases compared to monoculture maize and 42.17% increases compared to monoculture soybean cultivation. Similarly, superior grain yield (19.30 q ha-1), pod yield (16.29 q ha-1), intercrop yield (35.59 q ha-1), maximum maize equivalent yield (54.33 q ha-1) when comparing the results with and without straw mulch applied to maize and soybean crops. Maize and soybean intercropping system demonstrated superior land utilization efficiency (LER:1.04 to 1.24) and productivity metrics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of wheat straw as a renewable energy source is essential from both energy production and environmental points of view. It has a great energy potential that can be generated either by combustion or anaerobic digestion. However, there are some limitations during its conversion to energy in both techniques. Therefore, the current study investigated the effect of physical and chemical treatments on the characteristics of wheat straw as fuel for energy applications. Water washing of wheat straw and mixing with KOH solution were applied for physical and chemical treatments. Physical, chemical, and thermal characteristics of wheat straw were investigated before and after the treatments. It was found that the wheat straw has high carbon (44.8%) and volatile contents (87.1%), making it an excellent source for energy production. The physical treatment showed a positive impact on reducing the ash content (by 14.9%) and undesirable compounds, such as K and Cl, which were reduced by 46.4% and 57.0%, respectively. Moreover, it reduced sintering formation through combustion. In contrast, the chemical treatment resulted in 9.3% lignin removal and destroyed the complex lignocellulosic structure, thereby increasing the cellulose accessibility and enhancing the anaerobic digestion process. Therefore, the applied treatments showed attractive options to solve problems related to straw energy generation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The production of lignocellulytic enzymes by microwave-radiated Pleurotus sajor-caju was assayed. Wheat straw was employed as substrate to P. sajor-caju for production of laccase, manganese peroxidase (MnPase), filter-paperase (FPase), carboxmethyl cellulase (CMCase), and cellulase (as evaluated using microcrystalline cellulose). P. sajor-caju exposed to 10 s of microwave radiation (MR) showed maximum growth with colony radius of 7.17 ± 0.45 cm, while with increasing the exposure time up to 50 s the growth decreased up to 2.67 ± 0.22 cm. Moreover, it failed to grow at 80 s of exposure time. Cellulase, MnPase, FPase, CMCase, and laccase activities were induced to 37 ± .0.54, 49 ± 2.36, 189 ± 2.12, 0.37 ± 0.06, and 1.58 ± 0.03 U/mL compared to that at control 31 ± 0.25, 46 ± 1.25, 177 ± 1.65, 0.28 ± 0.03, and 1.37 ± 0.12 U/mL, respectively as a result of P. sajor-caju exposure to 10 s of MR. As the exposure time increased, these enzymes activity decreased. Different levels of moisture with surfactant (polysorbate 80) were applied to optimize the enzymes activities at 10 s of exposure time. The optimum activities 3.15 ± 0.23, 0.62 ± 0.06, 269 ± 5.36, 65 ± 1.63, and 48 ± 0.98 U/mL were recorded for cellulase, MnPase, FPase, CMCase, and laccase, respectively at 70% of moisture and 0.15 mL/L of polysorbate 80. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work aims at comparing the ability of 7 modeling approaches to simulate the pyrolysis kinetics of spruce wood, wheat straw, swine manure, miscanthus and switchgrass. Measurements were taken using a thermogravimetric analyzer (TGA) with 4 heating rates comprised between 5 and 30 K min−1. The obtained results were processed using 3 isoconversional methods (Kissinger–Akahira–Sunose (KAS), Ozawa–Flynn–Wall (OFW) and Friedman), 1-step and 3-step Kissinger models, as well as an advanced fitting method recently proposed by Bondarchuk et al. [1] (Molecules 28:424, 2023, https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules28010424). Seventeen reaction models were considered to derive rate constant parameters, which were used to simulate the variation of the fuel conversion degree α as a function of the temperature T . To complement this benchmarking analysis of the modeling approaches commonly used to simulate biomass pyrolysis, a network model, the bio-CPD (chemical percolation devolatilization), was additionally considered. The suitability of each model was assessed by computing the root-mean-square deviation between simulated and measured α = f (T) profiles. As highlights, the model-free methods were found to accurately reproduce experimental results. The agreement between simulated and measured data was found to be higher with the Friedman model, followed by the KAS, FWO, 3-step, and 1-step Kissinger models. As for the bio-CPD, it failed to predict measured data as well as the above-listed models. To conclude, although it was less efficient than the Friedman, KAS or OFW models, the fitting approach from Bondarchuk et al. [1] (Molecules 28:424, 2023, https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules28010424) still led to satisfactory results, while having the advantage of not requiring the selection of a reaction model a priori. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For the mechanized technical mode of total wheat straw returning to field, there are problems such as large vibration during the operation of the straw returning machine that, in turn, affect the effect of stubble breaking. This study took the Tongtian 1-JHY-220 straw returning machine as the research object to conduct field experiments, with wheat stubble height, forward velocity, and PTO speed as experimental parameters. And the vibration characteristics at different positions of the machine and the final stubble breaking rate were used as evaluation indicators. Combined with the orthogonal experiment and response surface analysis method, this article analyzes and discusses the influence of various parameters on vibration characteristics and operational effectiveness. The results show that PTO speed and wheat stubble height were the main factors affecting the vibration and operation quality of the straw returning machine. Low PTO speed and high stubble height can improve the stubble breaking rate of the straw returning machine and reduce its operation vibration. Furthermore, the multi-objective optimization results show that when the forward velocity in the range of 8.5–9 km/h, the PTO speed is 540 r/min, and the stubble height is in the range of 200–250 mm, the stubble breaking rate of the straw returning machine is greater than 86%. At this time, the total vibration of the straw returning machine and tractor rear axle is relatively small. This study can lay a foundation for further studying the impact of the vibration of the straw returning machine on the stubble breaking effect and provide a reference for the preparation of high-quality seedbed under conservation tillage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, returning rice straw to soil has become a common problem in wheat production because it causes decreased wheat seedling emergence. Allelopathy is an important factor affecting seed germination. However, the effects of rice straw extracts on wheat seed germination and seedling growth remain unclear. Wheat seeds and seedlings were treated with 30 g L−1 of rice leaf extracts (L1), 60 g L−1 of rice leaf extracts (L2), 30 g L−1 of rice stem extracts (S1), 60 g L−1 of rice stem extracts (S2) and sterile water (CK) to study the allelopathic effects of rice straw extracts on wheat seed germination and seedling growth. The α-amylase and antioxidant enzyme activities in wheat seeds; the agronomic traits, photosynthetic indicators, and nutrient contents of wheat seedlings; and the phenolic acids in rice stem extracts were determined. Common allelochemicals, including 4-hydroxybenzoic acid, hydrocinnamic acid, trans-cinnamic acid, vanillic acid, benzoic acid, protocatechualdehyde, caffeic acid, syringic acid, sinapic acid, and salicylic acid, were detected in rice stem extracts. Low-concentration rice leaf and stem extracts (30 g L−1) had no effect on the germination rate of wheat seeds. High-concentration (60 g L−1) rice stem and leaf extracts decreased the seed germination rate by 11.00% and 12.02%. Rice stem extract (60 g L−1) decreased the α-amylase activity, and gibberellin content of wheat seeds but increased superoxide dismutase, peroxidase, and catalase activities and malondialdehyde content in wheat seeds. Allelochemicals entered the internal tissues of wheat seeds, where they decreased the gibberellin content and α-amylase activity and increased the antioxidant enzyme activity, ultimately leading to an inhibitory effect on seed germination. Rice stem and leaf extracts decreased the SPAD value and photosynthetic indicators of wheat seedlings. Rice stem extract (60 g L−1) decreased the fresh weight and root length of wheat seedlings by 31.37% and 45.46%. Low-concentration rice leaf and stem extract (30 g L−1) had no effect on the nutrient contents of wheat seedlings. Rice leaf and stem extracts (60 g L−1) decreased the nitrogen and potassium contents of wheat seedlings. These results indicated that low-concentration rice leaf and stem extract (30 g L−1) had no effect on wheat seed germination and the high-concentration rice stem extract (60 g L−1) released allelochemicals and inhibited wheat seed germination and seedling growth. These findings provide a basis for the improvement of straw return techniques. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present investigation aims to study adsorption-desorption behavior of glyphosate and tricyclazole in rice straw-compost biomixtures. To enhance pesticide adsorption and performance of the bio-purification system, rice straw-compost (BM) biomixture was mixed with wheat straw biochar (WBC, 1% and 5%), and adsorption of both pesticides in control (BM) and WBCBM(1%) and WBCBM(5%) biomixtures was compared. The kinetics study suggested that the pseudo-second-order model best explained the time-dependent adsorption of both pesticides and intraparticle adsorption was not the rate-determining step. Tricyclazole was more sorbed than glyphosate in all biomixtures which can be attributed to its lower water solubility. The WBC increased the sorption of both pesticides, but the effect varied with the nature of pesticides and biochar content. The adsorption coefficient values in BM, WBCBM(1%), and WBCBM(5%) biomixtures were 26.74, 38.16, and 51.97 (glyphosate) and 38.07, 59.94, and 84.54 (tricyclazole), respectively. The adsorption data was subjected to the Freundlich, the Langmuir, and the Temkin isotherms, and among them, the Freundlich isotherm best explained pesticide adsorption behavior. Desorption results suggested that the adsorption of glyphosate was more irreversible than tricyclazole and depended upon initial pesticide concentration. This study suggested that biochar mixed rice straw-compost biomixtures can be exploited in bio-purification systems for glyphosate and tricyclazole. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The residual effect of low doses of lantana, pine needles and wheat straw phyto-biochars pyrolyzed at 300 °C and 450 °C and enriched with 0, 50, 75 and 100% of recommended doses of fertilizers (RDF) of micronutrients and S was studied on the yields, nutrient concentration and uptake of second crop, i.e. rice (Oryza sativa L.) after fodder maize to validate their nutrient slow-release characteristics. The residual effect of phyto-biochars averaged over different RDF increased rice grain yield significantly under lantana and pine needles phyto-biochars pyrolyzed at 300 °C, but decreased with pine needles biochar pyrolyzed at 450 °C as compared to the control. The highest grain yield (9.43 g pot−1) was under pine needles phyto-biochar pyrolyzed at 300 °C and enriched initially with 75% of RDF, which was 7.8 per cent higher than that with 75% of RDF applied through conventional fertilizer sources. The residual effect of some treatments significantly increased the readily oxidizable C and extractable Zn, Cu, Fe, Mn, B and S in the soil after rice harvest. For fodder maize + rice crops together, pine needles phyto-biochar pyrolyzed at 300 °C or lantana phyto-biochar pyrolyzed at 450 °C with enrichment of 75% RDF of micronutrients and S gave the higher apparent per cent utilization of Zn, Fe, Mn, and S, but numerically closer per cent utilization values for Cu and B in comparison to the conventional chemical fertilizer sources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research aimed to investigate the effect of pulping conditions and refining intensities of wheat straw to be recommended for fluff pulp production. For this purpose, mono ethanol amine (MEA) was selected as a de-lignification agent at three levels of 50:50, 25:75, and 15:85 (MEA/water, W/V %), and soda-AQ 14 W/V % was used as a reference pulping. To investigate the optimal refining intensity, the obtained pulp was passed through a single disk laboratory refiner from 0 to 6 times and in two different consistencies (1.5 and 2.5 W/V %). Total yield, kappa number, ash content, and the Schopper-Riegler (SR°) freeness of the prepared pulps were investigated. Finally, hand sheets with a targeted basic weight of 70 g/m2 were made according to the related standards. The hand sheets were characterized using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and a field emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM). Sheet density, brightness, and mechanical properties such as burst, tensile, and tear indices were also investigated. The FE-SEM photographs showed that the texture of the hand sheet became denser as the refining intensity increased. External fibrillation on the surface of the fibers was also observed, especially on those refined with 2.5% consistency. The results of the chemical composition of wheat straw indicated that wheat straw containing a high percentage of holocellulose is an excellent candidate for the production of fluff pulp. The total yield and kappa number of MEA pulps increased with the decrease in MEA concentration. FTIR results indicated the presence of a peak related to amino groups in the pulp related to MEA pulp. The results also indicated that the mechanical properties of the papers, except for the tear index, were enhanced as the intensity of refining and the pulp consistency during refining increased. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A study was conducted at Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, Punjab, with the aim of monitoring soil loss and infiltration rate in loamy sand soil. The study focused on the effects of applying polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and mulch under simulated rainfall conditions. The experimental setup involved testing three levels of PVA (0.5%, 0.75%, and 1.0%), one level of wheat-straw mulch (600 g/m2), and a Control treatment (untreated soil). Each of these treatments was replicated four times. The lowest soil loss (20.9 g/m2) was recorded under the 1.0% PVA treatment, while the highest (120.1 g/m2) was seen under the 0.5% PVA treatment. The 1.0% PVA treatment showed a significant reduction in soil loss compared to the 0.5% PVA, 0.75% PVA, mulch, and Control treatments, with reductions of approximately 82.6%, 45.1%, 81.2%, and 89.6%, respectively. Regarding infiltration rates, the Control treatment exhibited the lowest rate (2.4 cm/h), while the 1.0% PVA treatment displayed the highest rate (9.6 cm/h). Additionally, the use of mulch led to a 44.7% reduction in soil loss compared to the treatment without mulch, likely due to the mitigated impact of raindrops. The infiltration rate was significantly higher (4.8 cm/h) under the mulched treatment compared to the unmulched treatment (2.4 cm/h). Overall, the application of PVA and mulch resulted in a drastic reduction in soil loss, likely attributable to the enhanced stability of soil aggregates, improved infiltration rate, and reduced runoff. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Composites were fabricated using maleic anhydride‐grafted high‐density polyethylene as the matrix material and wheat straw as the filler. Differential scanning calorimetry and rheological properties of these composites were investigated to determine the processing parameters for supercritical fluid (SCF) microcellular injection with and without gas counter pressure (GCP) technology. The impacts of different proportions and dimensions of wheat straw, along with process parameters related to GCP, were determined on both the cellular structure and mechanical characteristics of foamed injection molded components. Experimental results revealed that an increase in the ratio of wheat straw and a reduction in its size led to enhancements in both storage modulus and complex viscosity of the composites, while also improving their cell structure when foamed with SCF. By adjusting GCP process parameters, it was possible to regulate both cell morphology and mechanical properties of foamed injection molded parts. Higher GCP or longer GCP holding time resulted in increased skin thickness and tensile strength but decreased notched Izod impact strength. Highlights: Built relations between GCP technology parameters and cell morphologies.Compared the influence of wheat straw powder and GCP parameters quantitatively.Explored the correlation between cellular morphology and mechanical properties.The regulatory mechanism of cell morphology, size ratio, and distribution.GCP effectively modulates cell morphologies and mechanical properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: In this study, vermicomposted corn waste was applied to the organic cultivation of cherry tomato seedlings under the edaphoclimatic conditions of the Brazilian semiarid region, and the effects were evaluated in the soil-plant system. Method: The vermicomposts were prepared by mixing corn waste in an organic substrate. The experiment was divided into two parts: sowing in trays and growing seedlings in pots. In both steps, the following biometric attributes were evaluated: plant size, root length, root weight, aboveground biomass, leaf weight, and leaf area. Three vermicompost concentrations were assessed: 1.5%, 3.0%, and 6.0% (m/m). As a control, a soil sample without vermicompost was also evaluated. Results: In general, plants that grew in a substrate containing vermicompost developed more when compared to the sample control (19.2-22.0 vs 15 cm). Furthermore, in general, plants cultivated with higher vermicompost concentrations presented better results in all evaluated parameters. In addition, a sample composed of a mixture of corn straw and cob showed the best results, indicating that joint management of both residues is advantageous for all assessed attributes. Conclusion: The results confirm the expectation that it is possible to apply vermicomposted corn residues in the organic cultivation of cherry tomatoes and that the strategy of carrying out germination in a tray, followed by transplantation into pots, had a positive effect on the development of seedlings. When compared to other studies, the climatic and edaphoclimatic conditions experienced in this work did not interfere with plant development, since the seedlings showed good development results in all evaluated parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In alkaline calcareous soils, ammonia volatilization is the primary nitrogen (N) loss process, resulting in the reduced N use efficiency of crops. This study aimed at assessing the impact of different N sources for top dressing on ammonia volatilization, as well as their effects on wheat growth and yield over two years. In each year, half of the recommended N was applied as a basal dose using diammonium phosphate (DAP) and urea. The remaining half was top‐dressed 35 days after sowing with various sources: prilled urea (PU), granular urea (GU), ammonium sulfate (AS), and calcium ammonium nitrate (CAN) in the first year; PU, urea coated with a urease inhibitor from 20 g (VnU‐20) and 40 g (VnU‐40) leaves of Vachellia nilotica, biochar‐coated urea (BU), and urease inhibitor paraphenylenediamine‐coated urea (PPDU) in the second year. Ammonia volatilization losses were tracked for up to 12 weeks from sowing. Ammonia losses from basal‐applied N remained consistent in both years, comprising around 4% of the applied N. In the first year, top‐dressed AS resulted in the highest losses, followed by GU, while losses from urea and CAN were statistically similar. In the second year, coated fertilizers showed lower ammonia losses compared to PU, with VnU‐40 displaying the least losses, 48% less than PU. Nitrogen concentration in wheat grain and straw exhibited a negative correlation with ammonia losses. The choice of top‐dressed N source influenced tillering, biological, straw, and grain yields of wheat. In the first year, CAN provided maximum yield benefits, and in the second year, VnU‐20 exhibited 27% more grain yield than PU. These findings suggest that top dressing with coated urea, especially VnU‐20, has the potential to reduce ammonia losses, improve crop nitrogen status, and enhance economic yield compared to other nitrogen sources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The huge consumption of alkali during biomass‐derived porous carbon production leads to pollution and high carbon‐emission. This study employs the concept of Fenton chemistry to achieve hierarchical porous biomass carbon materials with a remarkably high specific surface area of 3440 m2 g−1 with double activation efficiency compared to traditional activation process. The optimized carbon electrode demonstrates exceptional specific capacitance of 425.2 F g−1at a current density of 0.1 A g−1 and great rate performance (286.1 F g−1 at 100 A g−1) in 6 m KOH electrolyte. The enabled supercapacitor demonstrates remarkable cycling stability, retaining up to 99.74% of its initial capacitance after undergoing 20 000 charge–discharge cycles. In addition, the electrolyte ion distribution in different pore structures is simulated using Molecular Dynamics, which confirms that the structure is conducive to the rapid diffusion of ions, thus matching the excellent electrochemical properties. The assembled symmetric supercapacitors achieve a maximum energy density of 42.1 Wh kg−1 (12.1 Wh kg−1 based on cell stack mass) in TEABF4/AN electrolyte. This work presents an effective technique for the formation of porous structures from biomass precursors. The novel methodology can be applied to many other similar systems for energy storage and beyond. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lignin-containing cellulose nanofibrils (LCNFs) are mainly produced commercially from treated wood pulp, which can decrease some of the carbon-negative benefits of utilizing biomass feedstock. In this work, LCNFs are prepared from non-wood feedstocks, including agricultural residues such as hemp, wheat straw, and flax. These feedstocks allowed for the preparation of LCNFs with a variety of properties, including tailored hydrophobicity. The feedstocks and their subsequent LCNFs are extensively characterized to determine the roles that feedstocks play on the morphology and properties of their resultant LCNFs. The LCNFs were then incorporated into paper handsheets to study their usefulness in papermaking applications, which indicated good potential for the use of wheat straw LCNFs as a surface additive to improve the oil resistance coating. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wheat straw (WS) is a promising substrate for biogas production by anaerobic digestion (AD) due to its high carbohydrate content. An estimated 0.603 million t yr−1 of WS are generated from wheat production systems in South Africa. This is equivalent to an energy potential of 11 PJ. Despite this, WS is still undervalued as a bioenergy resource in South Africa due to its structural complexity and low nitrogen content. WS disposal methods, such as use in livestock bedding, burning and burying into the soil, inter alia, are not sustainable and may contribute to global warming and climate change. The commercialization of the AD of WS needs to be further developed and promoted. Pre-treatment (i.e., physical, chemical, biological and hybrid methods) and anaerobic co-digestion (AcoD) are novel strategies that can support the conversion of WS into biogas and other value-added products. Current and future research should focus on optimizing pre-treatment and AcoD conditions towards industrialization of WS into valuable products. This paper focuses on the potential use of WS for biogas production in South Africa. The aim is to create information that will promote research and development, and encourage policy makers and stakeholders to participate and invest in WS biogas technology. Were WS biogas technology fully adopted, we believe that it would alleviate energy insecurity and environmental degradation, and sustain the livelihoods of citizens in South Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Efficient pretreatment of wheat straw (WS) under mild conditions facilitates its further enzymatic hydrolysis and conversion. Three pretreatment processes with mild conditions including formic acid pretreatment (FAP), sodium chlorite pretreatment (SCP), and alkaline hydrogen peroxide (AHP) pretreatment were investigated in this study. The chemical components of WS before and after pretreatment were compared, and the samples were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The lignin removal by FAP, SCP, and AHP pretreatment was 55.79%, 99.33%, and 94.97%, and the enzymatic hydrolysis yields (EHY) were 68.03%, 75.52%, and 90.76%, respectively. The results showed that AHP pretreatment had a better performance on enzyme accessibility thus improving the EHY. Meanwhile, lignin can be separated from the AHP pretreatment liquid, which helps to improve the economics of the process. The effects of enzymes and additives on enzymatic hydrolysis were further optimized by response surface methodology. Under the conditions of 20.37 FPU/g cellulase, 32.14 IU/g xylanases, and 19.15 mg/g Tween 80, the experimental result showed that the maximum EHY was 94.15%, which was close to the predicted EHY (96.19%). The experiments on fed-batch mode after AHP pretreatment with high-solid loadings (20% w/v) were conducted, and the EHY reached 86.05%. These results contributed to improving the economic feasibility of WS pretreatment and enzymatic hydrolysis process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study evaluated the lead (Pb) immobilization efficiency of biochar in contaminated agricultural soil. The biochar was produced from a range of major biomass residues and pyrolyzed under well-controlled conditions. Ten different types of standard biochar samples were derived from five different feedstocks (i.e., softwood, miscanthus straw, rice husk, oilseed rape straw, wheat straw) and pyrolyzed at 550 ℃ and 700 ℃. Pb-contaminated soil near an abandoned mine was incubated with 2.5% (w w− 1) of biochar. Incubation was conducted for various durations at room temperature under both short-term (21 days) and long-term (214 days) conditions. This variation explicitly accounted for the simulated microplastic contamination during the long-term incubation period. A novel framework has been developed to predict the long-term immobilization effect of various biochar types using a machine-learning approach, following the successful identification of optimal biochar implementations. This prediction method utilizes a small on-field dataset by employing a data augmentation approach, showcasing an innovative approach to forecasting the effects of different biochar types over time. After the incubation period, soil samples were analyzed for their chemical properties. As a result, oil seed rape biochar was the highest in pH, EC, exchangeable Ca2+, Mg2+, and K+, total nitrogen content, soil organic matter content, and available phosphate. In return, OSR 700 treated soils showed the highest content of exchangeable cations and the lowest content of available Pb after the incubation period. The most efficient biochar for immobilizing lead (Pb) in soil appears to be OSR 700, based on the available evidence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The high water consumption in agriculture has led to an obvious water crisis in this sector, and the use of unconventional water sources, especially agricultural drains, is considered necessary. For this purpose, the present study was carried out to evaluate the efficiency of biological filters with different types of substrates for treating agricultural wastewater in Khuzestan province, located in the south of Iran, to use receptive resources and reuse them in agriculture. Next, the efficiency of four types of biological filters for treating agricultural drainage water with different retention times was evaluated. Sawdust, cotton stalks, wheat straw, stubble, and rice husk were used as filters. Qualitative factors included agricultural pesticides (Atrazine, Randup, Paraquat, and 2, 4-D) and nutrients (nitrate, nitrogen, phosphate, and phosphorus). By examining the trend of increasing the retention time and the corresponding removal percentage, it was observed that the retention time has a direct relationship with the amount of removal efficiency of nutrients and agricultural toxins. As the residence time increases, the average amount of nutrient compounds in different filters decreases, and their removal percentage increases. The highest removal percentage of nitrate, total nitrogen, phosphate, and total phosphorus was 74.03, 71.66, 57.97, and 61.85% in the sawdust filter and was assigned to 10 days. The highest percentage of removal of Atrazine, Tofudi, Paraquat, and Roundup toxins with a removal efficiency of 91.73, 84.27, 89.81, and 88.46% was also observed in the treatment of sawdust for 10 days. The sawdust filter showed a good performance in removing the parameters of agricultural toxins and nutrient compounds in a retention time of 10 days compared to other filters and retention times. As a general result, the sawdust filter can be cited as a reliable substrate with acceptable efficiency compared to other filters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper was to investigate the effects of sunflower straw replacing corn stover on the digestive performance, lactation performance, rumen fermentation indexes, and serum biochemical indexes of dairy cows. Eighty Chinese Holstein cows with no significant differences in parity, body weight, and milk yield were selected and randomly divided into four groups of 20 replicates each, with each head as a replicate. The control group was fed a basal diet, and unflower straw in the experimental groups was replaced with 20% (Group I), 50% (Group II), and 100% (Group III) corn stover in the basal diet, respectively. The experiment lasted for 100 days, including 10 days of pre-test and 90 days of formal experiment. The results showed that compared with the control group, the dry matter intake of the three experimental groups was significantly increased (P<0.05), the apparent digestibility of dry matter was significantly increased (P<0.05), the apparent digestibility of crude protein in all experimental groups was extremely increased (P<0.01). The somatic cell count in the milk of Group II was significantly reduced (P<0.05), the microbial protein content in Group III was significantly decreased (P<0.05). GroupsII and III showed a significant increase in the levels of total protein and albumin in serum at 60 and 90 days (P<0.05). The production efficiency of Group I increased by 4.51 yuan/head per day. The study shows that replacing corn stover with 20% sunflower stalks can increase dairy cows' feed intake, improve digestion and absorption of nutrients, and improve milk production and quality, with no adverse effects on the rumen environment and liver and kidney function, and with better economic benefits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When sulfidic soils become drained, oxidation of pyrite can cause acidification and formation of iron (Fe) oxyhydroxy sulfate phases such as jarosite. Remediation via re‐establishment of reducing conditions requires submergence and addition of biodegradable organic carbon (OC) to stimulate activity of reducing bacteria. Addition of straw‐derived dissolved organic carbon (DOC) has been shown to induce rapid microbial reduction in sandy sulfuric (pH <4) soils. In clayey sulfuric soil, DOC may be less efficient because of limited availability for microbes due to its sorption to reactive minerals. We tested the possible effect of sorption on the remediative potential of straw‐derived DOC using a set of incubation and sorption experiments, and used solid‐state 13C‐NMR spectroscopy for the chemical characterization of OC. The tested materials were a clayey, jarosite‐containing sulfuric soil (pH 3), and artificial model soils composed of synthesized jarosite either mixed with quartz powder or quartz powder + clay minerals. The results showed that addition of DOC from wheat straw induces reduction conditions varying with soil sorptivity. For the model soils, DOC sorption was little, and DOC additions of 0.8 mg OC g−1 were sufficient to achieve permanently reducing conditions and an increase in pH to >6.0. In the natural sulfuric soil, much higher DOC additions were needed (1.8 mg OC g−1) to facilitate continuous reducing conditions, but pH increased only to values no higher than 5.0–5.5. The natural soil revealed strong sorption of added DOC. Sorption preferentially reduced the proportion of proteins, while the proportion of lignin components, which can hardly be used by microorganisms under reducing conditions, remained relatively high in solution. Thus, high DOC additions were required to overcome the sorption‐induced limitations in OC availability. The results suggest that wheat straw‐derived DOC is a promising approach also for remediation of clayey sulfuric soils; however, OC additions need to be adjusted to compensate for possible sorption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: The lignin in paddy and wheat straws is highly resistant to degradation, and burning the same is a global warming issue. Dye degrading ability and expression of three vp genes were studied in Pleurotus ostreatus and Fusarium sp. cultures. High enzymatic activity and the vp2 gene were observed in the Fusarium sp. culture, which makes it an alternate fungal species for lignin degradation. Lignocellulosic biomass is contemplated to be an inexpensive and copious feedstock that can be used for numerous industrial applications. However, lignin forms the lignin sheath and provides a physical barrier to enzymatic hydrolysis. In addition, lignin physically blocks cellulase, preventing it from being combined with the substrate in a process known as non-productive binding. Therefore, the depletion of lignin is a crucial method for obtaining fermentable sugars from the lignocellulosic biomass. Different white-rot fungi secrete different sets of lignin-mineralizing enzymes and each fungus secretes one or more of the three enzymes essential for lignin degradation. Among efficient redox enzymes, versatile peroxidase is extensively studied for its ability to degrade aromatics without the need for a mediator or polyvalent catalytic site. However, the presence of versatile peroxidase in F. spp. has not been studied. This study was planned with the objective of screening and comparing the production of versatile peroxidase enzymes from F. spp. and a standard culture of Pleurotus ostreatus MTCC-142. These fungal strains were first screened on solid media containing tannic acid, malachite green, or bromocresol green. The potency index for the tannic acid, malachite green, and bromocresol green on the 16th day of incubation was reported to be 1.28, 1.07, 1.09, and 1.10, respectively. Versatile peroxidase production patterns were investigated under solid state fermentation conditions for a period of 25 days at different temperatures ranging from 10 to 35 °C. The highest versatile peroxidase activity (592 UL−1) in F. sp. was observed at 30 °C after the 7th day of incubation. The molecular confirmation showed the presence of the vp gene in F. sp. along with Pleurotus ostreatus MTCC-142. The results determined that F. sp. possesses a versatile peroxidase enzyme and is able to degrade lignin efficiently, and thus it could be utilized as an alternative to other ligninolytic enzyme-producing fungi. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The improper treatment of crop straw not only leads to resource wastage but also adversely impacts the ecological environment. However, the application of microorganisms can accelerate the decomposition of crop straw and improve its utilization. In this study, cellulose-degrading microbial strains were isolated from naturally decayed corn straw and screened using Congo red staining, along with assessing variations in carboxymethyl cellulase (CMCase) activity, filter paper enzyme (FPase) activity and β-glucosidase (β-Gase) activity, as well as the degradation rate. The eight strains, namely Neurospora intermedia isolate 29 (A1), Streptomyces isolate FFJC33 (A2), Gibberella moniliformis isolate FKCB-009 (A3), Fusarium fujikuroi isolate EFS3(2) (A4), Fusarium Fujikuroi isolate FZ04 (A5), Lysine bacillus macroides strain LNHL43 (B1), Bacillus subtilis strain MPF30 (B2) and Paenibacilli lautus strain ALEB-P1 (C), were identified and selected for microbial strain consortium design based on their high activities of CMCase, FPase and β-Gase. The fungi, bacteria and actinomycete strains were combined without antagonistic effects on corn straw decomposition. The results showed the A2B2 combination had a significantly higher FPase at 55.44 U/mL and β-Gase at 25.73 U/mL than the other two strain combinations (p < 0.05). Additionally, the degradation rate of this combination was 40.33%, which was considerably higher than that of the other strains/consortia. The strain combination A4B2C also had superior enzyme activity, including CMCase with a value of 35.03 U/mL, FPase with a value of 63.59 U/mL and β-Gase with a value of 26.15 U/mL, which were significantly different to those of the other three strain combinations (p < 0.05). Furthermore, seven single microbial strains with high cellulase activities were selected to construct various microbial consortiums for in situ composting in order to evaluate their potential. Taken as a whole, the results of composting, including temperature, moisture content, pH, E4/E6 value and seed germination index, indicated that the microbial strain consortium consisting of Neurospora intermediate isolate 29, Fusarium fujikuroi isolate EFS3(2), Fusarium fujikuroi isolate FZ04, Lysinibacillus macrolides, Lysinibacillus sphaericus, Bacillus subtilis and Paenibacillus lautus was advantageous for corn straw decomposition and yielded high-quality compost. The screened flora was able to effectively degrade corn straw. This study provides a novel solution for the construction of a microbial consortium for the composting of corn straw. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The behavior of wheat straw biomass (WS), woody sawdust biomass (WB), and their blends during catalytic co-pyrolysis are analyzed in the presence of CaO catalyst, which is obtained from the calcination of mussel shells. Synergy analysis of blends and pure materials is measured by studying the difference between theoretical and experimental values of wt.%/min, (RL%), and (WL%), which correspond to maximum weight loss rate, residue left, and weight loss, respectively. The Coats–Redfern method is utilized for evaluating the thermo-kinetic properties. The chemical reaction order model F1 is the best model that describes the Ea of 60.05 kJ/mol and ∆H, ∆G, and ∆S values of 55.03 kJ/mol, 162.26 kJ/mol, and −0.18 kJ/mol.K, respectively, for the optimum blend 80WS−20WB, reducing the thermo-kinetic properties. Model D3 showed better results for the Ea, ∆H, ∆G, and ∆S for the 5% CaO blend, which certified the viability of co-pyrolysis of WS and WB, while DTG indicated that exothermic and endothermic reactions occur together. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To study the effect of hydrated sodium calcium aluminosilicate (HSCAS) in ameliorating adverse effects of aflatoxin on in vitro rumen fermentation, five treatment groups, viz., T1: control (wheat straw; 0.2 g); T2: T1+300 ppb Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1); T3: T2+0.33% HSCAS; T4: T2+0.5% HSCAS and T5: T2+ 1.0% HSCAS were prepared and incubated in vitro. The results revealed that truly degradable dry matter (TDDM), truly degradable organic matter (TDOM), gas production (GP), microbial biomass production (MBP) and partitioning factor (PF) values in aflatoxin contaminated group (T2) were lower (p<0.05) than those of other treatment groups. The TDDM, TDOM, GP, MBP and PF values in control group (T1) were higher than those of other treatment groups, i.e., T2 to T5. These parameters improved with increasing concentration of HSCAS. The total volatile fatty acids (TVFA), acetate (A), propionate (P) and butyrate (B) values in control group (T1) were higher (p<0.05) than those of other treatment groups, i.e., T2 to T5. The TVFA, A, P and B values in aflatoxin contaminated T2 group were lower (p<0.05) than those of other treatment groups. The A:P value among various dietary treatments did not vary significantly. It was concluded that aflatoxin contamination of feed (wheat straw) at 300 ppb level significantly affected the in vitro rumen fermentation in terms of reduced TDDM, TDOM, GP, MBP, PF, TVFA concentration. Inclusion of hydrated sodium calcium aluminosilicate to the aflatoxin contaminated feed partially ameliorated the adverse effects of aflatoxin on in vitro rumen fermentation parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article is devoted to the development of methods for obtaining raw materials and coagulants based on Auminzatau kaolin at the Zarkuduk site and the treatment of highly coloured wastewater from the production of paper from rice and wheat straw. The yield of kaolin, treated with a 30 % hydrochloric acid solution at an optimum calcination temperature of 500°C for 90 min, was 97.5 %. The optimum temperature for the interaction of hydrochloric acid is 25 - 30°C for 30 - 45 min. The efficiency of the coagulant application is 97.5 %. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agricultural waste availability implies the possibility of recovering energy as biomass. The collateral effect is the production of ashes that, in some cases, have the potential to be reused in the manufacture of cement, mortar, and concrete. This article presents the study of the auto-combustion (unlike all previous studies) of corn (maize) straw (stems and leaves). The auto-combustion temperature was monitored, and the obtained corn straw ash (CSA) was characterized by means of X-ray fluorescence, X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetry, and scanning electron microscopy. Finally, the behavior of ground CSA was analyzed in both the fresh state by measurement of workability on the spreading table and the hardened state by compressive strength measurement on mortars in which 10% of ordinary Portland cement (OPC) was replaced with CSA. These values were compared to both a control mortar (OPC) and a mortar in which OPC was partially replaced with 10% limestone filler. Ashes showed adequate pozzolanic reactivity because, at 90 curing days, the compressive strength of the mortars with 10% replacement of OPC with CSA was practically equal (98% of the strength) to the control mortar without pozzolan replacement. The auto-combustion of biomass is a process that can be easily available, and the results on pozzolanic reactivity of CSA are satisfactory. The auto-combustion could be used by low-income communities to reduce Portland cement clinker use and to recover waste. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]