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Although chickens can improve the chemical properties of soil through the deposition of excreta, their effects on soil macrofauna are poorly known. This work assessed the effects of grazing indigenous laying hens on soil macrofauna of two agroecosystems in Portugal: an organic horticultural field and a conventional orchard. At the horticultural field, laying hens were used to control weeds and the results were compared with those of two other weed control treatments: mechanical (rototiller) and thermal (flame weeding). At the orchard, the effects of hens were compared to that of the orchard understory vegetation, as a control. Soil epigeic macrofauna was collected in both locations, and earthworms were only collected in the horticultural field. Relative to the other treatments, grazing in the horticultural field increased the density of earthworms in the medium term (ranging from 150 to 625 earthworms/m2), without harming the density and diversity of epigeic macrofauna. However, at the orchard, the grazed soils presented lower soil epigeic macrofauna diversity, as well as significantly lower density of spiders than the control (4.67 vs 8.67 individuals/sample, respectively). These results suggest that the grazing effects can be affected by several factors, including the type of agroecosystem and farm management. Further research is required to optimize grazing management in different farming systems, considering animal density and grazing duration, thus ensuring the best contributions of chickens to soil fertility.

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The effect of climate change on agriculture and its implications on food security are demanding topics. It is crucial to convert the existing methods of food production into a more sustainable, resilient and productive agriculture. Reduction of food loss and waste will improve the efficiency of the food system, and simultaneously it will reduce the pressure put on natural resources and diminish the greenhouse gases emissions. This project aims to assess the potential use of agribusiness waste as a substrate for cultivation of Pleurotus spp., in order to contribute to the development of a more sustainable agriculture practices while promoting local development. The principles of Circular Economy are being applied to the most representative lignocellulosic waste of the Hidalgo State: pecan nutshell (PS), agave bagasse (AB), pine needles (PN), tamal leaves (TL) and coffee pulp (CP). It was studied the potential of these wasted plant material as substrates to grow mushrooms, of ten native Pleurotus spp. strains, with high nutritional value (seven Pleurotus ostreatus strains, one Pleurotus eryngii strain, one Pleurotus djamor strain and one Pleurotus opuntiae strain). In order to evaluate the different waste usefulness in mushroom’s growth, radial growth rate of the ten strains was assessed. Generally, the agave bagasse substrate promoted the highest growth rate. All Pleurotus spp. strains had slowest growth in control medium, PDA, due to the lack of lignocellulosic compounds.

Adaptation to climate change and sustainability encompasses several strategies as the agronomic by-products valorisation, transforming waste into resources, contributing to a most efficient use of land and resources and, simultaneously, to circular economy. This work aimed to study the effect of the rice husk (RH) incorporation on substrates in petunia, Petunia x hybrid, yield. The bioassay was carried out in 13 cm in diameter pots, randomly arranged, under greenhouse conditions, for 10 weeks. Four treatments were studied: (1) control, substrate without RH; (2) substrate with 10% RH; (3) substrate with 25% RH; and (4) substrate with 50% RH. There were four replicates, each consisting of five plants. Number of flower buds, aerial part diameter and length were evaluated weekly. At the end of the bioassay, aerial part and root weights, and substrate water retention capacity were evaluated. Results were submitted to One-Way ANOVA followed by the Tukey test, when significant differences were present. The obtained results suggest that the incorporation of a low-cost by-product of the rice processing industry—RH in soils with low drainage capacity may be a recommended practice promoting simultaneously the increase of crop production and the use of a low cost and widely available bio-waste, contributing this way to the circular economy premises, reducing wastes and targeting as well a more adapted agro-industry to a changing climate.