The influence of biopreparations on the reduction of energy consumption and CO2 emissions in shallow and deep soil tillage

Shredding Roller Effect on the Cannabis sativa L. Residues and Environmental

Fiber cannabis has been grown in Lithuania for a long time, but its cultivation technologies have not been widely studied. However, the growing population and consumption forces us to look to alternatives and to make efforts and find solutions to facilitate the cultivation of fiber cannabis because the use of fiber cannabis can be for many different types of products. The aim of the study was to evaluate the impact of the interaction of fibrous cannabis (Cannabis sativa L.) residue and soil on the mechanical properties of the residue and the environment in cultivation technology using a shredding roller. The study determined the effect of the shredding roller on the moisture content of cannabis residues, lignin content, visual changes, and mechanical characteristics of breaking and cutting. Examining cannabis residues according to the dominant different diameters of 5-, 8-, and 10-mm organic cannabis residues, it was found that the highest efficiency of the shredding roller is when rolling 5 mm diameter cannabis residue stems. The efficiency of the shredding roller for reducing the mechanical characteristics of cannabis residues and the need for shredding force was up to 20.78%. The results obtained are significant if the cannabis crop used with the shredding roller is organic, as the smallest diameter plant residues would be the most abundant. Studies have concluded that the moisture content of cannabis residues, the visual changes, and the need for crushing force prove the efficiency of the shredding roller, and the cannabis cultivation technology influences the decomposition of cannabis residues.

High-Throughput Sequencing as a Tool for the Quality Control of Microbial Bioformulations for Agriculture

Microbial bioformulations, due to their positive impact on the growth and development of plants, as well as the absence of harmful effects on the environment and humans, have a vast potential for mass introduction into agriculture. Assessing the quality of bioformulations, especially complex ones, is a difficult task. In this study, we show that high-throughput sequencing can be an effective tool for the quality control and safety of microbial bioformulations. By the method of high-throughput sequencing on the MiSeq platform, we studied 20 samples of commercially available microbial bioformulations. In parallel with this, bioformulations were studied by classical microbiological methods. The analysis showed the presence of extraneous undeclared bacterial genera by the manufacturer. Only 10% of the bioformulations fully corresponded to the commercial composition, and another 10% of the bioformulations did not contain the bacteria declared by the manufacturer in their composition at all. The bacterial composition of 80% of the bioformulations partially corresponded to the composition indicated on the package. The most frequent microbial bioformulations contaminants were Enterococcus, Lactobacillaceae, Klebsiella, Escherichia-Shigella and Allorhizobium-Neorhizobium-Pararhizobium-Rhizobium. Universal methods for the quality control of bioformulations are needed. The advantages of high-throughput sequencing for the evaluation of bioformulations are considered in this work.

Soil biotreatment effectiveness for reducing global warming potential from main polluting tillage operations in life cycle assessment phase

In order to reduce global warming potential (GWP) due to anthropogenic and natural factors in the cultivation of winter wheat and rapeseed, proved effectiveness of soil biotreatment with different composition of bio-solutions. It was reduced greenhouse gases (GHG) through life cycle impact categories from the main polluting agricultural operations on deeply lukewarm soaked soil. According to the impact diapason evaluated the main indicators such as human toxicity air (HTA), ecotoxicity water chronic (EWC), global warming potential, ecotoxicity water acute (EWA), ozone formation (OF), human toxicity water (HTW), ecotoxicity soil chronic (ESC), human toxicity soil (HTS), terrestrial eutrophication (TE), acidification (A). Assessed researches for three seasons which carried out in production experimental areas. It was appreciated in interrelated stages according to LST EN ISO 14040:2007 standard. Mass balance for one functional unit (FU) was tonne of wheat and rapeseed. SimaPro 8.05 life cycle assessment (LCA) Software was used for comparing soil biotreatment efectiveness using different bio-solutions and its mixes with control. The aim of the assessment - to prove the soil biotreatment effectiveness for reducing main life cycle indicators from tillage operations. It was identificated that phase of field operation is one of the main factor to the global impact. Disc harrowing consists approximately 26%, ploughing - 40% of all operations. Identified effectiveness of soil biotreatment, wheat and rapeseed rotation for reduction of global warming potential. Discovered reduction interdependencies of main life cycle assessement impact categories. The largest CO₂ eq reducing established from primary - disc harrowing 12-15 cm and secondary - ploughing 23-25 cm soil tillage. It was fixed till approximately 15% in mixed bacterial and non-bacterial bio-solution after first soil biotreatment. Till approximately 8% CO₂ eq reduction was in mixed bio-solutions after second biotreatment. The percentage highest soil biotreatment effectiveness till approximately 30% assessed after third biotreatment compared to usual technology. Soil biotreatment effectiveness in reducing green house gases (GHG) proved first year in 86%, second year in 43%, and third year in 71% of all used bio-solutions.