Crops treated with bioethanol waste show higher leaf greenness and biomass

Adding fermentation waste can significantly increase crop yield and biomass, according to researchers from the University of Florida. In their study, published in the American Journal of Environmental Sciences, the team looked at the potential of fermentation waste from bioethanol waste to be used as a phosphorus (P) fertilizer.

• Researchers studied whether pretreating biorefinery waste with phosphoric acids during production can lead to alternative sources of phosphorus.
• The team set up three treatments of snap bean (Phaseolus vulgaris var. Bronco) and radish (Raphanus raphanistrum subsp. sativus var. Crimson Giant) – one using fermentation waste from bioethanol production as its phosphorus source; one using a commercial P fertilizer, a superphosphate containing 44 percent phosphorus pentoxide (P₂O₅); and a control without any phosphorus fertilizer.
• The yield, biomass, and leaf greenness of the crops were measured for this study.
• Results showed that crops that were treated with fermentation waste had better leaf greenness, biomass, and yield.

The team concluded that fermentation wastes from bioethanol production could be used as a potential phosphorus fertilizer.

Find the full text of the study at this link.

Learn even more natural ways to grow your crops at Harvest.news.

Journal Reference:

Liao X, Hogue B, Zhu S, Tong Z, Liu G, Li Y. USING BIOETHANOL WASTES AS AN ALTERNATIVE PHOSPHORUS SOURCE FOR SNAP BEAN AND RADISH PRODUCTION. American Journal of Environmental Sciences. 2016;12(1):1–7. DOI: 10.3844/ajessp.2016.1.7