Vegetative Growth of Sweet Corn (Zea mays L. Saccharata) Due to Difference Doses of Horse Manure Compost and NPK Fertilizer

Sweet corn has a sturdy and strong stem growth and is very suitable for cultivation in tropical climates. Research on the effect of horse manure compost combined with NPK fertilizer on the growth of sweet corn has been done with the aim of obtaining information: (1) the effect of different doses of horse manure compost on the growth of sweet corn, (2) the effect of different doses of NPK fertilizer on the growth of sweet corn, (3) The interaction effect of horse manure compost and NPK fertilizer on sweet corn vegetative growth. The application of NPK fertilizer was carried out with 4 treatment doses while the application of horse manure compost was carried out with 5 treatment doses. In this study, information was obtained (1) the application of NPK fertilizer increased the growth of sweet corn, (2) the application of horse manure compost increased the growth of sweet corn, (3) There was no increase in growth of sweet corn due to the combination treatment of NPK fertilizer and horse manure compost

Methane Fermentation Residue Compost Derived from Food Waste to Aid Komatsuna (Brassica rapa) Growth

One suitable solution to achieve sustainable development goals (SDGs) is to utilize methane fermentation residue obtained from food waste. However, methane fermentation residue compost is often difficult to use due to its inhibitory properties and pungent smell. To evaluate chemical parameters and plant growth, we examined the use of methane-fermented food waste residue compost (FWM), three types of animal manure, namely, horse manure (HM), cow manure (CWM), and chicken manure (CKM). Our results revealed that mixing food waste compost with cow and horse manure reduced the inhibition of Komatsuna germination, however, chicken manure blending limited inhibition reduction. The improvement of GI in the combination of FWM and animal manure was obtained at a ratio 1:4 with an improvement in GI of 20.8%, 16.8%, and 3.8% for combination FWM + HM, FWM + CWM, and FWM + CKM, respectively. The ratio of the combination of FWM + HM could be increased to a ratio of 2:3 with an improvement of 14.7%. Additionally, for Komatsuna growth, FWM with cow and horse manure mixer considerably enhanced plant growth and yield. Furthermore, the combination of FWM + HM and FWM + CWM could improve the ratio of NUE compost/NUE FWM with the values being 12.0 and 11.1, respectively. Therefore, combining FWM with CWM and HM increases the utility value of methane fermentation residues obtained from food waste as compost for maintaining soil fertility, while reducing the use of chemical fertilizer.

Seasonal content of heavy metals in the "soil–feed–milk–manure" system in horse husbandry in Kazakhstan

Background and Aim: The quality of food, especially animal-based food, is crucial for human health. However, the quality of milk and other animal products has become an acute cause for concern in Kazakhstan . Technogenic dispersion of heavy metals (HMs) causes adverse effects on living organisms and creates unfavorable conditions for the existence of humans, animals, and plants. The purpose of this study was to analyze the content of several HMs in samples of soil, horse feed (hay, mixed feed, and bran), mare's milk, and manure to assess bioaccumulation and possible adverse effects on the bodies of horses. An additional purpose was to identify areas with acceptable conditions for obtaining environmentally safe horse breeding products in the agricultural zones of the Almaty region, Kazakhstan. Materials and Methods: Samples were obtained from two farms in the Almaty region in 2020 (spring, summer, and autumn). In total, 72 soil samples were analyzed, which were taken from the upper humus horizon to the depth of the arable layer. Eighty-six samples were taken from the feed of horses. Green feed was represented by perennial and annual grasses (alsike clover, Medicago sativa, sweet yellow clover, as well as pea and oat mix). Barley and wheat bran stored in the warehouses of the farm were sampled for the research as feed supplements. The mixed feed comprised components such as maize and sunflower. In addition, 46 samples of mare's milk and 28 samples of horse manure were collected. The HM analysis was performed in the laboratory of the Kazakh-Japanese Innovation Center. The residual amounts of HMs were determined using an absorption spectrometer with a voltammetric analyzer. The content of cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), mercury (Hg), and arsenic (As) in all the studied samples of soil, feed, mare's milk, and manure did not exceed the threshold limit values (TLVs), suggesting that the intake of these toxic elements into the human body with food was low. Results: The average Cd concentration was in the range of 0.29-0.31 mg/kg in soil samples and in the range of 0.20-0.27 mg/kg in feed samples. In milk, the Cd concentration varied from 0.01 to 0.02 mg/L and was lower in summer and higher in fall. The total average Cd content in horse manure was 0.1844 mg/kg. The concentration of Pb in soil samples ranged from 1.09 to 1.30 mg/kg with the lowest value in spring and the highest in fall. In the feed, the concentration of Pb varied from 0.14 to 0.76 mg/kg and in milk from 0.03 to 0.15 mg/L. The average concentrations of Hg and As in soil samples averaged 0.022 and 0.019 mg/kg, respectively, and were within the TLVs. Conclusion: In the study areas, the calculated transition rates in the soil–feed–milk–manure system revealed that the greatest transition of HMs was observed for Pb and Cd, and a smaller migration was observed for Hg and As. The tendency of accumulation of trace elements continued in the feed.

Characterization of a highly xylose tolerant β-xylosidase isolated from high temperature horse manure compost

Background There is a continued need for improved enzymes for industry. β-xylosidases are enzymes employed in a variety of industries and although many wild-type and engineered variants have been described, enzymes that are highly tolerant of the products produced by catalysis are not readily available and the fundamental mechanisms of tolerance are not well understood. Results Screening of a metagenomic library constructed of mDNA isolated from horse manure compost for β-xylosidase activity identified 26 positive hits. The fosmid clones were sequenced and bioinformatic analysis performed to identity putative β-xylosidases. Based on the novelty of its amino acid sequence and potential thermostability one enzyme (XylP81) was selected for expression and further characterization. XylP81 belongs to the family 39 β-xylosidases, a comparatively rarely found and characterized GH family. The enzyme displayed biochemical characteristics (KM—5.3 mM; Vmax—122 U/mg; kcat—107; Topt—50 °C; pHopt—6) comparable to previously characterized glycoside hydrolase family 39 (GH39) β-xylosidases and despite nucleotide identity to thermophilic species, the enzyme displayed only moderate thermostability with a half-life of 32 min at 60 °C. Apart from acting on substrates predicted for β-xylosidase (xylobiose and 4-nitrophenyl-β-D-xylopyranoside) the enzyme also displayed measurable α-L-arabainofuranosidase, β-galactosidase and β-glucosidase activity. A remarkable feature of this enzyme is its ability to tolerate high concentrations of xylose with a Ki of 1.33 M, a feature that is highly desirable for commercial applications. Conclusions Here we describe a novel β-xylosidase from a poorly studied glycosyl hydrolase family (GH39) which despite having overall kinetic properties similar to other bacterial GH39 β-xylosidases, displays unusually high product tolerance. This trait is shared with only one other member of the GH39 family, the recently described β-xylosidases from Dictyoglomus thermophilum. This feature should allow its use as starting material for engineering of an enzyme that may prove useful to industry and should assist in the fundamental understanding of the mechanism by which glycosyl hydrolases evolve product tolerance.

Formulation of Organic Wastes as Growth Media for Cultivation of Earthworm Nutrient-Rich Eisenia foetida

Inadequate management of solid organic waste can lead to the spread of diseases and negatively affects the environment. Fermentation and vermicomposting of organic waste could have dual benefits by generating earthworm biomass for a source of animal feed protein, and, at the same time, turning the organic waste into readily used compost. This study investigated the effect of an organic waste source (as a sole source or blended with others) totaling 24 media for the cultivation of the earthworm Eisenia foetida. Eight media sources were applied, namely cow manure, horse manure, goat manure, broiler chicken manure, market organic waste, household organic waste, rice straw, and beef rumen content. E. foetida was cultivated for 40 days, then the number of cocoons, earthworms, and the total biomass weight were measured at the end of the cultivation. Results demonstrated that the media source affected E. foetida earthworm cultivation. The most effective media were those containing horse manure that led to the production of the highest earthworms and the highest biomass. The produced cocoons and earthworms were poorly correlated with an r-value of 0.26 and p-value of 0.21. Meanwhile, the number and weight of the earthworms correlated well with an r-value of 0.784 and p-value of <0.01. However, the average numbers and weights of the produced earthworms in the media containing horse manure, cow manure, goat manure, and non-blended organic waste were insignificant. Overall results suggest that blended organic wastes can undergo composting to produce nutrient-rich earthworm biomass while turning the solid organic waste into readily used compost.

Phosphorus Non-Point Pollution from Equestrian Wastes and the Need for Recycling

South Florida and much of the rest of the World suffers from harmful algal blooms (HABs) and controls of both nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) pollution are required to curtail the onset, spread and/or expansion of these blooms. This report covers our studies on several aspects of equestrian waste (viz. horse manure) aimed at yielding an overview of phosphorus and its pollution stemming from non-point horse manure sources in portions of Palm Beach County Florida. Methods included a modified Hedley extraction sequence, emphasizing &lsquo;easily extractable phosphorus&rsquo; (EEP), and 31P nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopic identification of organic phosphorus (Po) species. Samples included fresh and aged horse manure, pasture soils, horse feed and pasture grasses, and canal waters adjacent to equestrian or agricultural fields. Easily extractable Phosphorus (EEP) averaged about 54-77% of the total horse manure phosphorus. Total phosphorus ranged from 13,020 &ndash; 22,300 mg per kilogram dry weight. (&asymp;60-100 lbs. P2O5 / ton and on a wet weight basis, this equates to 4,000 to 14,818 grams-P/ U.S. ton or 8.8 to 32.6 pounds of phosphorus (&asymp; 20-75 lb. P2O5) per wet weight ton of horse manure. Considering the values of EEP in fresh samples from a single horse, we found a range of 8,000 &ndash; 17,000 mg-P/kg (8-17 g-P/kg) dry weight horse manure. Soil samples yielded the highest P in the NaOH extract of the Hedley sequence. This equates to the Al, Fe and ester forms. Phosphorus (viz. EEP) runoff is viewed here as a non-point P pollution source.