To reduce Cd phytoavailability in calcareous soils, the effects of soil amendments of red mud, rape straw, and corn straw in combination with zinc fertilization on Cd extractability and phytoavailability to spinach, tomato, Chinese cabbage and radish were investigated in a calcareous soil with added Cd at 1.5 mg kg-1. The results showed that water soluble and exchangeable Cd in soils was signif...

This research evaluated biogas production in batch and UASB reactors from pilot-scale acid catalysed steam pretreated and enzymatic hydrolysed wheat straw. The results showed that the pretreatment was efficient and, a sugar yield of 95% was obtained. The pretreatment improved the methane yield (0.28 m(3)/kg VS(added)) by 57% compared to untreated straw. Treatment of the straw hydrolysate with n...

Chopped wheat straw, containing increasing amounts of added water was treated with a constant level of ammonia (3.3 percent of straw dry matter) as ammonium hydroxide, and stored for I to 60 days before determing in vitro dry matter digestibility (IVD MD), nitrogen content and fiber-bound nitrogen (ADF-N) versus free ammonia nitrogen (NH3N) of the treated sample. The overall improvement (e.g., ...

BACKGROUND Ensiling is a well-known method for preserving green biomasses through anaerobic production of organic acids by lactic acid bacteria. In this study, wheat straw is subjected to ensiling in combination with hydrothermal treatment as a combined pretreatment method, taking advantage of the produced organic acids. RESULTS Ensiling for 4 weeks was accomplished in a vacuum bag system aft...

Oak woodchips, used for production of shiitake Lentinula edodes (Berk) Pegler, are increasingly difficult to obtain due to dwindling supplies. We investigated the effect of adding ground wheat straw as a substitute for portions of oak woodchips in substrate formulae on mushroom yield and size. We also determined the effect of mushroom cropping on relative feed value (RFV) by chemical analysis o...

Straw application can not only increase crop yields, improve soil structure and enrich soil fertility, but can also enhance water and nutrient retention. The aim of this study was to ascertain the relationships between straw decomposition and the release-adsorption processes of K(+). This study increases the understanding of the roles played by agricultural crop residues in the soil environment...

A study was carried out to investigate the effect of restricting silage feeding on time of calving and calving performance in Holstein-Friesian cows. In the treatment group (n = 1,248 cows, 12 herds) silage feeding commenced in the evening (17:00 to 20:00 h), after a period of restricted access (2 to 10 h) while in the control group ad-libitum access to silage was provided over the 24 h period ...