The Application of a Bio-Stabilized Municipal Solid Waste-Based Fertilizer for Buckwheat Production

17 Pág. Departamento de Medio Ambiente y Agronomía​ (INIA)In a circular economy framework, waste valorization in crop production promotes sustainability in the agricultural sector. Buckwheat (BW; Fagopyrum esculentum Moench) has promising nutritional and economic value. Its sustainable production can be promoted by applying organic fertilizers. Aimed at determining the effect of a bio-stabilized municipal solid waste (MSW) amendment on BW, a greenhouse experiment was performed combining two different soils (clay and sandy) with three previous fertilization treatments (no fertilizer, mineral fertilizer, or MSW fertilizer) from the precedent faba bean crop and three present fertilization treatments (no fertilizer, mineral fertilizer, or MSW fertilizer) from the precedent wheat crop. The present fertilizer treatments followed the same procedure and fertilization rates (7.9 g/kg clay soil and 6.7 g/kg sandy soil of MSW amendment and 0.14 g/kg clay soil and 0.12 g/sandy soil of mineral fertilizer) as the previously fertilized treatments to study the effects on BW crop and soil. Results indicated a positive response of biomass production (on average 34.4 g/plant) and seed yield (on average 10.6 g/plant) to direct organic fertilization, obtaining comparable results with respect to the mineral fertilization treatments. Additionally, organic fertilization significantly enhanced seed quality and nutrient content compared to mineral fertilization, which resulted in a higher chlorophyll content. The findings revealed that the residual effect from the previous bio-stabilized MSW amendment was not sufficient to provide the total nutrients necessary for BW potential growth and biomass production, although slight tendencies toward increase were observed. Soil properties, such as organic matter and nitrogen content, as well as soil nutrient concentrations, were positively affected by organic fertilization, presenting adequate levels of heavy metals (Cu, Zn, Pb, Ni, Cr, and Cd). The insights of this study are valuable to determine the effects of reusing waste by-products for BW crop fertilization to reduce or substitute for chemical fertilizers.This research was funded by the company URBASER S.A., CAM (AGRISOST-CM S2018/BAA-4330 project) and Structural Funds 2014–2020 (ERDF y ESF).Peer reviewe

Nitrate Leaching in Maize (Zea mays L.) and Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) Irrigated Cropping Systems under Nitrification Inhibitor and/or Intercropping Effects

18 Pàg.The use of nitrogen fertilizers in agriculture is currently under high pressure to reduce its environmental impact and improve its currently low efficiency. Nitrification inhibitors and/or intercrops emerged in recent decades as useful tools to combat these problems. The objective of the experiment is to study the effect of these techniques on the yield, the nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) and N leaching in a maize–wheat rotation. Six treatments were studied, combining the use of ammonium nitrate sulfate (ASN) alone or with a nitrification inhibitor (DMPSA or 3,4-dimethylpyrazole succinic acid) and the use or absence of vetch (Vicia sativa L.) as an intercrop. The results showed that fertilized treatments did not show significant differences in crop development, but the use of DMPSA delayed the nitrate (NO3−) availability and reduced N leaching losses (average N leaching reductions around 25% after maize harvest). On the other hand, the use of vetch as an intercrop helped to reduce the negative effects of N deficiency and, at the same time, increased the concentration of N in the soil during the following crop harvest (4.5 kg N ha−1 on average after wheat harvest) and reduced losses due to leaching (average N leaching reductions around 14% after the maize–wheat season). The combination of both techniques (DMPSA and vetch intercrop) at the same time presented a synergic effect and greatly improved the environmental impact of the irrigated maize–wheat system.This work was funded by the MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033/(AGL2017-83283-C2- 1/2-R), the Community of Madrid (AGRISOST-CM S2018/BAA-4330), and European Structural funding 2014-2020 (ERDF y ESF).Peer reviewe

Análisis de la producción de maíz en España

España es un país donde la producción agrícola tiene un peso relativamente bajo en el producto interior bruto nacional (solo del 3,16%), pero con una gran importancia estratégica ya que representa más de 20 millones de toneladas de productos vegetales exportados al año, además del alto nivel de consumo interno. Dentro de esa producción, el cultivo del maíz es uno de los cultivos con mayor importancia en cuanto a superficie dentro de los sistemas de regadío. El presente estudio pretende resumir la situación actual de la producción de maíz en España en relación a la situación mundial. A día de hoy, los dos principales factores limitantes para el aumento de la superficie cultivada de maíz y el aumento de su rendimiento en España son la disponibilidad de agua y la rentabilidad económica. Por eso, este trabajo resume los avances alcanzados hasta la fecha, pero también las mejoras potenciales que permitirían mejorar su rendimiento económico sin aumentar (o incluso disminuyendo) su impacto ambiental. Estas técnicas se basan en la mejora de la eficiencia de uso de los insumos agrícolas empleados (fertilizantes, gasoil, fitosanitarios, entre otros) así como la eficiencia en el uso del agua. Para alcanzar estas mayores eficiencias se han identificado distintas técnicas como el ajuste de las dosis de agua-nutrientes-fitosanitarios, su aplicación en los momentos clave o incluso la teledetección y el uso de agricultura de precisión, todos ellos definidos en mayor detalle en este trabajo. Por eso, los agricultores que deseen seguir cultivando maíz en España, además de ser capaces de mejorar su rendimiento y reducir el impacto ambiental, deberán, sobre todo, mejorar sus márgenes de beneficio.Peer reviewe

Análisis de la producción de maíz en España

This study aims to summarize the current situation of maize production in Spain in relation to the world situation. At present, the two main constraints to increasing the area cultivated with maize and increasing its yield in Spain are the availability of water and economic profitability. For this reason, this work summarizes the progress achieved to date, but also the potential improvements that could improve their economic performance without increasing (or even decreasing) their environmental impact. These techniques require inevitably an improvement of the use efficiency of the agronomic inputs (fertilizers, diesel, pesticides…), as well as, the improvement of water use. Therefore, farmers who wish to continue growing maize in Spain, in addition to being able to improve their yields and reduce their environmental impact, must, above all, improve their production margins.El presente estudio pretende resumir la situación actual de la producción de maíz en España en relación a la situación Mundial. A día de hoy, los dos principales factores limitantes para el aumento de la superficie cultivada de maíz y el aumento de su rendimiento en España son la disponibilidad de agua y la rentabilidad económica. Por eso este trabajo resume los avances alcanzados hasta la fecha, pero también las mejoras potenciales que permitirían mejorar su rendimiento económico sin aumentar (o incluso disminuyendo) su impacto ambiental. Y estas técnicas se basan en la mejora de la eficiencia de uso de los insumos agrícolas empleados (fertilizantes, gasoil, fitosanitarios,…) así como por la eficiencia en el uso del agua. Por eso, los agricultores que deseen seguir cultivando maíz en España, además de ser capaces de mejorar su rendimiento y reducir el impacto ambiental, deberán, sobre todo, mejorar sus márgenes de beneficio