Manure amendments for mitigation of dairy ammonia and greenhouse gas emissions: preliminary screening

 Amendments can be practical and cost-effective for reducing ammonia [NH3] and greenhouse gas [GHG] emissions from dairy manure.  In this study, the effect of 22 amendments on NH3 and GHG carbon dioxide [CO2], methane [CH4] and nitrous oxide [N2O] emissions from dairy manure were simultaneous investigated at room temperature (20℃).  Dairy manure slurry (2 kg; 1:1.7 urine: feces; 12% total solids) was treated with various amendments, representing different classes of product, following the suppliers’ recommended rates.  In this screening of products, one sample of each amendment was evaluated along with untreated manure slurry with repeated measurements over 24 h.  Gas emissions were measured after short (3 d) and medium (30 d) storage duration using a photoacoustic multi-gas analyzer.  Six amendment products that acted as microbial digest, oxidizing agent, masking agent or adsorbent significantly reduced NH3 by >10% (P = 0.04 to <0.001) after both 3 and 30 d.  Microbial digest/enzymes with nitrogen substrate appeared effective in reducing CH4 fluxes for both storage times.  Most of the masking agents and disinfectants significantly increased CH4 in both storage periods (P = 0.04 to <0.001).  For both CH4 and CO2 fluxes, aging the manure slurry for 30 d significantly reduced gas production by 11 to 100% (P<0.001).  While some products reduced emissions at one or both storage times, results showed that the ability of amendments to mitigate emissions from dairy manure is finite and re-application may be required even for a static amount of manure.  Simultaneous measurement of gases identified glycerol as a successful NH3 reduction agent while increasing CH4 in contrast to a digestive-microbial product that significantly reduced CH4 while enhancing NH3 release.Keywords: methane, greenhouse gas, emission, amendment, additive, dairy manure, ammonia, mitigatio

Evaluation of odor emissions from amended dairy manure: preliminary screening

Manure amendments have shown variable effectiveness in reducing odor.  Twenty-two amendments were applied to dairy manure then evaluated for odor reduction efficacy after storage at 20℃ for 3 d and 30 d.  Amendments represented differing primary modes of action including: microbial digestive, oxidizing, disinfecting, masking, and adsorbent.  Each amendment was added to 2 kg dairy manure (1:1.7 urine:feces; 12% total solids) following recommended rates.  In this preliminary screening, one sample (n=1) of each amendment was evaluated along with untreated manure (Control).  Odor emission from each treated manure and Control was estimated twice by five or six qualified odor assessors (n=10 or 12) after each storage duration, using an international standard for triangular forced-choice olfactometry.  Odor quality was defined using hedonic tone, Labeled Magnitude Scale and ASTM methods for supra-threshold odor intensity, and an odor character wheel for descriptors.  For selected treatments, odor emissions were significantly reduced relative to Control at 30 d versus 3 d incubation (P<0.0001).  However, no amendment was significantly effective for both incubation times.  Likewise, for all amendments tested, aging the manure slurry for 30 d significantly reduced odor emission and odor intensity (P<0.0001).  A proprietary microbial amendment (Alken Enz-Odor + Clear Flo: aerobic/ facultative microbes with growth factors), disinfectant (hydrogen peroxide), and masking agent (Hyssopus officinalis essential oil) provided significant short-term control of odor (P <0.06).  However, after 30 d seven amendments significantly increased odor emission (P<0.02) while only two amendments offered a significant efficacy (P<0.0001): a proprietary microbial aerobic/facultative product (Bio-Regen) and a proprietary mix of chemicals (Greaseater), both with weekly re-application.  Hedonic tone observations suggested an improvement to “slightly to moderately unpleasant” smell versus untreated manure for all amendments except clinoptilolite zeolite adsorbent.  Hedonic tone improvement was correlated with reduced manure odor supra-threshold intensity.Keywords: odor, hedonic tone, odor strength, amendments, additives, dairy manure, United States of Americ

Application of Proteomics to Identify Fertility Markers in Angus Bull Sperm

The goal of the study was to ascertain sperm proteins as fertility markers by identifying sperm proteins in Angus bull sperm using proteomics and validate the markers through comparative sperm biology between Angus and Holstein bulls for which there is reliable fertility data available. We aimed to determine proteins differentially expressed in sperm from Angus bulls with different fertility phenotypes. Two-dimensional differential gel electrophoresis with mass-spectrometry, functional gene clusters, canonical pathways and protein networks, using integrated discovery bioinformatics software and ingenuity pathway analysis were used to identify and analyze sperm proteome. We identified 80 proteins that were differentially expressed in sperm of our experimental population. Using computational biology approaches we demonstrated involvement of structural proteins such as outer dense fiber of sperm tails 2 and enzymes including kinases, and phosphatases having functions in essential pathways in glycolysis/gluconeogenesis and free scavenging. The results are significant because analyzed proteins in Angus sperm are determinants of fertility, gene-environment interactions, as well as potential biomarkers for animal breeding

Stoombehandelingen eerstejaars plantuien tegen valse meeldauw

In de winter van 2010-2011 zijn in opdracht van het Productschap Akkerbouw verschillende stoombehandelingsvarianten bij Ruvoma uitgevoerd. Namelijk bij 40, 42.5 en 45 ∘C, bij 85 en 95 % RV en gedurende één en twee dagen. De uitjes zijn vervolgens in een biotoets in de kas getoetst op kieming en systemische aantasting

Sporulatie en beheersing echte meeldauw in aardbei : bouwstenen voor beslissing ondersteunend systeem (BOS) voor de beheersing van meeldauw in aardbei

Echte meeldauw in aardbei kan zowel het blad als de vrucht aantasten. In de praktijk wordt de schimmel bestreden door regelmatige inzet van gewasbeschermingsmiddelen. Het is gewenst om die inzet te beperken tot het noodzakelijke. Dit is zowel economisch en milieutechnisch aantrekkelijk. In het algemeen kunnen waarschuwingssystemen helpen om het tijdstip van de inzet van gewasbeschermingsmiddelen te optimaliseren. Voor echte meeldauw zijn er een aantal beslissingsondersteunende systemen (BOS) op de markt (PlantPLus van Dacom Plant service en Aardbei bericht van Agrovision). In de teelt van aardbei wordt een advies gegeven voor vruchtrot en een advies voor meeldauw. Ervaring leert dat het advies voor meeldauw toch lastig is door wisselende weersomstandigheden en daar komt nog bij de aardbeien geteeld op stellingen, al of niet met regenkapje, te maken hebben met een ander microklimaat dan aardbeien geteeld in de vollegrond. Voor meeldauw geldt dan ook nog dat de biologie van deze schimmel minder goed bekend is dan die van Botrytis cinerea (vruchtrot). Het project is er op gericht om een de biologie van echte meeldauw in aardbei verder te ontrafelen. Deze kennis kan gebruikt worden om de bestrijdingsstrategie voor echte meeldauw in aardbei te ontwikkelen, gebaseerd op de biologie van de schimmel, de weersomstandigheden en de vitaliteit van het gewas. Veel gegevens over kieming, infectie en kolonisatie van aardbeiblad zijn beschreven in de literatuur

Odor Evaluation and Gas Emission from Manure of Dairy Heifers Fed High/Low - Forage Quality and High/Low-Concentrate Diets

A heifer feeding trial evaluated the impact of high/low forage quality and high/low concentrate level nutrient-balanced diets on simultaneous odor and gas emissions from the manure. Gas concentration was determined using an infrared photoacoustic analyzer over a 24-hour period using a steady-state flux chamber setup containing urine:feces as-excreted from eight individual heifers. Odorous air samples were collected from chamber headspace and evaluated by six human assessors for pleasantness, intensity and detection threshold using a forced-choice dynamic olfactometer. Ammonia emission ranged from 0.64 to 3.94 mg NH3 cm-2 d-1 across diets. Average ammonia emission from the low concentrate (80% forage) diets (2.11 mg NH3 cm-2 d-1) was larger than the high concentrate (20% forage) diets (1.69 mg NH3 cm-2 d-1), but not significantly different. Carbon dioxide emission was significantly higher (p= 0.0143) in the low concentrate diets. There was a linear increase of methane emission as reduced quality forage (corn stover) was increased in the low-concentrate diet (p = 0.030). Nitrous oxide emissions were similar and low in all diets. Highest average odor emission (8.58 OU m-2 sec-1) was from the low concentrate, high forage quality (80% corn silage) diet while lowest emission (5.01 OU m-2 sec-1) was measured when forage quality was reduced (32% silage; 48% stover). Odor emission tended to be reduced with lower quality forage diets, but with no significant difference. The volume of feces produced from the high concentrate diet was about half that from the low concentrate diet heifers. But total manure produced by the high concentrate diet heifers was 23% higher due to increased urine production