Biodisinfection as a Profitable Fertilization Method for Horticultural Crops in the Framework of the Circular Economy

Intensive agriculture has resulted in various environmental impacts that affect ecosystems. In some cases, the application of conventional fertilizers has deteriorated water quality, which includes the marine environment. For this reason, institutions have designed various strategies based on the principles of the circular economy and the bioeconomy. Both of these dynamics aim to reduce excessive fertilization and to inhibit the negative externalities it generates. In our work, a field trial is presented in which a 100% reduction in conventional inorganic fertilizers has been evaluated through a production methodology based on fertilization with reused plant debris in combination with other organic compounds. Based on one tomato crop, the profitability of this production technique has been analyzed in comparison with other conventional vegetable production techniques. The productivity and economic yield of the alternative crop was similar to that of the conventional crop, with a 37.2% decrease in water consumption. The reuse of biomass reduced production costs by 4.8%, while the addition of other organic amendments increased them by up to 22%. The results of our trial show that farms are more sustainable and more profitable from a circular point of view when using these strategies

The Management of Agriculture Plastic Waste in the Framework of Circular Economy. Case of the Almeria Greenhouse (Spain)

In recent decades, ecosystems have suffered diverse environmental impacts caused by anthropogenic activities, including the dumping of plastic waste. This situation has prompted the European Union to introduce a new policy based on the circular economy. In this study, the present state and future perspectives on the generation and treatment of plastic waste in the intensive agriculture of Almeria (Spain) are analyzed. This activity generates 1503.6 kg·ha−1·year−1, on average, of plastic waste with an approximate treatment cost of 0.25 €/kg. The present study shows that the volume of plastic waste from intensive agriculture in Almeria is constantly increasing (48,948.2 tons in 2020/21) and it is suggested that the current management system does not meet the needs of the sector. Although it presents great opportunities for improvement under the framework of the circular economy. Furthermore, this work reports a direct relationship between the price of the raw materials needed for the production of plastic and the volume of recycled plastics. For this reason, it would be advisable for the administration to consider the implementation of a tax rebate system for the sector and specifically when the petroleum derivatives used to manufacture plastic are less expensive, and the recycling option is not so attractive

Effect of Repeated Plant Debris Reutilization as Organic Amendment on Greenhouse Soil Fertility

Greenhouse agriculture typically generates large amounts of waste with plant residue (agricultural biomass) being the most abundant. This residue is generated on a seasonal basis, which complicates the external management of the material. Recently, the European Union (EU) has been implementing a policy based on sustainability through the circular economy that seeks to minimize waste generation. The effect of reusing 3.5 kg·m−2 tomato plants from the previous season as the only fertilizer versus no fertilization and inorganic fertilization in 215-day tomato cycles after transplanting was studied in this trial. The study was carried out during three seasons in greenhouse agriculture in Almeria (Spain) with the repeated use of the solarization technique. The plant debris had similar production results during two of the three seasons and fruit quality parameters were similar to inorganic fertilization. In addition, some physicochemical variables improved and the biological depressive effect of solarization was mitigated. The results suggest that the reuse of the tomato plant debris as the only fertilizer could be an alternative to conventional fertilization under the conditions tested

Aula virtual de entomología

Depto. de Biodiversidad, Ecología y EvoluciónFac. de Ciencias BiológicasFALSEsubmitte

Presencia del patotipo 1 de Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. melonis en suelos cultivados con melón en el Estado de Colima (Méjico)

Durante los años 2002 y 2003 se evaluó la gravedad de la fusariosis vascular en más de 1000 hectáreas de cultivo de melón en Colima (Méjico). Pese a las desinfecciones de suelo con bromuro de metilo, las pérdidas podían alcanzar el 25% de la producción final. El estudio de plantas con necrosis vasculares marcadas, amarilleamiento y marchitez de hojas, permitió asignar el síndrome de la enfermedad a fusariosis vascular. El análisis de 4 muestras de suelos de los campos con plantas enfermas, en medio selectivo para Fusarium, permitió detectar la presencia de propágulos de F. oxysporum pese a haber sido desinfectados los suelos con bromuro de metilo. Mediante la técnica del "fitopatómetro" se obtuvieron 31 aislados de F. oxysporum a partir de las muestras de suelo. Los aislados se inocularon sobre plantas de melón para evaluar la patogeneicidad de los mismos. Los 31 aislados inoculados produjeron los síntomas de decoloración del xilema, amarilleamiento foliar y marchitamiento, sobre los cultivares diferenciadores que nos permitieron encuadrar a todos los aislados dentro del patotipo 1 de F. oxysporum f. sp. melonis. Siendo esta la primera noticia de la presencia de F. oxysporum f. sp. melonis en el estado de Colima (Méjico)

Aula virtual de entomología

Depto. de Biodiversidad, Ecología y EvoluciónFac. de Ciencias BiológicasFALSEsubmitte