Journal of Sustainable Agriculture and Environment最新文献

Viruses play a crucial role in regulating microbial communities and ecosystem functioning. However, the biogeographic patterns of viruses and their responses to climate factors remain underexplored. In this study, we performed viral size fraction metagenomes on 108 samples collected along a 2600 km transect across Australia, encompassing distinct climate conditions. A total of 14,531 viral operational taxonomic units were identified. Climate factors had a greater influence than edaphic and biotic factors on driving the alpha diversity of viral communities. The strongest relationship was observed between mean annual temperature and the diversity of viral communities. Moreover, climate factors, particularly aridity index, were the primary drivers of viral community structure. Overall, these findings underscore the pivotal role of climate factors in shaping viral communities and have implications for understanding how climate change influences soil viral ecology.

Oil palm fronds are plantation waste widely available in large quantities and have great potential as a source of ruminant feed due to their high fibre content. However, the lignocellulose content can inhibit feed digestion. This review examines methods that can reduce the lignocellulose content and improve the nutritional quality of palm fronds. The lignin content of palm fronds ranges from 17% to 20%, while the maximum lignin content in ruminant feed is 7%. Processing processes such as pretreatment are needed to reduce the lignocellulose content. Pretreatment can be done physically, chemically, biologically or in combination with other methods. Physical pretreatment aims to reduce the size of lignocellulose, chemical pretreatment seeks to break the crystallinity structure of lignocellulose with chemical solutions such as acids or alkalis, and biological pretreatment degrades the structure of lignocellulose with the help of enzymes produced by microbes. The protein content of palm fronds also does not meet the feed standard, which is only 5%, while according to Indonesian national standards, ruminant feed, especially cattle, must have a minimum protein content of 14%. Therefore, it is necessary to improve the nutritional quality of palm fronds through fermentation methods. The selection of the right microbes is the main factor in the success of increasing nutrition. The SSF fermentation method is frequently used in feed manufacturing. By synthesizing the current knowledge, this review also highlights the challenges of the pretreatment process as well as solutions that include prospects in the research of palm fronds as ruminant feed, which in turn can contribute to the increased utilization of lignocellulosic waste as animal feed.

Sustainable increase in agriculture productivity is confronted by over-reliance and over-use of synthetic chemical fertilizers. With a market projection of $5.02 billion by 2030, biofertilizers are gaining momentum as a supplement and, in some cases, as an alternative to chemical fertilizers. Biofertilizers can improve the nutritional supply to the plant and simultaneously can improve soil health, reduce greenhouse emissions, and hence directly contribute towards environmental sustainability. Plant growth-promoting microbes (PGPMs) are particularly receiving significant attention as biofertilizers. They are widely known for their ability to improve plant growth via increasing nutrient availability and use efficiency. However, except for a few successful cases, the commercialization of PGPM-based inoculants is still limited, mainly due to lack of field efficacy and consistency. Lack of effective formulation technologies that keep microbial inoculants viable during storage, transport and field application is considered one of the key factors that drive inconsistent efficacy of microbial biofertilizers. In this review, we identify current challenges associated with the application and formulation of microbial inoculants. We propose future paths, including advancement in formulation technologies that are potentially efficient, eco-friendly and cost-effective. We argue that to enhance the global adoption of biofertilizers, new innovations based on transdisciplinary approaches are indispensable. The emerging framework should encompass a robust quality control system at all stages. Additionally, the active partnership between the academic and industry stakeholders will pave the way for enhanced global adoption of microbial fertilizers.

Soils, just like all other ecosystem compartments, change over time and, consequently, conditions for soil-inhabiting organisms are also changing, affecting their composition and diversity. Soil biodiversity is a critical component of ecosystems that supports many essential ecosystem functions and services, such as nutrient cycling, carbon sequestration, water regulation and biomass production for food, fodder, fibre and energy. However, and despite the importance of soil biodiversity for ecosystem health and human well-being, neither current state, drivers, potential consequences for ecosystem services nor options for sustainable governance of soil biodiversity are well understood. Here, we provide a framework for and argue that conducting a national assessment of soil biodiversity, albeit being a complex endeavour, is fundamental to building a baseline to understand the current state and trends of soil biodiversity, but also to identify the main drivers of change, the impacts of soil biodiversity loss and the potential pathways for conservation and sustainable governance of soil biodiversity.