Valorization of Cotton Gin Trash through Thermal and Biological Conversion for Soil Application

Cotton gin trash, the by-product of the cotton ginning industry which is produced in large quantities every year, can be utilized as feedstock for deriving high quality organic materials such as biochar, compost and co-composted derivates for improvement of soils’ key physical, chemical and biologic...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Sustainability 2021-12, Vol.13 (24), p.13842
Main Authors: Qurat-ul-Ain, Nazir, Aisha, Capareda, Sergio C., Shafiq, Muhammad, Firdaus-e-Bareen
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Agricultural production
Biological products
Biological properties
By products
Carbon
Charcoal
Composting
Composts
Cotton
Cotton ginning
Cotton gins
Decomposition
Experiments
Fertilizer application
Fourier transforms
Fruits
Nitrogen
Organic materials
Plant growth
Raw materials
Soil amendment
Soil chemistry
Soil improvement
Soil properties
Soil quality
Sustainability
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Summary:Cotton gin trash, the by-product of the cotton ginning industry which is produced in large quantities every year, can be utilized as feedstock for deriving high quality organic materials such as biochar, compost and co-composted derivates for improvement of soils’ key physical, chemical and biological properties. This is the first report in which cotton gin trash was both thermally and biologically converted at the same time into biochar (BC), compost (C) and co-compost (Coc), and their effects on soil properties and on plant performance were examined. In order to find the optimum rate, the products were used as soil amendments in a greenhouse experiment at 2.5 t ha−1, 5 t ha−1and 10 t ha−1 rates. All of the amendments contributed in improving the soil properties and provided agronomic benefits to plants, however plants (radish var. Cherry belle) showed significantly (p < 0.05) better growth attributes and almost a 315% increase in biomass yield observed when co-composted biochar (10 t ha−1) was applied to the soil, thus suggesting its role in compensating fertilizer application. Amendments (2.5 and 5.0 t ha−1) considerably increased plant growth parameters; however, differences between 5 and 10 t ha−1 amendments were not so significant. As a result, replenishing soil with Coc (5 t ha−1) on a regular basis can promote plant growth and improve soil qualities over time.
ISSN:2071-1050
2071-1050
DOI:10.3390/su132413842