Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Characterization, nitrogen availability, and agronomic efficiency of fermented composts in organic vegetable production

  • Published:
Organic Agriculture Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Fermented composts obtained from a mixture of raw materials and a microbial inoculant, known as “bokashi,” are alternatives used by many farmers worldwide. We evaluated the chemical composition, fermentation pathways, N availability, and agronomic efficiency of fermented compost obtained from different plant-based raw materials. The standard compost formulation composition was 60% wheat bran and 40% castor bean bran; this formulation gradually replaced wheat bran by the coffee husk, brewery residue, and elephant grass bran, and leguminous bran replaced castor bean bran. Incubation tests evaluated nutrient content (C, N, P, K, Ca, Mg), pH, electrical conductivity, and fermentation pathways (by the organic acids lactic, acetic, propanoic, butyric, and ethanol). A bioassay in greenhouse conditions accessed N availability. Additionally, a field experiment evaluated the agronomic efficiency of 5 formulations and 4 doses (0 to 400 kg N ha−1) in successive vegetable production. The formulations with a balanced C/N ratio could combine desirable fermentative and nutritional characteristics with good N availability and plant growth. Some formulations drastically changed the compost characteristics, especially the complete replacement of wheat bran for coffee husk and elephant grass, which presented undesirable fermentation pathways. Leguminous bran maintained the fermentative quality and increased the soil’s biological activity but decreased the nutrient content, N availability, and vegetable productivity. The brewery residue showed the most prominent fermentation quality, nutrient content, and N availability. The addition of 30% coffee husk resulted in agronomic performance and nutrient accumulation in arugula and lettuce plants similar to the standard compost. The study demonstrates the potential of raw materials to produce fermented composts with fermentative and nutritional quality that result in vegetable grow and soil quality.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5

Similar content being viewed by others

Data availability

Not applicable.

Code availability

Not applicable.

References

  • Abo-Sido N, Goss JW, Griffith AB, Klepac-Ceraj V (2021) Microbial transformation of traditional fermented fertilizer bokashi alters chemical composition and improves plant growth. BioRxiv. https://doi.org/10.1101/2021.08.01.454634

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Alvares CA, Stape JL, Sentelhas PC, De Moraes G, Leonardo J, Sparovek G (2013) Köppen’s climateclassification map for Brazil. Meteorol Z. https://doi.org/10.1127/0941-2948/2013/0507

  • Alves BJR, Santos J, Urquiaga S, Boddey RM (1994) Métodos de determinação do nitrogênio em solo e planta. In: Hungria M, Araujo RS (ed) Manual de métodos empregados em estudos de microbiologia agrícola. Embrapa, Brasília, pp 409–449

  • Azim K, Soudi B, Boukhari S et al (2018) Composting parameters and compost quality: a literature review. Org Agric. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13165-017-0180-z

  • Bautista-Cruz A, Cruz Dominguez G, Mendoza R, Nieves M, Perez Pacheco R, Robles C (2014) Effect of compost and slow-release fertilizers addition on soil biochemistry and yield of maize (Zea mays L.) in Oaxaca, Mexico. Rev Fac Cienc Agrar 46(1):181–193

  • Boechat CL, Santos JAG, Accioly AMA (2013) Net mineralization nitrogen and soil chemical changes with application of organic wastes with “fermented bokashi compost.” Acta Sci Agron. https://doi.org/10.4025/actasciagron.v35i2.15133

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bonato SV, de Jesus Pacheco DA, ten Caten CS, Caro D (2022) The missing link of circularity in small breweries’ value chains: unveiling strategies for waste management and biomass valorization. J Clean Prod. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2021.130275

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Carvalho GGP, Garcia R, Pires AJV et al (2007) Nutritive value and fermentation characteristics of elephantgrass silages with addition of coffee hulls. R Bras Zootec. https://doi.org/10.1590/S1516-35982007000800022

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Christel DM (2017) The use of bokashi as a soil fertility amendment in organic spinach cultivation. Thesis, University of Vermont

  • Conceição JM (2017) Gliricidia sepium: productivity, chemical-bromatological composition and fermentation characteristics of silage. Dissertation, Federal University of Sergipe

  • Cordeiro AAS, Rodriges MB, Gonçalves M Jr, Espindola JAA, Araujo ES, Guerra JGM (2018) Organic cabbage growth using green manure in pre-cultivation and organic top dressing fertilization. Hortic Bras. https://doi.org/10.1590/S0102-053620180415

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • De-Polli H, Guerra JGM (1999) N e P na biomassa microbiana do solo. In: Santos GA (ed) Fundamentos da matéria orgânica do solo: ecossistemas tropicais e subtropicais. Genesis, Porto Alegre, pp 389–411

    Google Scholar 

  • Epelde L, Jauregi L, Urra J, Ibarretxe L, Romo J, Goikoetxea I, Garbisu C (2018) Characterization of composted organic amendments for agricultural use. Front Sustain Food Syst. https://doi.org/10.3389/fsufs.2018.00044

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fonseca JOG (2014) Organically grown lettuce and roquette yields in response to doses of fermented compost under protected cultivation. In: Nova Friburgo RJ (ed) Dissertation, Federal Rural University of Rio de Janeiro

  • Guerra JGM, Espindola JAA, Araujo ES et al (2014) Adubação verde no cultivo de hortaliças. In: Filho OFL, Ambrosano EJ, Rossi F, Carlos JAD (eds) Adubação verde e plantas de cobertura de solo no Brasil - Fundamentos e práticas, v2. Embrapa Informação tecnológica, Brasilia

    Google Scholar 

  • Hawu O, Ravhuhali KE, Mokoboki HK, Lebopa CK, Sipango N (2022) Sustainable use of legume residues: effect on nutritive value and ensiling characteristics of maize straw silage. Sustainability. https://doi.org/10.3390/su14116743

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hillberg K (2020) Bokashi – kitchen waste treatment without greenhousegas emissions? Dissertation, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences

  • Homma S (2003) Nutri-Bokashi em respeito à natureza. Fundação Mokiti Okada, São Paulo

    Google Scholar 

  • Kung L Jr, Shaver RD, Grant RJ, Schmidt RJ (2018) Silage review: Interpretation of chemical, microbial, and organoleptic components of silages. J Dairy Sci. https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2017-13909

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Lasmini SA, Nasir B, Hayati N, Edy N (2018) Improvement of soil quality using bokashi composting and NPK fertilizer to increase shallot yield on dry land. Aust J Crop Sci. https://doi.org/10.21475/ajcs.18.12.11.p1435

  • Lazicki P, Geisseler D, Lloyd M (2020) Nitrogen mineralization from organic amendments is variable but predictable. J Environ Qual. https://doi.org/10.1002/jeq2.20030

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Leal, MAA, Mateus JS, Aquino AM, Santos SS (2010) Evaluation of recovery of nitrogen contained in different organic fertilizers through bioassay. Embrapa Agrobiologia - Boletim de Pesquisa e Desenvolvimento, Seropedica

  • Lima PH (2018) Avaliação da adubação orgânica com composto fermentado aliada a cobertura morta do solo no desempenho agroeconomico de hortaliças em sucessão. Thesis, Federal Rural University of Rio de Janeiro

  • Maass V, Céspedes C, Cárdenas C (2020) Effect of bokashi improved with rock phosphate on parsley cultivation under organic greenhouse management. Chil J Agric Res. https://doi.org/10.4067/S0718-58392020000300444

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Magrini FE, Sartori VC, Finkler R, Torves J, Venturin L (2011) Chemical features and microbiological evalution of different stages of maturing of Bokashi biofertilizer. Rev Agrarian 4(12):146–151

    Google Scholar 

  • McDonald P, Henderson AR, Heron SJE (1991) The biochemistry of silage. Chalcombe Publications, Marlow

    Google Scholar 

  • Muck RE, Nadeau EMG, McAllister TA, Contreras-Govea FE, Santos MC, Kung L Jr (2018) Silage review: recent advances and future uses of silage additives. J Dairy Sci. https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2017-13839

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Mussatto SI, Dragone G, Roberto IC (2006) Brewers’ spent grain: generation, characteristics and potential applications. J Cereal Sci. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcs.2005.06.001

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nogueira ARA, Souza GB (2005) Manual de laboratórios: solo, água, nutrição vegetal, nutrição animal e alimentos. Embrapa Pecuária Sudeste, São Carlos

    Google Scholar 

  • Oliveira EAG (2015) Bokashi-type formulations as organic fertilizers in vegetable cultivation. Thesis, Federal Rural University of Rio de Janeiro

  • Oliveira EAG, Ribeiro R, Leal MA et al (2014) The utilization of organic composts of the “bokashi” type obtained from different plant materials and inoculant preparations in vegetable cultivation. Embrapa Agrobiologia-Boletim de Pesquisa e Desenvolvimento, Seropédica

    Google Scholar 

  • Olle M (2020) Review: Bokashi technology as a promising technology for crop production in Europe. J Hortic Sci Biotechnol. https://doi.org/10.1080/14620316.2020.1810140

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Olle M, Williams I (2015) The influence of effective microorganisms on the growth and nitrate content of vegetable transplants. J Adv Agric. https://doi.org/10.12720/joaat.2.1.25-28

  • Oude Elferink SJ, Krooneman J, Gottschal JC, Spoelstra SF, Faber F, Driehuis F (2001) Anaerobic conversion of lactic acid to acetic acid and 1, 2-propanediol by Lactobacillus buchneri. Appl Environ Microbiol. https://doi.org/10.1128/AEM.67.1.125-132.2001

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Pereira GL, Araujo LL, Wenneck GS, Saath R, Ghuidotti GC, Bertolo RP (2022) Physicochemical characterization of fermented Bokashi compost produced on-farm in southern Brazil. Rev Agric Neotrop. https://doi.org/10.32404/rean.v9i2.6926

  • Perucci P (1992) Enzyme activity and microbial biomass in a field soil amended with municipal refuse. Biol Fertil Soils 14(1):54–60

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Pomeranz Y, Dikeman E (1976) From barley to beer—a mineral study. Brewers Digest 51:30–32

  • Quadros DG, Figueiredo MPD, Cardoso NJ, Feitosa JV, Ferreira JQ (2002) Fermentation products profile and in situ dry matter degradability of elephant grass silage with differents proportions of coffee hulls. Recife. Annals of 39º Reunião anual da sociedade brasileira de zootecnia, Recife, p 6

  • Quiroz M, Céspedes C (2019) Bokashi as an amendment and source of nitrogen in sustainable agricultural systems: a review. J Soil Sci Plant Nutr. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42729-019-0009-9

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Quiroz M, Flores F (2019) Nitrogen availability, maturity and stability of bokashi-type fertilizers elaborated with different feedstocks of animal origin. Arch Agron Soil Sci. https://doi.org/10.1080/03650340.2018.1524138

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rooke JA, Hatfield RD (2003) Biochemistry of ensiling. Silage Sci Tech. https://doi.org/10.2134/agronmonogr42.c3

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Santos M, Jimenez JJ, Bartolomé B, GoMez-Cordove SC, Nozal MJ (2003) Variability of brewers’ spent grain within a brewery. Food Chem. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0308-8146(02)00229-7

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schnürer J, Rosswall T (1982) Fluorescein diacetate hydrolysis as a measure of total microbial activity in soil and litter. Appl Environ Microbiol. https://doi.org/10.1128/aem.43.6.1256-1261.1982

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Scotton JC, da Silva Pereira J, Campos AAB, Pinto DFP, Costa WLF, Homma SK (2017) Different sources of inoculum to the bokashi provides distinct effects on the soil quality. Braz J Sust Agric. https://doi.org/10.21206/rbas.v7i3.411

  • Silva TC, Silva MVB, Ferreira EG, Pereira OG, Ferreira CLLF (2011) Role of latic acid fermentation in silage production. Pubvet 5:1

    Google Scholar 

  • Silva SDD, Presotto RA, Marota HB, Zonta E (2012) Use of castor bean cake as an organic fertilizer. Pesqui Agropecu Bras. https://doi.org/10.1590/S1983-40632012000100003

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Silva PNL, Lanna NBL, Cardoso AII (2018) Bokashi rates in topdressing in the beet production. Rev Agri Neotrop. https://doi.org/10.32404/rean.v5i1.1818

  • Siqueira APP, Siqueira MFB (2013) Bokashi: adubo orgânico fermentado. Programa Rio Rural, Rio de Janeiro

    Google Scholar 

  • Soundharrajan I, Park HS, Rengasamy S, Sivanesan R, Choi KC (2021) Application and future prospective of lactic acid bacteria as natural additives for silage production—a review. Appl Sci. https://doi.org/10.3390/app11178127

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Suthamathy N, Seran TH (2013) Residual effect of organic manure EM bokashi applied to proceeding crop of vegetable cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) on succeeding crop of radish (Raphanus sativus). Res J Agriculture Forestry Sci 1(1):2–5

    Google Scholar 

  • Teixeira PC, Donagemma GK, Fontana A, Teixeira WG (2017) Manual de Métodos de Análise de Solo, 3 edn. Brasilia, Brazil

  • Tully KL, McAskill C (2020) Promoting soil health in organically managed systems: a review. Org Agr. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13165-019-00275-1

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vance ED, Brookes PC, Jenkinson DS (1987) An extraction method for measuring soil microbial biomass C. Soil Biol Biochem. https://doi.org/10.1016/0038-0717(87)90052-6

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vidigal SM, Ribeiro AC, Casali VWD, Fontes LEF (1995) Resposta da alface (Lactuca sativa.) ao efeito residual da adubação orgânica: II. Ensaio em casa de vegetação. Ceres 42(239):89–97

    Google Scholar 

  • Walkley A, Black IA (1934) An examination of the Degtjareff method for determining soil organic matter, and a proposed modification of the chromic acid titration method. Soil Sci 37(1):29–38

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Witt C, Gaunt J, Galicia C, Ottow JCG, Neue HU (2000) A rapid chloroform-fumigation extraction method for measuring soil microbial biomass carbon and nitrogen in flooded rice soils. Biol Fertil Soils. https://doi.org/10.1007/s003740050030

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Xavier MCG, Santos CA, Costa ESP, Carmo MGF (2019) Cabbage yield as a function of bokashi doses. Rev Agric Neotrop. https://doi.org/10.32404/rean.v6i1.2372

  • Yamada K, Xu HL (2001) Properties and applications of an organic fertilizer inoculated with effective microorganisms. J Crop Prod. https://doi.org/10.1300/J144v03n01_21

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

The authors are indebted to Embrapa Agrobiologia and Fazendinha Agroecológica Km 47 for the support received during the conduct of the experiment.

Funding

Partial financial support was received from Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES), finance code 001, and from Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico (CNPq).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Association SFCOLAB - Collaborative Laboratory for Digital Innovation in Agriculture, Torres Vedras, Portugal

    Livia Bischof Pian

  2. Embrapa Agrobiologia - Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation, Seropédica, Brazil

    José Guilherme Marinho Guerra & Ednaldo da Silva Araújo

  3. Laboratory of Soil Biological Chemistry, Department of Soils, Federal Rural University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRRJ), Rio de Janeiro, Seropédica, Brazil

    Ricardo Luis Louro Berbara & José Barbosa Junior

  4. Embrapa Agroindústria de Alimentos - Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

    Monalisa Santana Coelho de Jesus

Authors
  1. Livia Bischof Pian
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. José Guilherme Marinho Guerra
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Ricardo Luis Louro Berbara
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Monalisa Santana Coelho de Jesus
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. José Barbosa Junior
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Ednaldo da Silva Araújo
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Contributions

All authors contributed to the study conception and design. Material preparation, data collection, and analysis were performed by Livia Bischof Pian and Monalisa Santana Coelho de Jesus. The first draft of the manuscript was written by Livia Bischof Pian and all authors commented on posteriorly versions of the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Livia Bischof Pian.

Ethics declarations

Ethics approval

The authors have no ethical conflict and waivers to declare.

Consent to participate

The authors and affiliated institutions consent to participate in this article.

Consent for publication

The authors consent to the publication of this article.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare no competing interests.

Additional information

Publisher's note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Supplementary Information

Below is the link to the electronic supplementary material.

Supplementary file1 (DOCX 437 KB)

Rights and permissions

Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Pian, L.B., Guerra, J.G.M., Berbara, R.L.L. et al. Characterization, nitrogen availability, and agronomic efficiency of fermented composts in organic vegetable production. Org. Agr. 13, 461–481 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13165-023-00439-0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13165-023-00439-0

Keywords

Search

Navigation