Authors:

Adele Muscolo ( amuscolo@unirc.it )

Abstract :

The primary objective of this research is to assess the impact of a developed eco-friendly fertilizer, named SBO, arising from the blend of organic and mineral components derived from sulfur and orange wastes bound together with bentonite. This study compares SBO with horse manure and NPK on two diverse tomato-growing soils. The environmental implications of these fertilizers with a specific focus on their carbon and water footprints were evaluated. Soils were analyzed and carbon and water footprints were assessed. The results reveal substantial enhancements in soil quality with SBO. Both soils showed a neutral pH, an increase in organic matter content, and heightened microbial biomass. SBO-treated soils exhibit notably superior enzyme activities. The LCA results affirm the sustainability of the SBO-based system, boasting the lowest CF, while NPK demonstrates the highest environmental impact. WF analysis aligns with these findings, indicating that SBO necessitates the least water for tomato production. This study evidence the importance of adopting sustainable fertilization practices for enhancing soil quality and reducing environmental footprints in agriculture.

Keywords :

["carbon footprint","soil fertility","soil quality","sustainability","waterfoot print"]

Disciplines :

Biology and Life Sciences

Subdisciplines :

Biochemistry, Ecology, Environmental Science

Video Type :

2D

Publishing Licence :

Open-access

Submitted On :

2024/06/03

References :

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