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Agronomy
Special Issues
New Technological Solutions and Process Development in the Circular Bio-Economy
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New Technological Solutions and Process Development in the Circular Bio-Economy

A special issue of Agronomy (ISSN 2073-4395). This special issue belongs to the section "Agricultural Biosystem and Biological Engineering".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (1 September 2021) | Viewed by 26614

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Fogarassy Csaba

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Climate Change Economics Research Centre, Faculty of Economics and Social Sciences, Szent Istvan University, 2100 Gödöllő, Hungary
Interests: circular economy; bio-economy; renewable energy systems; business innovation; biological production, climate change economy
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Csaba Gyuricza

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Soil Management, Institute of Crop Production, Szent Istvan University, 2100 Gödöllő, Hungary
Interests: soil cultivation and use; green manure management; energy crops; agroforestry; minimum tillage; sustainable crop management; climate change adaption
Prof. Dr. Richard Cruse

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Iowa Water Center, Agronomy Department, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011-1051, USA
Interests: soil and crop management; applied soil physics; soil fertility; soil physical properties; soil and water conservation; crop growth and yield
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The bio-economy consists of the production and transformation of biomass, which is used to provide food, feed, materials, energy, and connected services. Topics related to climate-friendly and sustainable technological solutions and development processes is the focus of scientific research. The evaluation of national and regional bio-economy plans and the presentation of models play a key role in the green innovation processes of the sectors. The presentation, scientific analysis, and presentation of adaptation possibilities of new circular technological solutions related to the production of food and other biomass products are very important for the development of sustainable system solutions. We can envisage replacing fossil-based materials and energy with bio-based solutions in the future, potentially reducing environmental pressures while strengthening green innovation and creating new jobs. The focus areas of the Special Issue are circular biomass production, circular bio-based manufacturing, and bio-based services.

Dr. Csaba Fogarassy
Prof. Dr. Csaba Gyuricza
Prof. Dr. Richard M. Cruse
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Agronomy is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • circular bio-economy
  • biomass-based energy production
  • circular biogas production
  • bio-based manufacturing
  • food waste management
  • knowledge-based bioeconomy
  • open innovation
  • precision farming
  • bigdata and data platform using
  • circular water management

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

19 pages, 1633 KiB  
Article
The Role of Sequential Cropping and Biogasdoneright™ in Enhancing the Sustainability of Agricultural Systems in Europe
by Francesca Magnolo, Harmen Dekker, Mieke Decorte, Guido Bezzi, Lorella Rossi, Erik Meers and Stijn Speelman
Agronomy 2021, 11(11), 2102; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/agronomy11112102 - 20 Oct 2021
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 7130
Abstract
Sequential cropping in the Biogasdoneright™ (BDR™) system in Italy has recently gained attention to combine food and renewable energy production in a sustainable way, as well as for carbon sequestration. However, little is known on the potential to expand the practice in other [...] Read more.
Sequential cropping in the Biogasdoneright™ (BDR™) system in Italy has recently gained attention to combine food and renewable energy production in a sustainable way, as well as for carbon sequestration. However, little is known on the potential to expand the practice in other regions of Europe. In this paper, sequential crop calendars were developed for different EU climate regions, and the EU biomethane potential of the anaerobic digestion (AD) of sequential crops was estimated for a Conservative_Scenario and a Maximum_Scenario, assuming different percentages of primary crop land dedicated to the practice and biogas yields. A total EU biomethane potential of 46 bcm/yr and 185 bcm/yr was estimated from the AD of sequential crops in the two scenarios, respectively, and the Continental region registered the highest potential compared to the other regions. The additional benefits of the combination of sequential cropping with other agricultural conservation practices and digestate use included in BDR™ systems were also discussed. In conclusion, the paper shows that with appropriate innovations in crop management, sequential cropping could be applied in different agroclimatic regions of Europe, contributing to climate and renewable energy targets. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Technological Solutions and Process Development in the Circular Bio-Economy)
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12 pages, 289 KiB  
Article
Valorization of Winery Waste: Prokupac Grape Seed as a Source of Nutritionally Valuable Oil
by Jelena Milanović, Marko Malićanin, Vesna Rakić, Nenad Jevremović, Ivana Karabegović and Bojana Danilović
Agronomy 2021, 11(9), 1864; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/agronomy11091864 - 16 Sep 2021
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1957
Abstract
Valorization of winery waste is a promising solution for waste management with additional benefit of bioactive compounds isolation. The aim of this study was to analyze the nutritional and bioactive potential of oil derived from Serbian autochthonous grape seed variety Prokupac and to [...] Read more.
Valorization of winery waste is a promising solution for waste management with additional benefit of bioactive compounds isolation. The aim of this study was to analyze the nutritional and bioactive potential of oil derived from Serbian autochthonous grape seed variety Prokupac and to compare it with known international grape varieties. Additionally, two extraction methods (ultrasound assisted extraction and cold pressing) were used in order to determine their influence on physico-chemical and nutritive characteristics of grape seed oil. Different methods, including determination of physicochemical properties, content of bioactive compounds, oxidative stability and antioxidative capacity were used for the characterization of grape seed oils. Results indicated that the higher yield was obtained by ultrasound assisted extraction compared to cold pressing. The application of ultrasound assisted extraction resulted in increased α-tocopherol content and better antioxidant capacity and oxidative stability of oil. Significant differences in bioactive composition were observed for Prokupac seed oil compared to the other grape varieties. Oil extracted from Prokupac grape seed had the lowest content of polyunsaturated and the highest content of saturated fatty acids, the highest content of α-tocopherol and consequently, the best antioxidative capacity. Prokupac grape seed has a great potential for isolation of nutritive and bioactive valuable oil. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Technological Solutions and Process Development in the Circular Bio-Economy)
17 pages, 2475 KiB  
Article
Winter Pea Mixtures with Triticale and Oat for Biogas and Methane Production in Semiarid Conditions of the South Pannonian Basin
by Sanja Vasiljevic, Ivica Djalovic, Jegor Miladinovic, Nan Xu, Xin Sui, Quanzhen Wang and P. V. Vara Prasad
Agronomy 2021, 11(9), 1800; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/agronomy11091800 - 08 Sep 2021
Viewed by 1605
Abstract
Due to the increase in greenhouse gases from burning fossil fuels, there is increased attention on renewable energy sources from specialized crops. These crops should not compete with food security, and it is important to select plant resources which can produce methane-rich biogas [...] Read more.
Due to the increase in greenhouse gases from burning fossil fuels, there is increased attention on renewable energy sources from specialized crops. These crops should not compete with food security, and it is important to select plant resources which can produce methane-rich biogas efficiently. The most commonly used energy crops are planted and managed intensively with high inputs in productive land, and this negatively affects land use and sustainable use of resources. The main purposes of this study are to: (a) determine the best cropping system for optimal biogas and methane production from sole crops of winter pea, triticale and out and their mixtures at two different maturity stages (first stage: full-flowering stage of winter pea and beginning of milky stage of cereals; second stage: emergence of firsts pods for pea and milky/waxy stage of cereals); and (b) to develop and use a surface model to determine the best combinations of various mixtures that result in highest biogas and methane. The used pure or mixtures of pea, oat and triticale in two seed weight ratios (50%:50% and 75%:25%) produced different green mass, dry matter, solids, biogas and methane yields. The experiments showed that maximum green mass was produced by the mixture of pea and oat at the seed ratio 75%:25% and when crop was harvested at the full-flowering stage of winter pea and beginning of the milky stage of cereals. After quadratic model analyses, the combination ratios of the oat and triticale were, respectively, 30% and 8%, with a maximum green biomass yield of 61.48 t ha−1, while the corresponding values were 28% and 38%, with maximum solids yields of 25.64 t ha−1. As the model was set at 100 for all three independent variables (oat, triticale and pea), the pea should be at 62% (100-30-8) and 34% (100-28-38), respectively, for green mass and organic solids yields. The results of surface analysis and multivariate analysis of variance showed that the mixture of oat and triticale had great potentiality for biogas and methane yields. The optimal mixture of oat with triticale was 27~35% with 73~65% for producing biogas and (or) methane. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Technological Solutions and Process Development in the Circular Bio-Economy)
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15 pages, 899 KiB  
Article
Towards Food Justice – The Global-Economic Material Balance Analysis of Hunger, Food Security and Waste
by Gergely Tóth and János Zachár
Agronomy 2021, 11(7), 1324; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/agronomy11071324 - 29 Jun 2021
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 3067
Abstract
Sustainable development has become a central and key goal for humanity (1 UN: Millenium Development Goals, 2 SDGs). There is no scientific or political consensus, however, about the root cause of unsustainability, so an effective cure is impossible. Nevertheless, unlimited inequality among nations [...] Read more.
Sustainable development has become a central and key goal for humanity (1 UN: Millenium Development Goals, 2 SDGs). There is no scientific or political consensus, however, about the root cause of unsustainability, so an effective cure is impossible. Nevertheless, unlimited inequality among nations and individuals, extreme poverty, and hunger are always among the most significant problems. It is also often claimed that the world’s current food production would be sufficient to feed all 7.7 billion people on Earth (see Appendix A 1) with a better (more even, ‘just’) distribution. Others use food hunger and poverty data to support claims for increased food production and agricultural output. In this paper we examine the first claim with real data, but from a theoretical perspective: is it true, theoretically, that if all of the produced and wasted food were made available to feed the extremely poor and hungry, we could reach zero hunger-related deaths? We will use food waste, hunger-related (+thirst) death, obesity, and calorie consumption data from the “happy” and “unhappy” parts of the Earth. The cause of food waste is dissonant in different economic systems, so its macro- and microeconomic approach is also completely different in different countries. The relationship between obesity, hunger, and food waste has not yet been explored in a structured framework; data are available but scattered. In this paper we propose a unified framework of comparable data as a first step in mapping the biggest missing, or at least wobbling circle of modern bio-economy: global food supply. Thinking globally is a first step toward progress development in food justice and a solution to UN sustainable development goals (SDG 2, 1, 3, and 10). Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Technological Solutions and Process Development in the Circular Bio-Economy)
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26 pages, 5095 KiB  
Article
Biodegradable Polymer Compounds Reinforced with Banana Fiber for the Production of Protective Bags for Banana Fruits in the Context of Circular Economy
by Pablo Bordón, Rubén Paz, Carolina Peñalva, Gisela Vega, Mario Monzón and Lidia García
Agronomy 2021, 11(2), 242; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/agronomy11020242 - 28 Jan 2021
Cited by 16 | Viewed by 11717
Abstract
Bags used to protect and accelerate the ripening of bananas are a clear example of the environmental problem of packaging waste. Small pieces of these non-biodegradable bags are frequently disposed on the soil by accident (environmental conditions and poor handling during the harvest) [...] Read more.
Bags used to protect and accelerate the ripening of bananas are a clear example of the environmental problem of packaging waste. Small pieces of these non-biodegradable bags are frequently disposed on the soil by accident (environmental conditions and poor handling during the harvest) and remain there for years. This work focuses on the development of protective biodegradable bags reinforced with banana fiber, obtained from waste of the banana plants, thus promoting a circular economy and a more environmentally friendly process. To achieve this, different bio-based composites were tested (processability) by compounding extrusion (biopolymer and banana fiber with different process steps) and blown film extrusion. The bags produced were tested in field and sequentially improved in three generations of biofilms. The results showed that the maximum processable fiber content was 5 wt %. Additionally, the micronizing of the compounds was crucial to simplify the blown film extrusion and improve the smoothness of the bags (scratches avoidance on the banana surface). The final bags (Mater-Bi biopolymer, 5% combed and sieved banana fiber, and 2.5 wt % TiO2 for ultraviolet light filtration), performed better than the conventional ones (faster maturing, i.e., earlier harvest, and easier handling) and fulfilled the biodegradability, composting and ecotoxicity test requirements. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Technological Solutions and Process Development in the Circular Bio-Economy)
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