Agriculture is essential to the health and sustainability of our global population. It not only provides the world with a large amount of the food we eat, but it is also a driver of the global economy, providing wages for an enormous number of people.
But global agriculture also produces tremendous amounts of waste. The industry produces 14 billion tons of crop straw and 125 million tons of livestock manure per year.
One way to deal with all this waste is composting. According to the NRDC, "Composting is the natural process of recycling organic matter … into a valuable fertilizer that can enrich soil and plants."
But traditional composting is not always wholly effective when breaking down some of this crop straw and livestock waste. This is because the use of antibiotics in livestock can lead to antibiotic-resistant genes and pathogens that can infiltrate the soil and plant systems when they are involved in traditional composting.
A new study out of China offers a promising new alternative. A team of researchers from the Kunming Institute of Botany of the Chinese Academy of Sciences introduced a species of mushroom to the composting process. The scientists then compared traditional composting against composting with mushrooms and found that the mushroom compost suppressed pathogens while enhancing plant growth.
Furthermore, it reduced the amount of antibiotic-resistant genes and other organic pollutants in crops.
As the researchers wrote in their study published in the journal Environmental Science & Technology, "The results show significant growth of oats stimulated by biofertiliser use."
This study is a potential game changer because the waste from agriculture is contributing to air and water pollution as well as the overheating of our planet. Any option to reduce the amount of waste while also limiting the spread of pathogens and antibiotic-resistant genes in crops is a net positive for everyone because it means less pollution and healthier food.
This is only the latest breakthrough in sustainable agriculture. Researchers recently discovered that planting cover crops significantly reduces soil degradation. Another study showed that pairing solar panels with agriculture increased crop yields while producing energy.
The waste from agriculture presents a significant problem, but with researchers using the latest technology and conducting ingenious studies, it is a problem well on its way to being solved.
TCD Picks » Upway Spotlight
💡Upway makes it easy to find discounts of up to 60% on premium e-bike brands
|
If you compost your food scraps, what's your primary motivation? Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. |
Improving my garden's soil 🌱 
Join our free newsletter for weekly updates on the latest innovations improving our lives and shaping our future, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Cool Picks
