| Abstract [eng] |
In response to the demand for sustainable farming methods, environmentally friendly fertilizers, produced from biodegradable raw materials and agricultural waste, are being developed. By-products, such as buckwheat hulls (BHL) and buckwheat biomass (BBM), are generated in large quantities during buckwheat processing but still contain valuable organic chemicals and nutrients. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the potential for obtaining extracts of the BHL and BBM and examine their possible use as active ingredients in liquid fertilizer. Fractionated BHL and BBM samples were extracted using aqueous and alkaline methods in this study. Various particle size fractions were produced and extracted under carefully monitored circumstances using distilled water and 0.5 M KOH solution. The obtained extracts' chemical and physical characteristics were examined. These physical properties included bulk density, moisture analysis, pH, density, viscosity, refractive index, and crystallization temperature. Flame photometry and spectrophotometric techniques were used in chemical analysis to determine the amount of potassium, calcium, phosphorus, and total organic carbon. Further, the extracts were also mixed with Urea Ammonium Nitrate (UAN-32%) fertilizer to determine their suitability for liquid fertilizer production. The results showed that biomass type, extraction medium, and particle size all influenced biomass extraction. Often, BBM had higher concentrations of potassium, calcium, and phosphorus than BHL. The alkaline extraction was more successful than aqueous extraction when it came to the extraction of organic molecules and mineral nutrients from biomass. Generally, the smaller and medium-sized particle fractions had the highest nutrient contents, which is more efficient for extracting nutrients due to increased biomass extraction medium contact surface area. Depending on the extraction circumstances, the extracts' physical characteristics also changed. Lower crystallization temperature of alkaline extracts was suggested to indicate higher amounts of dissolved materials. The presence of organic molecules in the extracts was confirmed by the total organic carbon analysis, which suggests that these molecules could be a potential source of bio-actives. The results show that buckwheat processing residues can be used as potential raw materials to make liquid fertilizer additions that are rich in nutrients. Bio-degradable biomass resources can be used to develop sustainable agriculture technology, to recover valuable nutrients, and contribute to waste valorization. The extracts produced could be added as viable biofertilizers in agricultural production systems. |
