Purpose In this study, the effects of green manure and animal waste on economic of strawberry yield, fruit quality and soil fertility were investigated. Method The experiment was set up with four replicates in a randomized complete block design. The treatments consisted of green manure parcels divided into two parts and green manure + poultry manure slurry were given to one part, and the other part was not applied complete. Seed planting was carried out in the first year of the experiment (2015) while strawberry plants were removed during the second year (2016) and the seeds of green manure plants were planted. Soja hispida [Soja] and Vigna sinensis [Cowpea] plants were mown and mixed into the soil when they were in bloom. Results The results from the study shows that the yield realized from control plot during first year was between 10. 68 and 22. 33 t ha-1, second year yield was between 8. 81 and 23. 39 t ha-1 and third year was 10. 68 and 16. 98 t ha-1. After harvest, soil organic matter content increased by 12% in the first year and 5. 10% in the second year in green manure + poultry manure slurry application, the total nitrogen content increased by 75% in the first year and 10% in the second year. In the fruit, it gave higher content of Vitamin C and nitrate level. Conclusion From our findings, it was discovered that green manure and poultry manure slurry gave better results in terms of fruit yield, quality, soil fertility and economy.

The aim of this study was to compare the fertilizer properties of anaerobic digestion residues (digestate) of chicken manure and fresh chicken manure with the aim of benefiting from the produced biogas and alleviating the environmental problems of fresh chicken manure. The study was conducted in a completely randomized design. In addition to the control treatment, experimental treatment groups were Fresh Chicken Manure (FCM), Chicken Manure Digestate (CMD) and Enriched Chicken manure (ECM), each at three levels and with 3 replications. A total of 30 experimental pots were used for soil treatments and wheat planting. At the end of the growing season, soil variables including nitrogen, organic carbon, absorbable phosphorus, and pH, and physical properties of wheat including dry weight of shoots, seeds and roots were measured. The results were analyzed using SPSS statistical software. CMD application relatively increased soil nitrogen, organic carbon and phosphorus, kept the soil pH neutral, and improved wheat yield components. Compared to FCM, not only has the quality of CMD as biofertilizer not decreased, but it has also improved in some respects. CMD is superior to ECM in all studied indicators. The results are also better or at least equal in comparison with FCM. Due to the environmental benefits of anaerobic digestion of chicken manure and also the production of biogas as a valuable product and proving that the quality of the resulting fertilizer is not reduced, the use of CMD as organic fertilizer has more advantages than the use of FCM and even ECM.

Ruminants have low efficiency of nitrogen utilisation, unutilised nitrogen is being excreted in the faeces and urine. The most effective way to minimise nitrogen losses in ruminant production is through efficient feeding strategy. Ruminant manure is an inevitable consequence of its production. All these have adverse environmental effects. Composting and vermicomposting have been suggested as efficient tools for recycling manure, these bring a stabilised and sanitised end product for agriculture. Composting process is an accelerated aerobic degradation of fresh organic matter by microorganism to mature compost. Nevertheless, it may bring some environmental problems by releasing gases which include ammonia, methane and nitrous oxide, reduce the agronomic value of the manure and increase the cost of composting through turning of the compost to ensure aeration. To overcome the cost of composting and produce high quality products, vermicomposting is being recommended. Vermicomposting involves the bio-oxidation and stabilisation of organic material by the joint action of earthworm and microorganism. Moreover, the combination of composting and vermicomposting has been considered as a way of achieving stabilised substrates. Ensiled cattle manure treated with straws has been used to improve nutritional quality of ruminant feed and the result was encouraging. Vermicast, an end product of vermicomposting has higher nutrients content compared with manure or composted manure. Therefore vermicomposting of ruminant manure with rice/wheat straws might have the potential of being used as feed supplement to small ruminant. The likely benefit will be an increase in feed intake, increase in microbial protein supply, increase in fibre digestibility and possibly an increase in weight gain. The aim of this review is to discuss nitrogen losses in ruminant production and manure management and to provide an insight on the possibility of using vermicast as feed supplement to ruminants and as probiotic for treating fibrous feed.

Purpose: Microbial pathogens can lead to health problems and disease transmission. Present study aimed to evaluate the microbial quality and quantity of vermicompost production and to compare to the current Iranian standards to protect public health and environmental concerns.Method: This is a pilot-scale experimental study conducted in the Public Health laboratory of Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences. The samples included organic municipal solid waste, cow manure and wastewater treatment plant sludge which are used for vermicompost production. The samples are mixed as cow manure–organic waste and cow manure–sewage sludge in two reactors. Microbial tests such as fecal coliforms (FC) and parasite egg (Ascaris) were carried out during start, processing and curing time with duplication analysis in 56 days. Totally, a number of 128 samples was analyzed. Analyses were conducted according to standard methods. Data analysis was conducted through one-way ANOVA and Duncan tests.Results: The results showed a significant reduction in number of FCs in cow manure–organic waste so that the number of 350, 000 MPN/g in the raw sample decreased to 800 MPN/g within 8-week period, also FC in the case of cow manure–sewage sludge was achieved to 2400 from 6, 500, 000 MPN/g. In two cocomposting cases, the parasite eggs were completely removed in the second week.Conclusion: The results showed vermicomposting as a feasible method to convert waste into fertilizer humus in agriculture which also enables to achieve Iranian class A compost standard.

Introduction The cultivation area of sesame is about 43, 000 hectares and the average yield is 900 kg ha-1 (Anonymous, 2017). Due to low grain yield of sesame per unit area, need to field operations are felt. To achieve high yield, it is necessary to manage production inputs in order to use them correctly and efficiently (Tahmasebi & Mostafavi, 2010). The use of renewable farmyard and green manures instead of chemical sources in crop rotation can play an important role in fertility and preservation of biological activities, soil organic matter, ecosystem health and crop quality (Zaidi et al., 2003). Farmyard manure provides all plant nutrients in limited quantities. The nutrient elements of farmyard manure (nitrogen, phosphorus, sulfur, iron, zinc) are slowly released to the plant, thus causing less pollution in the environment. In organic farming, the use of legumes as a green manure has also been a matter of interest due to their ability to stabilize atmospheric nitrogen. This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of farmyard manure and green manure application on grain and grain components of sesame under temperate Kermanshah region condition. Materials and Methods This experiment was done in the Organic Farming Educational and Research of Campus of Agriculture and Natural Resources at Razi University, Kermanshah, Iran during 2016-2017. The farm of study was located in latitude 34º 21'North and longitude 47º 9' East with 1319 m above sea. The experiment was conducted as split plot based on randomized complete block design with three replications. The experimental treatments included farmyard manure at three levels (0, 10 and 20 t h-1, FM0, FM10 and FM20, respectively) as the main factor and the cultivation of green manure (non-cultivating green manure, hairy vetch, berseem clover and fenugreek) as sub factor. At the end of growing season, number of branches per plant, number of capsules per plant, number of grain per capsule, 1000-grain weight (g), total dry weight yield (kg ha-1), grain yield (kg ha-1), harvest index (%) and grain oil content (%) were measured for each plot. Statistical analysis and means comparison by LSD method at 5% level were performed using SAS software. Results and Discussion Based on the results, in FM10 and FM20 treatments, the number of branches per plant 20 and 21%, capsule per plant 10. 9 and 30. 7%, 1000-grain weight 4. 2 and 5. 5%, total dry weight yield 25 and 34%, and grain yield 18. 8% and 38. 1% were higher than FM0 treatment, respectively. The application of green manure also improved sesame and yield and yield components, but the difference between various species of green manure was not significant. However, the highest and had the least effect on these traits were related to fenugreek and hairy vetch, respectively. Application of green manure at all levels of farmyard manure also increased total dry wieght yield and grain yield of sesame. The maximum of 1000-grain weight, total dry weight yield and grain yield (3. 3 g, 10720 and 1929 kg ha-1, respectively) were obtained in FM20 and planting the fenugreek as green manure, their lowest amounts (2. 87 g, 5960 and 918 kg ha-1, respectively) were obtained under control conditions. Effective traits on sesame grain yield were number of capsules per plant (0. 81), 1000-grain weight (0. 75) and number of grain per capsule (0. 35), respectively. The correlation between total dry weight yield and number of capsules per plant (0. 62), 1000-grain weight (0. 57), and number of branches per plant (0. 54) was positive and significant at 1% level. There was a positive and significant correlation between dry weight and grain yield (0. 78) at 1% level. Grain oil content was not positively correlated with any of the traits and showed the most negative and significant correlation with grain yield (-0. 42). Conclusions In general, the results indicate that farmyard manure application and select the appropriate green manure species by provide a balanced composition of nutrients is an appropriate solution to improve sesame yield and yield components, so sustainable production of sesame is possible in organic farming systems.