Microbial-Assisted Anaerobic Biotransformation for the Valorization of Agricultural Residues into Biofertilizers

The sustainable management of agricultural residues has become an important environmental and agricultural challenge due to the increasing accumulation of organic waste and the growing demand for eco-friendly farming practices. Anaerobic biotransformation represents a promising strategy for converting agricultural by-products into valuable biofertilizers while contributing to waste reduction and resource recovery. This study investigates the effect of microbial-assisted anaerobic biotransformation on the valorization efficiency of agricultural residues and the quality of the resulting biofertilizers.

Different organic substrates, including poultry manure, straw, and olive pomace, were subjected to anaerobic treatment under controlled conditions, with and without the addition of microbial agents. The performance of the process was assessed through biogas production dynamics, organic matter degradation, and physicochemical characterization of the digestates obtained after treatment.

The results demonstrated that microbial supplementation significantly improved the anaerobic degradation process by accelerating substrate hydrolysis and enhancing microbial activity. Inoculated mixtures exhibited higher biogas yields, faster stabilization, and improved nutrient availability compared with non-inoculated systems. Furthermore, the resulting digestates showed favorable agronomic properties, highlighting their potential use as sustainable biofertilizers for soil amendment applications.

Overall, microbial-assisted anaerobic biotransformation appears to be an efficient and environmentally friendly approach for agricultural residue valorization within the framework of sustainable agriculture and circular economy development.