The Opportunity of Valorizing Agricultural Waste, Through Its Conversion into Biostimulants, Biofertilizers, and Biopolymers

Debora Puglia, Daniela Pezzolla, Giovanni Gigliotti, Luigi Torre, Maria Luce Bartucca and Daniele Del Buono
Additional contact information
Debora Puglia: Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Perugia, 05100 Terni, Italy
Daniela Pezzolla: Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Perugia, 06125 Perugia, Italy
Giovanni Gigliotti: Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Perugia, 06125 Perugia, Italy
Luigi Torre: Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Perugia, 05100 Terni, Italy
Maria Luce Bartucca: Department of Agricultural, Food and Environmental Sciences, University of Perugia, 06121 Perugia, Italy
Daniele Del Buono: Department of Agricultural, Food and Environmental Sciences, University of Perugia, 06121 Perugia, Italy

Sustainability, 2021, vol. 13, issue 5, 1-25

Abstract: The problems arising from the limited availability of natural resources and the impact of certain anthropogenic activities on the environment must be addressed as soon as possible. To meet this challenge, it is necessary, among other things, to reconsider and redesign agricultural systems to find more sustainable and environmentally friendly solutions, paying specific attention to waste from agriculture. Indeed, the transition to a more sustainable and circular economy should also involve the effective valorization of agricultural waste, which should be seen as an excellent opportunity to obtain valuable materials. For the reasons mentioned above, this review reports and discusses updated studies dealing with the valorization of agricultural waste, through its conversion into materials to be applied to crops and soil. In particular, this review highlights the opportunity to obtain plant biostimulants, biofertilizers, and biopolymers from agricultural waste. This approach can decrease the impact of waste on the environment, allow the replacement and reduction in the use of synthetic compounds in agriculture, and facilitate the transition to a sustainable circular economy.

Keywords: sustainability; agricultural waste; biostimulants; biofertilizers; biopolymers (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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