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Molecular properties of a fermented manure preparation used as field spray in biodynamic agriculture

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An Erratum to this article was published on 12 September 2012

Abstract

Manure products fermented underground in cow horns and commonly used as field spray (preparation 500) in the biodynamic farming system, were characterized for molecular composition by solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance [13 C cross-polarization magic-angle-spinning NMR (13 C-CPMAS-NMR)] spectroscopy and offline tetramethylammonium hydroxide thermochemolysis gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Both thermochemolysis and NMR spectroscopy revealed a complex molecular structure, with lignin aromatic derivatives, polysaccharides, and alkyl compounds as the predominant components. CPMAS-NMR spectra of biodynamic preparations showed a carbon distribution with an overall low hydrophobic character and significant contribution of lignocellulosic derivatives. The results of thermochemolysis confirmed the characteristic highlighted by NMR spectroscopy, revealing a molecular composition based on alkyl components of plant and microbial origin and the stable incorporation of lignin derivatives. The presence of biolabile components and of undecomposed lignin compounds in the preparation 500 should be accounted to its particularly slow maturation process, as compared to common composting procedures. Our results provide, for the first time, a scientific characterization of an essential product in biodynamic agriculture, and show that biodynamic products appear to be enriched of biolabile components and, therefore, potentially conducive to plant growth stimulation.

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Acknowledgments

We thank Carlo Noro (Società Agricola Biodinamica), Gianni Catellani (La Farnia), and the section of Italian Association for Biodynamic Agriculture for providing us samples of the BD preparations 500.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Dipartimento di Scienze del Suolo, della Pianta, dell’Ambiente e delle Produzioni Animali (DiSSPAPA), Università di Napoli Federico II, Via Università 100, 80055, Portici, Italy

    R. Spaccini & A. Piccolo

  2. Centro Interdipartimentale di Ricerca per la Spettroscopia di Risonanza Magnetica Nucleare (CERMANU), Via Università 100, 80055, Portici, Italy

    R. Spaccini, P. Mazzei & A. Piccolo

  3. Dipartimento di Biotecnologie Agrarie, Università di Padova, Viale dell’Università 16, 35020, Legnaro, Italy

    A. Squartini

  4. Servizio di Allergologia, Ospedale San Gallicano, IFO, Via Elio Chianesi 53, 00144, Rome, Italy

    M. Giannattasio

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  1. R. Spaccini
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  2. P. Mazzei
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  3. A. Squartini
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  4. M. Giannattasio
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  5. A. Piccolo
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Correspondence to R. Spaccini.

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Responsible editor: Philippe Garrigues

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Spaccini, R., Mazzei, P., Squartini, A. et al. Molecular properties of a fermented manure preparation used as field spray in biodynamic agriculture. Environ Sci Pollut Res 19, 4214–4225 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-012-1022-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-012-1022-x

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