ArticleBiology2025
Impact of Particle Size on the Aerobic Decomposition and Fertilizer Efficiency of Corn Cobs: A Sustainable Waste-to-Resource Approach.
Article in Biology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
2 citing papers in PubMed.
- Combined Pretreatment of Sugarcane Leaves with Potassium Hydroxide and Urea for Enhancing Composting Efficiency.ACS omega · 2026Article
- Assessing the Potential of the Plant Pellets Produced from Lignocellulosic Biomass for Seedling Growth.Life (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
10 authors.
Funding
Abstract
The conversion of agricultural residues into high-value organic amendments is fundamental to sustainable farming systems. Corn cobs represent a widely available lignocellulosic resource; however, their rigid structural properties often hinder efficient biodegradation during composting. This study evaluated whether optimizing corn cob particle size could improve aerobic composting performance by enhancing humification and compost quality. Corn cobs were ground into three particle sizes (6-mesh, 10-mesh, and 20-mesh) and composted with a commercial microbial inoculant for up to 51 days. Physicochemical properties, humic substance fractions (HSC, HAC, FAC), microbial community dynamics (16S rRNA and ITS sequencing), and maturity indicators were monitored. The 10-mesh treatment (M10) exhibited the most favorable composting outcomes, achieving the greatest degree of humification (HA/FA = 2.85; HAC = 48.30 g/kg) and the most pronounced aromatic condensation in humic acids. M10 also supported a more diverse and metabolically specialized microbial consortium, with notable enrichment of lignocellulose-degrading and humus-forming genera (e.g., Streptomyces, Thermobifida). Consequently, M10 produced the most mature compost, reflected by the highest germination index (93.63%) and the lowest heavy-metal accumulation, meeting agricultural safety standards. Structural equation modeling revealed that particle size influenced humification primarily by modulating microbial community structure (path coefficient = 0.86), highlighting particle size as a key environmental selector in composting systems. Overall, 10-mesh particle size created an optimal aeration-moisture balance that stimulated microbial metabolism, accelerated organic matter degradation, and enhanced stable organic matter formation. These findings demonstrate that corn cob particle size significantly governs composting efficiency and final product quality. Selecting a 10-mesh size presents a practical pretreatment strategy to accelerate biomass turnover and produce safe, nutrient-rich compost, providing an effective approach for sustainable bioconversion of agricultural residues.
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Registered trials
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