Skip to main content
ARS Home » Northeast Area » University Park, Pennsylvania » Pasture Systems & Watershed Management Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #351766
Title: Volatile organic compounds and silage: sources, emission, and mitigation

Author
item HARNER, AARHUS - Aarhus University
item BUHLER, MARCEL - Zurich University Of Applied Sciences
item FEILBERG, ANDERS - Aarhus University
item FRANCO, RODRIGO - California Department Of Food And Agriculture
item HOWARD, CODY - University Of California Agriculture And Natural Resources (UCANR)
item MONTES, FELIPE - Pennsylvania State University
item MUCK, RICHARD - University Of Wisconsin
item Rotz, Clarence - Al
item WEIB, K - Humboldt University

Submitted to: International Silage Conference
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/1/2018
Publication Date: 7/24/2018
Citation: Harner, A., Buhler, M., Feilberg, A., Franco, R., Howard, C., Montes, F., Muck, R.E., Rotz, C.A., Weib, K. 2018. Volatile organic compounds and silage: sources, emission, and mitigation. International Silage Conference. P. 1.

Interpretive Summary: No Interpretive summary is required for this Proccedings/Symposium. JLB.

Technical Abstract: Microbial activity during ensiling leads to the production of numerous organic compounds. More than 40 of the compounds produced in silage are considered volatile organic compounds (VOC), which readily volatilize when silage is exposed to air. VOC contribute to poor air quality in some areas by promoting atmospheric reactions that produce harmful secondary pollutants, including ozone. Recent measurements and calculations suggest that the silage VOC make a significant contribution to total anthropogenic VOC emission and resulting poor air quality in some areas. Although silage VOC production has been studied for well over a century only recently have there be efforts to fully identify VOC compounds as well as production pathways. Recent studies have focused on enhancing VOC emission measurement methods to better understand emission pathways as well as the magnitude of silage VOC emissions. In this paper we summarize the current understanding of silage VOC production and emission, estimate the contribution of silage to VOC emissions in the US and EU, and identify knowledge gaps and research needs for addressing the problem of silage VOC emissions.