Role of Biofiltration in Producing Environmentally Friendly Organic Plant Seeds

Maemunah, Dita Rosyalita, Iskandar M. Lapanjang, Sri Rahmi

Abstract

This study examines the role of biofiltration in producing environmentally friendly organic plant seeds by assessing its impact on seed quality, plant health, and sustainability in organic farming systems. It addresses a critical gap in understanding how biofiltration can enhance seed production while preserving environmental integrity. A qualitative approach was used, combining semi-structured interviews with farmers, agricultural experts, and environmental specialists with document analysis to gather data. Thematic analysis identified key patterns in participants’ experiences. Results indicate that biofiltration significantly improves seed germination rates, plant resilience, and soil quality, with many respondents reporting 20–30% gains in seed performance. Biofiltration systems also reduce pesticide residues and enhance soil fertility, supporting core principles of sustainable agriculture. These findings extend existing literature by demonstrating a direct link between biofiltration and seed production, which is an underexplored dimension in organic farming research. The study contributes to theoretical frameworks on sustainable agriculture by connecting biofiltration to measurable improvements in seed quality and farm output. Practically, the results suggest biofiltration is a viable, low-input tool for organic farmers seeking to improve seed viability while reducing environmental impact. Future research should expand sample diversity and evaluate long-term effects across varied agroecological contexts.

 

Keywords: biofiltration, organic plant seeds, seed quality, sustainable farming, agricultural sustainability.

 

DOI https://doi.org/10.55463/issn.1674-2974.52.9.13


Full Text:

PDF


References


AL HAMEDI F H, KANDHAN K, LIU Y, REN M, JALEEL A, & ALYAFEI M A M. Wastewater irrigation: A promising way for future sustainable agriculture and food security in the United Arab Emirates. Water, 2023, 15(12): 2284. https://doi.org/10.3390/w15122284

YOGA S D, MAHFUDZ M, & MAEMUNAH M. Improving Yield of Shallot of Lembah Palu Variety (Allium wageki Araki) on The Application of POC. AGROTEKBIS: JURNAL ILMU PERTANIAN (e-Journal), 2023, 11(3): 531–541. https://doi.org/10.22487/agrotekbis.v11i3.1723

TURCIOS A E, & PAPENBROCK J. Biofiltration of the antibacterial drug sulfamethazine by the species Chenopodium quinoa and its further biodegradation through anaerobic digestion. Journal of Environmental Sciences, 2019, 75: 54–63. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jes.2018.02.022

NWACHUKWU B C, AYANGBENRO A S, & BABALOLA O O. Elucidating the rhizosphere associated bacteria for environmental sustainability. Agriculture, 2021, 11(1): 75. https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture11010075

ZAINAL A G, YULIANTO H, & YANFIKA H. Financial benefits of the environmentally friendly aquaponic media system. IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science, 2021, 739(1): 12024. https://doi.org/10.1088/1755-1315/739/1/012024

NUGROHO A D W, VAN SCHALKWIJK S, CEBECI S, JACOBS S, WESSELINK W, STARING G, GOERDAYAL S, PRODAN A, STIJNMAN A, & TEULING E. Biopurification using non-growing microorganisms to improve plant protein ingredients. NPJ Science of Food, 2024, 8(1): 48. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41538-024-00290-x

MAEMUNAH T W, GURITNO B, & SUGIARTO A N. The Influence of Storage Area, Storage Method and Seed Quality Character on the Quality of Shallot Seed. International Journal of Advanced Research in Biological Sciences, 2015, 2(1): 158–164. https://ijarbs.com/pdfcopy/jan2015/ijarbs25.pdf

CRESWELL J W. Research design-qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches. 6th ed. SAGE Publications, Inc., 2022.

PATTON M Q. Qualitative research and evaluation methods. Integrating Theory and Practice. 4th ed. . SAGE Publications, Inc., 2014.

PARMAR S, DAKI S, BHATTACHARYA S, & SHRIVASTAV A. Microorganism: an ecofriendly tool for waste management and environmental safety. In Development in wastewater treatment research and processes (pp. 175–193). Elsevier, 2022. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-323-85657-7.00001-8

BRAUN V, & CLARKE V. Teaching thematic analysis: overcoming challenges and developing strategies for effective learning. Psychologist, 2013, 26(2): 120-123

MANGMANG J S, DEAKER R, & ROGERS G. Inoculation effect of Azospirillum brasilense on basil grown under aquaponics production system. Organic Agriculture, 2016, 6: 65–74. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13165-015-0115-5

JENA A K, BISWAS P, & SAHA H. Advanced farming systems in aquaculture: strategies to enhance the production. Innovative Farming, 2017, 1(1): 84–89.

KUMAR P S, & NGUEAGNI P T. Removal of volatile organic carbon and heavy metals through microbial approach. In SHAH M, RODRIGUEZ-COUTO S, & BISWAS J. (Eds.) An innovative role of biofiltration in wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) (pp. 285–308). Elsevier, 2022. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-823946-9.00016-4

SOREANU G, TANASE C, MARDARI C, GORGAN D L, & CRETESCU I. Physiological Investigations of the Plants Involved in Air Biofiltration: Study Case. Sustainability, 2024, 16(4): 1529. https://doi.org/10.3390/su16041529

BAO Y, BAO L, JIANG N, XU X, YU F, XING H, YE W, ZHOU P, ZHU Y, & ZHENG S. Construction waste as a filler of denitrification biofilter for nitrate utilization from wastewater: Characteristics, performance, microbial community and soilless culture. Bioresource Technology, 2024, 413: 131514. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biortech.2024.131514

TAUFIKURAHMAN T, ASTUTININGSIH N T, & IZZURRAHMAN T. The effectiveness of using biofilter with addition of activated charcoal on the growth of red lettuce (Lactuca sativa var. crispa) and tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) in the aquaponic system. IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science, 2024, 1386(1): 012006. https://doi.org/10.1088/1755-1315/1386/1/012006

GOMES J, DOMINGUES E, FERNANDES E, CASTRO L, MARTINS R C, & QUINTA-FERREIRA R M. Coagulation and biofiltration by Corbicula fluminea for COD and toxicity reduction of swine wastewater. Journal of Water Process Engineering, 2021, 42: 102145. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jwpe.2021.102145

LI G, TAO L, LI X, PENG L, SONG C, DAI L, WU Y, & XIE L. Design and performance of a novel rice hydroponic biofilter in a pond-scale aquaponic recirculating system. Ecological Engineering, 2018, 125: 1–10. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoleng.2018.10.001

THORAT D S, SINGH S, USHIR Y V, TIWARI K, KOKATE S, & NAGIME P V. Biomaterials-based biofilters from sugarcane waste: an eco-friendly way to clean water and manage nutrients. Discover Materials, 2025, 5(1): 56. https://doi.org/10.1007/s43939-025-00234-6

ODIBO A, JANPUM C, POMBUBPA N, MONSHUPANEE T, INCHAROENSAKDI A, REHMAN Z U, & IN-NA P. Microalgal-bacterial immobilized co-culture as living biofilters for nutrient recovery from synthetic wastewater and their potential as biofertilizers. Bioresource Technology, 2024, 398: 130509. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biortech.2024.130509


Refbacks

  • There are currently no refbacks.