Fodder Legumes for Green Biorefineries: A Perspective for Sustainable Agricultural Production Systems

Sustainable Biorefinery and Production of Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.)

“…Due to the scarcity of these resources, there is an urgent need to use them in the most sustainable and efficient way possible. Hence, the biorefinery process could allow both sustainability and efficiency of waste reduction under the exploitation of bioresources (Papendiek, 2017). The production of alfalfa forage has several beneficial and positive environmental impacts under highly efficient use in the bio-industrial feedstock industry as well as fodder in the framework of the green biorefinery approach (Papendiek, 2017).…”

“…Hence, the biorefinery process could allow both sustainability and efficiency of waste reduction under the exploitation of bioresources (Papendiek, 2017). The production of alfalfa forage has several beneficial and positive environmental impacts under highly efficient use in the bio-industrial feedstock industry as well as fodder in the framework of the green biorefinery approach (Papendiek, 2017). The biorefinery process was defined by Hassan et al (2019) as "the sustainable processing of biomass into a spectrum of marketable products (food, feed, chemicals, and materials) and energy (fuels, power and/or heat)".…”

“…The green biomass of alfalfa plants could be converted into solid and liquid fractions through the mechanical fractionation producing leaf protein concentrate (Hojilla-Evangelista et al, 2017;Jia et al, 2017;Hadidi et al, 2019), fiber (Palmonari et al, 2014;Fustini et al, 2017), green and brown juice (Dietz et al, 2016). Recently, a considerable literature has grown up around the theme of the sustainable use of fodder legumes for green biorefineries, in particular alfalfa (Papendiek, 2017;Lübeck & Lübeck, 2019;Sarnataro et al, 2019). Fodder legume crops play a vital role in the development and the sustainability of agricultural production systems due to their direct and indirect potential to produce several compounds including food, feed and biofuels (Papendiek et al, 2016;Papendiek, 2017;Lübeck & Lübeck, 2019).…”

“…Recently, a considerable literature has grown up around the theme of the sustainable use of fodder legumes for green biorefineries, in particular alfalfa (Papendiek, 2017;Lübeck & Lübeck, 2019;Sarnataro et al, 2019). Fodder legume crops play a vital role in the development and the sustainability of agricultural production systems due to their direct and indirect potential to produce several compounds including food, feed and biofuels (Papendiek et al, 2016;Papendiek, 2017;Lübeck & Lübeck, 2019).…”