Biogas Production from Rice Hulls and Straw Treated with Urea

The rice production of Dominican Republic is around half million of TM per year, from which 50% is crops residues (hull and straw). This high production of fiber is used as feed, poultry bedding and organic fertilizer. Taking in account this amount of fiber as a very good of source to produce biogas, ISA University setup two trial of 60 day to evaluate the biogas yields using two substrate of rice crops residues (hulls and straw).The trials consisted of rice hulls and straws treated with urea and rabbit urine or fresh bovine manor under environmental conditions. The Trials had a randomized design, however, the rice hull trials had two treatments and three repetitions and the straws trial had four treatments with three repetition. The evaluated variable was the biogas production (dm3) per kg of DM in 10 d periods. The rice hulls treated with rabbit urine yields about 57.38 dm3 /kg de DM in 60 d and the rice straws treated with rabbit urine and bovine manor yields 98.28 dm3 /kg DM. From theses trials we conclude that it is possible produces a good yields per kg of DM of biogas from rice crops residues with artisanal biodigeste