From waste to resource: circular economy, silage and nutritional quality of melon and watermelon by-products for ruminants

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AudienciaPúblico en generales_ES
CoberturaMéxicoes_ES
Fecha de ingreso2026-09-15T00:30:26Z
Fecha de publicación2026-01-01
ResumenThis review synthesizes scientific evidence on the conversion of melon ( Cucumis melo ) and watermelon ( Citrullus lanatus ) residues into preserved livestock feed, with emphasis on circular economy and sustainability. Production, harvesting, processing, and commercialization of these crops generate rejected fruits and plant biomass that are highly perishable because of their high moisture content. Without appropriate management, these materials can rapidly deteriorate, creating disposal costs and environmental burdens while losing potentially valuable nutrients. Ensiling, a preservation process in which moist plant material is stored under oxygen-limited conditions and stabilized through microbial fermentation, offers a potential pathway for converting these residues into feed for cattle, sheep, and goats. Available studies indicate that excessive moisture is the principal technical constraint because it increases liquid and gaseous losses and reduces nutrient recovery. For melon residues, partial drying, mixing with drier absorbent feed materials, and selected additives can improve preservation and nutritional characteristics, although these approaches introduce additional operational and economic considerations. Evidence for watermelon residues is more limited and consists predominantly of laboratory evaluations of fermentation, digestibility, and nutritional composition, together with some studies using biological treatments to improve fibrous plant residues. Available research also identifies potential safety concerns associated with variability in mineral composition and pesticide residues. Nutritionally, silages produced primarily from plant biomass generally provide substantial fiber, whereas fruit-rich silages may contain more readily available energy and fat and therefore require appropriate dietary inclusion. Despite promising technical results, direct evidence of effects on animal productivity remains scarce. Future studies should combine animal feeding trials with standardized measurements of preservation losses, feed safety, economic feasibility, and life-cycle environmental impacts. Such evidence is necessary to determine whether ensiling melon and watermelon residues provides a genuine net circular-economy benefit rather than simply an alternative waste-management pathway.es_ES
Doihttps://doi.org/10.3389/frsus.2026.1809417es_ES
URIhttps://riuat.uat.edu.mx/handle/123456789/2401
Idiomaeses_ES
EditorialFrontiers Media SAes_ES
RelaciónFrontiers in Sustainabilityes_ES
URL relacionadohttps://doi.org/10.3389/frsus.2026.1809417es_ES
DerechosAcceso abierto (PDF local verificado)es_ES
Licenciahttp://purl.org/coar/access_right/c_abf2es_ES
FuenteFrontiers in Sustainability
TítuloFrom waste to resource: circular economy, silage and nutritional quality of melon and watermelon by-products for ruminantses_ES
TipoArtículoes_ES
ArbitradoHa sido Arbitradoes_ES
AutorMaciel-Torres, Sandra Patricia
AutorArenas-Báez, Pablo
AutorLópez-Santiago, Marco Andrés
AutorGaray-Martínez, Jonathan Raúl
AutorBautista-Martínez, Yuridia
AutorGranados-Rivera, Lorenzo Danilo
AutorMaciel-Torres, Sandra Patriciaes_ES
AutorArenas-Báez, Pabloes_ES
AutorLópez-Santiago, Marco Andréses_ES
AutorGaray-Martínez, Jonathan Raúles_ES
AutorBautista-Martínez, Yuridiaes_ES
AutorGranados-Rivera, Lorenzo Daniloes_ES
InstituciónUniversidad Autónoma de Tamaulipas
InstituciónUniversidad Autónoma de Tamaulipases_ES
URL relacionadahttps://doi.org/10.3389/frsus.2026.1809417
Tipo de artículoIndexado
Tipo de artículoIndexadoes_ES
Volumen7es_ES

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