NODES - SPOKE 6 Project FORMIDABILÆ - D2.3 Sensors for methane and acetate in reactors fed with maize vegetative green mass and animal manure, and reactors microbial composition

Maize biomass residues are a valuable feedstock for biogas production via anaerobic digestion (AD), generating methane (55–70%) and CO₂. Biochemical Methane Potential (BMP) tests were conducted on different maize cultivars to assess methane yield variations. Acetate concentrations were measured using Gas Chromatography (GC) to validate a biosensor-based approach by the UNIPV group. Microbial profiling of AD reactors was performed to build a database integrating physico-chemical and microbial data. This database supports machine learning model development for methane production prediction, potentially replacing physical sensors. This document is a deliverable of the project FORMIDABILÆ ("Forage system to make resilient Maize, Dairy and Biogas supply chains for a Lasting Agricultural Ecosystem"), which promotes approaches aimed at improving the smart, resilient, circular and diversified farm to ensure food security and social economic sustainability of dairy food chains with the aim of reducing greenhouse gas emissions in this sector. This document is part of the project NODES which has received funding from the MUR – Missione 4, Componente 2, Investimento 1.5 – Creazione e rafforzamento di “Ecosistemi dell’innovazione”, costruzione di “leader territoriali di R&S'' – del PNRR funded by the European Union - NextGenerationEU with grant agreement no. ECS00000036