Isolation and application of pH- and salt-resistant Bacillus strains to reduce ammonia emission from pig manure during the storage period.

This article focuses on evaluating the potential of five Bacillus spp. bacterial strains isolated from paddy soils to reduce ammonia emissions and reactive nitrogen loss during pig manure storage at high moisture content (76.45%) and 28°C. The strains—H3-1, H4-10, H5-5, H5-9, and Y3-28—demonstrated reductions in ammonia emissions ranging from 23.58% to 26.82% over 60 days compared to controls, while tolerating a range of pH (6–10), salinity (up to 10%), and ammonium-nitrogen concentrations (up to 8 g l⁻¹). The study suggests that these Bacillus strains, belonging mainly to the Neobacillus and Priestia genera, could serve as microbial agents to mitigate nitrogen loss and air pollution from manure storage without altering moisture content or requiring additional additives. These findings offer a promising biological approach for improving nitrogen retention in livestock manure management and reducing environmental impacts associated with ammonia volatilization.