Solid and Liquid Phases of Anaerobic Digestate for Sustainable Use of Agricultural Soil

Alvyra Slepetiene (), Jurgita Ceseviciene, Kristina Amaleviciute-Volunge, Audrone Mankeviciene, Irmantas Parasotas, Aida Skersiene, Linas Jurgutis, Jonas Volungevicius, Darijus Veteikis and Ieva Mockeviciene
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Alvyra Slepetiene: Institute of Agriculture, Lithuanian Research Centre for Agriculture and Forestry, Akademija, 58344 Kedainiai, Lithuania
Jurgita Ceseviciene: Institute of Agriculture, Lithuanian Research Centre for Agriculture and Forestry, Akademija, 58344 Kedainiai, Lithuania
Kristina Amaleviciute-Volunge: Institute of Agriculture, Lithuanian Research Centre for Agriculture and Forestry, Akademija, 58344 Kedainiai, Lithuania
Audrone Mankeviciene: Institute of Agriculture, Lithuanian Research Centre for Agriculture and Forestry, Akademija, 58344 Kedainiai, Lithuania
Irmantas Parasotas: Institute of Agriculture, Lithuanian Research Centre for Agriculture and Forestry, Akademija, 58344 Kedainiai, Lithuania
Aida Skersiene: Institute of Agriculture, Lithuanian Research Centre for Agriculture and Forestry, Akademija, 58344 Kedainiai, Lithuania
Linas Jurgutis: Institute of Agriculture, Lithuanian Research Centre for Agriculture and Forestry, Akademija, 58344 Kedainiai, Lithuania
Jonas Volungevicius: Institute of Agriculture, Lithuanian Research Centre for Agriculture and Forestry, Akademija, 58344 Kedainiai, Lithuania
Darijus Veteikis: Institute of Agriculture, Lithuanian Research Centre for Agriculture and Forestry, Akademija, 58344 Kedainiai, Lithuania
Ieva Mockeviciene: Institute of Agriculture, Lithuanian Research Centre for Agriculture and Forestry, Akademija, 58344 Kedainiai, Lithuania

Sustainability, 2023, vol. 15, issue 2, 1-19

Abstract: Given the growth in the number of biogas power plants and the increase in the generation of waste from energy production, it is relevant to study the sustainable nature of this waste. Digestate is a product of the anaerobic digestion process, and is a valuable bio-fertilizer containing organic matter and nutrients necessary for agricultural plants’ growth. The study showed that different rates of liquid and solid phases of anaerobic digestate influenced the contents of carbon and nitrogen in genetically young soil in alluvial deposits— Fluvisol . The application of solid digestate (SD) considerably increased soil organic carbon content (SOC) in the 0–10 cm soil layer; however, SOC did not reach the 20–30 cm layer. Liquid digestate (LD) significantly increased SOC in the deeper layers. The levels of mineral nitrogen (N min ) and water extractable organic carbon (WEOC) increased in the 0–10 cm soil layer soon after fertilization with LD and SD. The mobile components of the soil (N min and WEOC) were characterized by high variability during the growing season. Within the 2-month period, their concentrations decreased drastically and were close to those of unfertilized soil. The research indicates that anaerobic digestate had a greater effect on mobile forms of carbon and nitrogen in the soil than on their total amounts.

Keywords: liquid digestate; solid digestate; biofertilizer; soil; Fluvisol; carbon; nitrogen; sustainability (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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