Publicação

Digestate not only affects nutrient availability but also soil quality indicators

Ver documento

Detalhes bibliográficos
Resumo:Digestate contains many essential nutrients for crops, including nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P), and it can alter the biogeochemical cycle of nutrients and soil functionality. This work aimed to assess the fertilizing effects of digestate on chemical and biological soil properties in a field experiment in eastern Portugal with two horticultural crops involving nine treatments: control without fertilization; mineral N fertilization with 85 kg ha1; fertilization with digestate (DG) with increasing N rates (85, 170, 255, or 340 kg N ha1); and fertilization with different combinations of digestate plus mineral N (DG at 85 or 170 kg N plus 60 kg mineral N ha–1 or DG at 170 kg N plus 25 kg mineral N ha–1). In addition to N, digestate supplied significant amounts of P, Ca, K, and Mg and significantly increased soil Olsen P, mineral N, and organic C. At high doses, it decreased phosphatase and -glucosidase activities, as well as fungi and bacterial biomass, compared to the control or mineral N fertilization, and it also negatively affected soil P and C cycling capacity and microbial biomass. The organic to total N ratio and the N to P ratio in digestate are crucial properties for evaluating its agronomic management as fertilizer.
Autores principais:García-López, Ana María
Outros Autores:Delgado, António; Anjos, O.; Monteiro, M.C.H.
Assunto:Phosphorus Nitrogen Enzymatic activity Organic amendment Soil microbial biomass
Ano:2023
País:Portugal
Tipo de documento:artigo
Tipo de acesso:acesso aberto
Instituição associada:Instituto Politécnico de Castelo Branco
Idioma:inglês
Origem:Repositório Científico do Instituto Politécnico de Castelo Branco
Descrição
Resumo:Digestate contains many essential nutrients for crops, including nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P), and it can alter the biogeochemical cycle of nutrients and soil functionality. This work aimed to assess the fertilizing effects of digestate on chemical and biological soil properties in a field experiment in eastern Portugal with two horticultural crops involving nine treatments: control without fertilization; mineral N fertilization with 85 kg ha1; fertilization with digestate (DG) with increasing N rates (85, 170, 255, or 340 kg N ha1); and fertilization with different combinations of digestate plus mineral N (DG at 85 or 170 kg N plus 60 kg mineral N ha–1 or DG at 170 kg N plus 25 kg mineral N ha–1). In addition to N, digestate supplied significant amounts of P, Ca, K, and Mg and significantly increased soil Olsen P, mineral N, and organic C. At high doses, it decreased phosphatase and -glucosidase activities, as well as fungi and bacterial biomass, compared to the control or mineral N fertilization, and it also negatively affected soil P and C cycling capacity and microbial biomass. The organic to total N ratio and the N to P ratio in digestate are crucial properties for evaluating its agronomic management as fertilizer.