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Effects of organic wastes digestion for biogas production on mineral nutrient availability of biogas effluents

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Nutrient Cycling in Agroecosystems Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Organic farming systems are characterized by the strong regulation of the import of nutrients into the farming system to replace nutrient losses via sold products. In the present study mineral nutrient flows and balances of P, K and magnesium (Mg) were analysed for a mixed organic cropping system with dairy husbandry and for a stockless organic farming system. Also the influence of biogas digestion of farmyard residues (stable wastes, crop residues, etc.) as well as the effect of the import of substrates for biogas digestion on plant mineral nutrient uptake and farmgate nutrient balances was analysed. The objectives of the current study were; (1) to study the effects of anaerobic digestion of cattle manure and crop residues on plant mineral nutrient uptake; and (2) to model nutrient flows and balances related to the input of different kind of substrates for biogas digestion at the farmgate. Results indicated that slurry digestion did not influence plant P and K uptake. Import of single allowed substrates for digestion would lead to large imbalances in nutrient inputs compared to withdrawals. Most of the suited substrates for biogas digestion were associated with large K surpluses and insufficient P returns in comparison to mineral nutrient outputs via sold animal and plant products.

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Abbreviations

K:

Potassium

DS:

Digested slurry treatment

DS + FER:

Digestion of slurry, crop residues and purchased substrates treatment

DS + FR:

Digestion of slurry and crop residues treatment

FYM:

Farmyard manure treatment

Mg:

Magnesium

N:

Nitrogen

P:

Phosphorus

US:

Undigested slurry treatment

wL:

Usual stockless management treatment without livestock

wL-FR:

Stockless management with digestion of field residues treatment

wL-FER:

Stockless management with digestion of field residues and purchased substrates treatment

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Acknowledgments

This research was supported by the “Deutsche Bundesstiftung Umwelt”.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Plant Nutrition, Universität Hohenheim, 70593, Stuttgart, Germany

    Kurt Möller

  2. Deutsches Biomasseforschungszentrum, Torgauer Straße 116, 04347, Leipzig, Germany

    Walter Stinner

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  1. Kurt Möller
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Correspondence to Kurt Möller.

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Möller, K., Stinner, W. Effects of organic wastes digestion for biogas production on mineral nutrient availability of biogas effluents. Nutr Cycl Agroecosyst 87, 395–413 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10705-010-9346-8

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