Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Replacement of mineral fertilizers with anaerobically digested pig slurry in paddy fields: assessment of plant growth and grain quality

  • Eco-aquaculture, sustainable development and public health
  • Published:
Environmental Science and Pollution Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Rice cultivation requires large quantities of irrigation water and mineral fertilizers. This provides an opportunity for the recycling of the plant nutrients in anaerobically digested pig slurry, large amounts of which are generated in Chinese pig farms. Hence, to promote the sustainable development of livestock and poultry breeding and rice production, a micro-plot field experiment was carried out to assess whether or not slurry can replace mineral fertilizers in rice paddy production in terms of plant tillering, grain quality, and yields. The results indicate that the total N content of the slurry can serve as an alternative source of N when compared to the control (450 kg ha−1 commercial compound fertilizer (N/P2O5/K2O = 15:15:15) as basal fertilizer, 300 kg ha−1 urea (N% = 46), and 150 kg ha−1 commercial compound fertilizer as top-dressed fertilizer). No negative effects on plant growth or grain yield were observed, although there may be a potential risk due to an increase in grain Cu concentration. The amylose content and gel consistency of the rice grains were enhanced significantly by the use of slurry as a basal fertilizer, but the grain protein and total amino acid contents decreased. The results suggest that anaerobically digested pig slurry can replace mineral fertilizers in rice production when applied as a basal dressing together with urea and commercial compound fertilizer as top-dressed fertilizers.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Alburquerque JA, Fuente C, Bernal MP (2012) Chemical properties of anaerobic digestates affecting C and N dynamics in amended soils. Agric Ecosyst Environ 160:15–22

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bachmann S, Wentzel S, Eichler-Löbermann B (2011) Codigested dairy slurry as a phosphorus and nitrogen source for Zea mays L. and Amaranthus cruentus L. J Plant Nutr Soil Sci 174:908–915

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bian B, Wu H, Lv L, Fan Y, Lu H (2015) Health risk assessment of metals in food crops and related soils amended with biogas slurry in Taihu Basin: perspective from field experiment. Environ Sci Pollut Res. doi:10.1007/s11356-015-4853-4

    Google Scholar 

  • Bonetta S, Bonetta S, Ferretti E, Fezia G, Gilli G, Carraro E (2014) Agricultural reuse of the digestate from anaerobic co-digestion of organic waste: microbiological contamination, metal hazards and fertilizing performance. Water Air Soil Pollut 225:2046

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Callander IJ, Barford JP (1983a) Precipitation, chelation, and the availability of metals as nutrients in anaerobic digestion. I. Methodology. Biotechnol Bioeng 25:1947–1957

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Callander IJ, Barford JP (1983b) Precipitation, chelation, and the availability of metals as nutrients in anaerobic digestion. II. Applications. Biotechnol Bioeng 25:1959–1972

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Chen D, Jiang L, Huang H, Toyota K, Dahlgren RA, Lu J (2013) Nitrogen dynamics of anaerobically digested slurry used to fertilize paddy fields. Biol Fert Soils 49:647–659

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Comas J, Domínguez C, Salas-Vázquez DI, Parera J, Díez S, Bayona JM (2014) Input and leaching potential of copper, zinc, and selenium in agricultural soil from swine slurry. Arch Environ Contam Toxicol 66:277–286

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Danbaba N, Anounye JC, Gana AS, Abo ME, Ukwungwu MN (2011) Grain quality characteristics of Ofada rice (Oryza Staliva L.): cooking and eating quality. Int Food Res J 18:629–634

    Google Scholar 

  • Fouda S (2011) Nitrogen availability of biogas residues. Thesis (PhD), Technische Universität München

  • Fuente C, Alburquerque JA, Clemente R, Bernal MP (2013) Soil C and N mineralisation and agricultural value of the products of an anaerobic digestion system. Biol Fertil Soils 49:313–322

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gimeno-García E, Andreu V, Boluda R (1996) Heavy metals incidence in the application of inorganic fertilizers and pesticides to rice farming soils. Envrion Pollut 92:19–25

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hamelin L, Wesnæs M, Wenzel H, Petersen BM (2011) Environmental consequences of future biogas technologies based on separated slurry. Environ Sci Technol 45:5869–5877

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Huang WG, Xu BW, Chen Q (2012) Yearbook of Lin’an in 2011. Fang Zhi Publisher, Beijing

    Google Scholar 

  • Igliński B, Grzegorz Piechota G, Buczkowski R (2015) Development of biomass in polish energy sector: an overview. Clean Techn Environ Policy 17:317–329

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • International Rice Research Institute (IRRI). 1979. Proceedings of the workshop on chemical aspects of rice grain quality. Los Baños

  • Jin H, Chang Z (2011) Distribution of heavy metal contents and chemical fractions in anaerobically digested manure slurry. Appl Biochem Biotech 164:268–282

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lake DL, Lester JN (1985) The effects of anaerobic digestion on heavy metal distribution in sewage sludge. Water Pollut Control 84:549–559

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lavado RS, Rodriguez MB, Taboada MA (2005) Treatment with biosolids affects soil availability and plant uptake of potentially toxic elements. Agric Ecosyst Env 109:360–364

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Li YX, Li W, Wu J, Xu LC, Su QH, Xiong X (2007) Contribution of additives Cu to its accumulation in pig feces: study in Beijing and Fuxin of China. J Envrion Sci 19:610–615

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lopes C, Herva M, Franco-Uría A, Roca E (2011) Inventory of heavy metal content in organic waste applied as fertilizer in agriculture: evaluating the risk of transfer into the food chain. Environ Sci Pollut Res 18:918–939

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lu XH, Wu LH, Pang LJ, Li YS, Wu JG, Shi CH, Zhang FS (2007) Effects of plastic film mulching cultivation under non-flooded condition on rice quality. J Sci Food Agr 87:334–339

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lu J, Jiang L, Chen D, Toyota K, Strong PJ, Wang H, Hirasawa T (2012) Decontamination of anaerobically digested slurry in a paddy field ecosystem in Jiaxing region of China. Agric Ecosyst Env 146:13–22

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Marcato CE, Pinelli E, Cecchi M, Winterton P, Guiresse M (2009) Bioavailability of Cu and Zn in raw and anaerobically digested pig slurry. Ecotox Environ Safe 72:1538–1544

  • Marcato CE, Pinelli E, Pouech P, Winterton P, Guiresse M (2008) Particle size and metal distributions in anaerobically digested pig slurry. Bioresource Technol 99:2340–2348

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ministry of Agriculture of the People’s Republic of China (MAPRC) (1988) Method for rice quality measurement (NY 147-88), in Standard of Ministry of Agriculture. Beijing: Chinese Standard Press, PR China, pp 4–6

    Google Scholar 

  • Ministry of Agriculture of the People’s Republic of China (MAPRC) (2007) The National Rural Biogas Construction Plan (2006-2010). http://2010jiuban.agri.gov.cn/xztz/t20070418 805366.htm

  • Ministry of Environmental Protection of the People’s Republic of China (MEPPRC) (2010) The first national census bulletin of pollution sources. http://www.mep.gov.cn/gzfw/xzzx/wdxz/201002/P020100225536025177826.pdf

  • Möller K, Müller T (2012) Effects of anaerobic digestion on digestate nutrient availability and crop growth: a review. Eng Life Sci 12:242–257

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Möller K, Stinner W (2010) Effects of organic wastes digestion for biogas production on mineral nutrient availability of biogas effluents. Nutr Cycl Agroecosyst 87:395–413

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Möller K, Stinner W, Deuker A, Leithold G (2008) Effects of different manuring systems with and without biogas digestion on nitrogen cycle and crop yield in mixed organic dairy farming systems. Nutr Cycl Agroecosys 82:209–232

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nakamura M, Yuyama Y, Yamaoka M, Shimizu N (2014) Global warming impacts of the process to utilize digested slurry from methane fermentation as a fertilizer: case study of the Yamada biomass plant. Paddy Water Environ 12(Supp. 2):S295–S299

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nasir IM, Ghazi TIM, Omar R (2012) Production of biogas from solid organic wastes through anaerobic digestion: a review. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 95:321–329

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nkoa R (2014) Agricultural benefits and environmental risks of soil fertilization with anaerobic digestates: a review. Agron Sustain Dev 34:473–492

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Petersen SO, Dorno N, Lindholst S, Feilberg A, Eriksen J (2013) Emissions of CH4, N2O, NH3 and odorants from pig slurry during winter and summer storage. Nutr Cycl Agroecosyst 95:103–113

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Quakernack R, Pacholski A, Techow A, Herrmann A, Taube F, Kage H (2012) Ammonia volatilization and yield response of energy crops after fertilization with biogas residues in a coastal marsh of Northern Germany. Agric Ecosyst Env 160:66–74

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Riya S, Zhou S, Kobara Y, Sagehashi M, Terada A, Hosomi M (2015) Influence of nitrogen loading and plant nitrogen assimilation on nitrogen leaching and N2O emission in forage rice paddy fields fertilized with liquid cattle waste. Environ Sci Pollut Res 22:5762–5771

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Singh K, Lee K, Worley J, Risse LM, Das KC (2010) Anaerobic digestion of poultry litter: a review. Appl Eng Agric 26:677–688

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Singla A, Dubey SK, Ali MA, Inubushi K (2015) Methane flux from paddy vegetated soil: a comparison between biogas digested liquid and chemical fertilizer. Wetlands Ecol Manag 23:139–148

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Szogi AA, Vanotti MB, Ro KS (2015) Methods for treatment of animal manures to reduce nutrient pollution prior to soil application. Curr Pollution Rep 1:47–56

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tambone F, Scaglia B, D’Imporzano G, Schievano A, Orzi V, Salati S, Adani F (2010) Assessing amendment and fertilizing properties of digestates from anaerobic digestion through a comparative study with digested sludge and compost. Chemosphere 81:577–583

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Tan YF, Li JX, Yu SB, Xing YZ, Xu CG, Zhang Q (1999) The three important traits for cooking and eating quality of rice grains are controlled by a single locus in an elite rice hybrid, Shanyou 63. Theor Appl Genet 99:642–648

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Weiland P (2010) Biogas production: current state and perspectives. Appl Microbiol Biot 85:849–860

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wong SC, Li XD, Zhang G, Qi SH, Min YS (2002) Heavy metals in agricultural soils of the Pearl River Delta, South China. Environ Pollut 119:33–44

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang J, Wang MY, Wu LH, Wu JG, Shi CH (2008) Impacts of combination of foliar iron and boron application on iron biofortification and nutitive quality of rice grain. J Plant Nutr 31:1599–1611

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang X, Guo X, Wu J, Wang Y, Li X, Chen J (2009) Research on basic soil fertility and reasonable fertilization technology in paddy fields in the Jianghuai region. Chin Agr Sci Bull 25:131–135

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zirkler D, Peters A, Kaupenjohann M (2014) Elemental composition of biogas residues: variability and alteration during anaerobic digestion. Biomass Bioenergy 67:89–98

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

The work was financially supported by Zhejiang Provincial Science and Technology Innovation Team Project (No. 2013TD12-12), Zhejiang Environmental Protection Scientific Research Program (No.2011B21), Zhejiang Provincial Public Techniques Research and Social Development Project (No. 2012C23058), and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC, No. 41201229). And, the authors would like to thank the anonymous reviewers and the editors for their comments to improve the paper.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Key Laboratory of Soil Contamination Bioremediation of Zhejiang Province, School of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Zhejiang Agricultural and Forestry University, 88 North Huancheng Road in Lin’an, Hangzhou, 311300, China

    Jin Zhang, Yucheng Cao, Peng Liang, Shengchun Wu & Peter Christie

  2. Jiyang College, Zhejiang Agricultural and Forestry University, 77 Puyang Road, Zhuji, 311800, China

    Minyan Wang

  3. Department of Biology, Hong Kong Baptist University, 224 Waterloo Road, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong, SAR, China

    Anna Oi Wah Leung

Authors
  1. Jin Zhang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Minyan Wang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Yucheng Cao
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Peng Liang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Shengchun Wu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Anna Oi Wah Leung
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Peter Christie
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Minyan Wang or Shengchun Wu.

Additional information

Responsible editor: Zhihong Xu

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Zhang, J., Wang, M., Cao, Y. et al. Replacement of mineral fertilizers with anaerobically digested pig slurry in paddy fields: assessment of plant growth and grain quality. Environ Sci Pollut Res 24, 8916–8923 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-015-5125-z

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-015-5125-z

Keywords

Search

Navigation