Journal Article

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http://join2-wiki.gsi.de/foswiki/pub/Main/Artwork/join2_logo100x88.png Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from soils amended with digestate derived from anaerobic treatment of food waste

Pezzolla, D. ; Bol, R.FZJ* ; Gigliotti, G. ; Sawamoto, T. ; Lopez, A. L. ; Cardenas, L. ; Chadwick, D.

2012
Wiley Interscience New York, NY

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Please use a persistent id in citations: doi:10.1002/rcm.6362

Abstract: The application of organic materials to agricultural lands is considered good practice to improve soil organic matter content and recycle nutrients for crop growth. The anaerobic treatment of food waste may have environmental benefits, particularly with regard to greenhouse gases (GHGs) mitigation and enhancement of carbon sequestration.This work presents the results from a field experiment to evaluate CO(2) , CH(4) and N(2) O emissions from grassland amended with digestate produced by anaerobic fermentation of food waste. Experimental plots, located close to Rothamsted Research-North Wyke, were established using a randomized block design with three replicates and two treatments, added digestate (DG) and the unamended control (CNT). The digestate was applied on three occasions at an equivalent rate of 80 kg N ha(-1) .The application of digestate led to an increase in CO(2) emissions, especially after the 2(nd) application (74.1 kg CO(2) -C ha(-1)  day(-1) ) compared with the CNT soil (36.4 kg CO(2) -C ha(-1)  day(-1) ), whereas DG treatment did not affect the overall CH(4) and N(2) O emissions. The total grass yield harvested on a dry matter basis was greater in the DG treated plots (0.565 kg m(-2) ) than in the CNT plots (0.282 kg m(-2) ), as was the (15)  N content in the harvest collected from the DG plots.The results suggest that the digestate can be applied to agricultural land as a fertilizer to grow crops. Our study was conducted in an exceptionally dry growing season, so conclusions about the effect of digestate on GHG emissions should take this into account, and further field trials conducted under more typical growing seasons are needed.

Keyword(s): J

Note: Rothamsted Research is supported by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC). Daniela Pezzolla was awarded a grant by the Erasmus Placement Agreement between the Agricultural Faculty, University of Perugia, Italy, and Rothamsted Research, UK. The authors would like to thank Dan Dhanoa for advice on the field experimental design and statistical methods for data analysis; Neil Donovan for GC analyses; Liz Dixon for isotope analysis; Andrew Bristow, Denise Headon and Patricia Butler for laboratory analysis; Steve Granger for the collection of digestate; Tim Preston for technical assistance; Neil Pollard (Andigestion Ltd., and Holsworthy Biogas Plant, Holsworthy, UK) for kindly providing the digestate.

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Contributing Institute(s):

1. Agrosphäre (IBG-3)

Research Program(s):

1. Terrestrische Umwelt (P24)

Appears in the scientific report 2012

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Database coverage:
; BIOSIS Previews ; Current Contents - Physical, Chemical and Earth Sciences ; JCR ; NCBI Molecular Biology Database ; Nationallizenz ; SCOPUS ; Science Citation Index ; Science Citation Index Expanded ; Thomson Reuters Master Journal List ; Web of Science Core Collection

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