Value addition and risk assessment of dairy digestate as biofertilizer on crop yield and soil fertility

• Published in: Arabian journal of geosciences 2022-02, Vol.15 (3), Article 245
• Main Authors: Mukhtar, Sidra, Yasar, Abdullah, Mahfooz, Yusra, Rasheed, Rizwan, Tabinda, Amtul Bari, Ashraf, Muhammad Adnan, Nauman, Muhammad, Malik, Afifa
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Absorption; Accumulation; Biofertilizers; Biogas; Cattle; Cattle manure; Cereal crops; Correlation analysis; Crop growth; Crop yield; Crops; Earth and Environmental Science; Earth science; Earth Sciences; Experimentation; Fertility; Iron; Magnesium; Manures; Micronutrients; Original Paper; Risk assessment; Sodium; Soil; Soil fertility; Soils; Sorghum; Wheat; Zinc
• ISSN: 1866-7511; 1866-7538
• DOI: 10.1007/s12517-021-09354-8

The agricultural applicability of biogas digestate from cattle manure is based upon its effects on soil fertility and the content of different elements in the grown crop. The aim of this study was to evaluate digestate characteristics obtained from cattle manure and its application on soil fertility and growth of crops ( Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench, Saccharum officinarum L., Gossypium hirsutum L., Zea mays L., Triticum aestivum L.) in field-scale experimentation. Samples of digestate, soil, and crops were collected and analyzed according to standard methods. Afterward, accumulation factor (AF), sodium absorption ratio (SAR), magnesium absorption ratio (MAR), and health index (HI) were determined. The results showed that macro and micronutrients (N, P, K, Fe, Zn, Cu, and Pb) in the digestate group were below the permissible limits and also have irrigational value (SAR > 10) as compared to the control group. Available P and K contents were high in digestate irrigated soil and crop as compared to the control group. The correlation analysis showed that digestate irrigated crops has a strong correlation with high R 2 values (0.90) than control soil crops. Accumulation factor was found highest in G. hirsutum (1.48) in Fe. Health index value in adults was within the permissible limit (HI > 1) but the value in children was near to threshold level in T. aestivum. crop as compared to control. It may be concluded that the use of digestate will become a valuable additional source in the enhancement of soil fertility and crop growth.