Effects of meat bone meal as fertilizer on yield and quality of sugar beet and carrot

Abstract

Meat and bone meal (MBM) is a by-product of the meat industry and is an important pathway for recycling of N and P. MBM contains about 8% N, 5% P, 1% K and 10% Ca. Field trials compared the effects of MBM and mineral fertilizer on yield and quality of sugar beet (2008-2009) and carrot (2010-2011) in Finland. MBM fertilisation of sugar beet grown on clay loam and sandy clay soil gave 11.4% (2008) and 19.6% (2009) lower yields than mineral fertilizers. The lower root yield in 2008 was compensated by higher extractable sugar content and lower amino-N, K and Na in root but no such compensation in root quality was detected for 2009. Mixing MBM with mineral NPK fertilizers had similar effects as MBM-alone. MBM (80 kg N ha-1 2010 and 60 kg N ha-1 2011) together with K fertilizer (Patentkali®, 180 kg K ha-1) were applied for carrot to a fine sandy till soil in 2010 and sandy loam in 2011. MBM alone gave 14% lower total and marketable root yield than mineral fertilization. The lower yield was compensated by improved quality, lower NO3- content in the carrot and good storability. Adding extra fertilizer during growth or separating fertilization applications had no effect on root yield or quality. MBM performed in these cases mainly as an organic N fertilizer. The N supply from MBM is not sufficient for achieving same yields as with mineral fertilizers. The relative N efficiency of total N of MBM was 83% that of mineral fertilizers. MBM should be targeted on soils with low P status.We conclude that MBM is a reasonably competitive alternative to mineral fertilizers, and as a recycled fertilizer it is a good option for organic production.

The effect of meat and bone meal (MBM) on the nitrogen and phosphorus content and pH of soil

“…However, according to Jeng et al (2006), as much as 50% of P from MBM was available to plants already in the first year. The fertilizing effect of MBM is greater in P-deficient soils (Brod et al 2012, Kivela et al 2015. In soil characterized by moderate levels of available P, like the soil used in this experiment, plants can absorb P from soil reserves.…”

Effects of meat bone meal as fertilizer on leaf nitrogen status in sugar beet and on soil nitrate concentrations

“…In 2011 in sandy loam, with high organic matter measured nitrate amounts in soil were whole summer higher than with mineral fertilizers. With MBM fertilization carrot yield nitrate was much lower (74 mg kg -1 ) than with mineral fertilization (225 mg kg -1 ) (Kivelä et al, 2015).…”

“…The relative N efficiency of total N in MBM compared to N from mineral fertilzers equalled about 80 % for oats and ryegrass (Jeng et al, 2004). Kivelä et al (2015) reported equal (above 80 %) relative N efficiencies for sugar beet and for carrot. As the N in MBM is in organic form, the relative N efficiencies are fairly high.…”

“…Field experiments were carried out for testing fertilization effect of MBM on yield and quality of sugar beet (2008)(2009)) and of carrot (2011)(2012) in Finland and comparing with mineral fertilizer in conventional farming methods. In these experiments, MBM returned fair yields and generally better quality, in comparison to conventional mineral fertilization (Kivelä et al, 2015). These experiments were also used for studying N availability as nitrate in soil in the carrot experiments, and using SPAD measurements as resulting N status of sugar beet leaves.…”

Do New-Generation Recycled Phosphorus Fertilizers Increase the Content of Potentially Toxic Elements in Soil and Plants?

“…Soil amendment using bones has been known since biblical times [48]. In modern times, bone meal (BM) and meat and bone meal (MBM) have been approved (with some limitations) for use in agriculture as soil improvers [49] and have been reported from different countries to be effective in yield enhancement [50][51][52][53][54]. Recently, new technologies have emerged to produce bone-based fertilizers through thermal and/or chemical transformations [55][56][57].…”