Use of Anaerobically Digested Swine Manure as a Nitrogen Source in Corn Production

Abstract

Swine (Sus scrofa) manure is an important source of N for crop production. The processing of manure in an anaerobic digester for biogas production is only a partial manure treatment process and is not designed as a disposal method. However, digestion will alter manure characteristics, and this may affect nutrient availability to crops. The objective of this study was to evaluate the N supply to corn (Zea mays L.) from swine manure before and after anaerobic digestion for biogas production. Raw and digested swine manure were late-fall applied as main plots, with three manure N rates as subplots, and six fertilizer N rates as sub-subplots. Response to manure and fertilizer N was determined through soil inorganic N, plant N status and uptake, and grain yield. After 3 yr of study, results indicated no difference between raw and digested swine manure as a source of N for plant use in the year of application or in the residual year. Equivalence to fertilizer N was the same with both raw and digested swine manure, and varied between years with 100% in 2000, 44% in 2001, and 60% in 2002. These differences are attributed to varying growing seasons and N loss potential from time of late fall manure application compared with the spring-applied fertilizer N. Late fall and early spring soil sampling indicated rapid conversion to NO 3 with both sources. Results of this work indicate that digested liquid swine manure can readily supply plant-available N and management for corn production should be the same as with raw swine manure.

Effects of the Long-Term Application of Anaerobically-Digested Cattle Manure on Growth, Yield and Nitrogen Uptake of Paddy Rice (Oryza sativaL.), and Soil Fertility in Warmer Region of Japan

“…This application has contributed to biomass recycling within agroecosystems. Studies on upland crop cultivation using ADM have been widely conducted throughout the world (Morris and Lathwell, 2004;Matsunaka et al, 2006;Loria et al, 2007). However, the major land use associated with the monsoon climates in most Asian countries is paddy fields and studies on the application of ADM to paddy fields have scarcely been conducted.…”

Effects of Three Biochars as Adsorbents on Soils Adsorbing Ammonium Nitrogen in Biogas Slurry

“…Therefore, the disposal of biogas slurry, a liquid by-product of biogas production, has attracted the attention with rapid expansion of biogas industries. Some researchers utilized biogas slurry as a superior organic fertilizer in arable crop production [7]. Biogas slurry offers many advantages including (1) promoting the granular structure formation of soil and improving the physical and chemical properties of soil [8,9]; (2) providing nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, amino acid, auxin, and ionmicroelement for crop's sprouting and growing [10].…”

Effect of ISPAD Anaerobic Digestion on Ammonia Volatilization from Soil Applied Swine Manure

“…Anaerobic digestion degrades organic N releasing TAN [2,25,26] readily available for plant uptake. Once soil applied and as compared to untreated manure, digested effluents were found to offer higher plant available nutrients for wheat [27], corn [28], and timothy [29].…”