Impact of Digestate Application as a Fertilizer on the Yield and Quality of Winter Rape Seed

Milan Koszel,Atanas Zdravkov Atanasov,Stepan Kovalyshyn,Agnieszka Szparaga,Stanisław Parafiniuk,Sławomir Kocira,Andrzej Bochniak

doi:10.3390/agronomy10060878

Abstract

The operation of an agricultural biogas plant is associated with the formation of a large amount of digestate. The basic trend in digestate management, after taking into account its physicochemical properties, should be its use as a fertilizer. The possibility of the agricultural use of digestate as a fertilizer was determined. Digestate obtained from the agricultural biogas plant was tested for the content of macronutrients and heavy metals. The content of macronutrients was also determined in soil for winter rape cultivation. The analysis showed an increase in the yield depending on the digestate dose applied. In addition, an increase in the fat and protein content was found in winter rape seeds. The best results of mean values were obtained during the application of the 50,000 L ha−1 dose. The average diameter of the stem base was 1.48 cm. The average height was 36.20 cm. The seed yield was 3.44 t ha−1. The thousand seed weight was—5.34 g. The fat and protein contents were 43.62% and 22.95%, respectively. By applying a digestate dose of 50,000 L ha−1, the highest content of macronutrients, as well as polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) (31.17%), monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) (61.89%) and saturated fatty acids (SFA) (6.87%), was recorded.

Highlights

Agricultural production, which aims at the production of food with good quality parameters, must be carried out in accordance with the environmental protection requirements
Meteorological conditions prevailing during the cultivation of winter rape from Lublin—Radawiec station were analyzed
Changing economic conditions and social preferences cause a reorientation in farming systems

Summary

Introduction

Agricultural production, which aims at the production of food with good quality parameters, must be carried out in accordance with the environmental protection requirements. It is important to maintain the safe use of fertilizers in the agricultural environment, with particular regard to nitrogen fertilizers. Fertilizers used in a liquid form get into the soil solution faster and are better absorbed by plants. Organic and mineral components in soil determine aggregation of particles with water and polyvalent cations. The aggregation degree affects the soil porosity, as well as the movement of water and air. To improve the soil structure stability, the most important procedure is to apply the organic matter. The fertilization of fields with organic matter affects the chemical and physical fertility of the soil [1,2]

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