Performance of maize plant reconstruction and storage nutrient mobilization induced by liquid phase of anaerobically digested pig manure

Abstract

Agricultural application of liquid phase of digestate (LPD) after solid–liquid separation is thought to be a reasonable disposal approach. This research aims to investigate the effect on seed germination, plant reconstruction and storage nutrient mobilization caused by LPD from anaerobic digestion of pig manure. Maize seeds were submerged into LPD to imbibe and then transferred into a growth chamber to germinate and grow. Distilled water served as a control. The used LPD had no influence on final germination rates. But it accelerated seed germination and promoted root elongation (9.9% longer) and seedling growth (6.4% heavier) when half diluted. These results can be explained with the promoted mobilization of storage nutrient caused by LPD, because soluble sugar in total seedling increased by 10.0% and protein in shoot and root increased by 11.7% as the degradation of starch and protein in seed was 5.9 and 12.1% increased, respectively. LPD treatment enhanced α-amylase activity and β-amylase activity significantly. LPD can promote the mobilization of storage nutrient by improving hydrolase activity and this accelerated the germination and seedling growth.