The Effects of Liquid Biogas Digestate on Yield and Mineral Nutrition of Cucumber Growing in Greenhouse

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the effects of a liquid fraction of digestate obtained from different biogas plants on the growth and mineral nutrition of cucumber plants under greenhouse conditions. For this purpose, Liquid Biogas Digestates (LBD) obtained from two different plants (A-B) with different properties were applied to pots with 10 kg of soil in 5 different doses (0, 20, 40, 60, and 80 t ha-1) and the effects of the treatments were observed. As a result of the research, the highest yields increased 24.6% for digestate A in A5 (80 t ha-1) and 29% for digestate B in B3 (40 t ha-1) compared to control. While LBD contributed to the increase of N, Ca, Zn, Cu, and Mn concentrations in the leaf samples, it was observed that the dose increase did not have a linear effect on N, Ca, Zn, Cu, and Mn concentrations in the leaf samples. It is thought that liquid biogas wastes produced in biogas plants have positive effects on fruit yield, agricultural practices can be taken as the basis for the disposal of these wastes and the use of liquid biogas residues in soils by eliminating potential risks can provide significant benefits.