Effects of digestate on the quality of crops

Crop yield is very important economical parameter of plant production but nowadays the quality of foods is becoming more and more important. Digestate treatment seems to be very effective to increase the protein content of plants. Banik and Nandi (2004) investigated biogas residual slurry manures (solid digestate) used as supplement with rice straw for preparation of mushroom beds. The application of biomanure increased the protein content of mushroom 38.3-57.0%, while the carbohydrate concentrations were decreased. Results can be seen in Table 10.

respectively. Changes in amino acid composition of test plants were also very favourable, because almost every essential and non-essential amino acid quantity was increased significantly after digestate treatment. In line with these results the oil content of the treated plants decreased significantly.

Treatments

Protein

(%)

Carbohydrate

(%)

Lipid

(%)

Increase of protein over control (%)

Straw (100%)

21.56

28.81

10.43

0

Straw + cowdung biomanure

29.81

20.21

13.73

38.3

Straw + poultry litter biomanure

33.57

21.45

7.96

55.7

Straw + jute caddis biomanure

33.84

21.79

13.93

57.0

Table 10. Effect of supplementation of rice straw with solid digestate on major nutrient contents of mushroom (Pleurotus sajor caju). (Data from Banik and Nandi, 2004)

Qi et al (2005) examined the effect of fermented waste as organic manure in cucumber and tomato production in North China. Before the vegetables transplantation, the diluted fermented residual dreg was applied 20-30 cm below the soil surface at a rate of 37,500 kg ha-1, while liquid digestate was sprinkled to the soil surface in three vegetables growing stages and on the vegetable leaves once time. They found increasing yield (18.4% and 17.8%) and vitamin C content (16.6% and 21.5%) of treated cucumber and tomato, respectively.

As the results show, the digestate application in solid or liquid form could result significant improvement in the quality of foods without damaging the environment, which is very important for the sustainable environment and healthy life.