Dahlin, Sigrun
- Department of Soil and Environment, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
Abstract
Four selected by-products (biogas digestate, pot ale, wood ash and rockdust) were tested for their fertiliser value to a mixed perennial ryegrass-red clover crop in terms of crop performance (yield and botanical composition) and mineral quality. To render the results relevant to production systems on marginal land, two inherently low-fertility soils were used for the 14 months pot experiment. A number of nutrients of interest in high-yielding dairy production were determined in plants and soils: N, P, K, Ca, Mg, Na, Co, Cu, Mn, Mo, Ni and Zn. All tested by-products increased overall yield and affected nutrient concentrations of the individual plant species. The effects differed between the grass and clover, though, which lead to changes in botanical composition indirectly affecting the nutrient concentrations of the mixed crop. Individual by-products increased concentrations of Cu, Mg, Na and/or Zn to close to or over the recommended minimum concentrations. There is thus potential to enhance agricultural productivity on marginal land through improved forage production and quality by matching of by-products, soils and forage species/mixtures. However, to secure sustainable use of by-products as fertilisers or soil amendments, soil quality must be considered and monitored in addition to crop quality, e.g. by using element balances.
Keywords
by-products; yield; grass-clover ley;
Published in
Publisher: Norwegian University of Life Science
Conference
4th Annual Conference of the Cost Action FA 0905 Mineral Improved Crop Production for Healthy Food and Feed - Essential and Detrimental trace Elements entering the Food Chain via Plants
SLU Authors
Ramezanian Bajgiran, Atefeh
- Department of Crop Production Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
- Department of Crop Production Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
Campbell, Colin
- Department of Soil and Environment, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
- The James Hutton Institute
- Department of Soil and Environment, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
Hillier, Stephen
- Department of Soil and Environment, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
- Department of Soil and Environment, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
Öborn, Ingrid
- Department of Crop Production Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
- World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF)
- Department of Crop Production Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
UKÄ Subject classification
Soil Science
Agricultural Science
Permanent link to this page (URI)
https://res.slu.se/id/publ/65384