Digestate Application on Grassland: Effects of Application Method and Rate on GHG Emissions and Forage Performance

Result code in IS VaVaI

<a href="https://www.isvavai.cz/riv?ss=detail&h=RIV%2F60460709%3A41310%2F25%3A101767" target="_blank" >RIV/60460709:41310/25:101767 - isvavai.cz</a>

Alternative codes found

RIV/00027006:_____/25:10178073 RIV/26788462:_____/25:N0000051 RIV/62156489:43210/25:43927661

Result on the web

<a href="https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/15/5/1243" target="_blank" >https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/15/5/1243</a>

DOI - Digital Object Identifier

<a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/agronomy15051243" target="_blank" >10.3390/agronomy15051243</a>

Result language

angličtina

Original language name

Digestate Application on Grassland: Effects of Application Method and Rate on GHG Emissions and Forage Performance

Original language description

The application of digestate as a fertilizer offers a promising alternative to synthetic inputs on permanent grasslands, with benefits for productivity and environmental performance. This four-year study evaluated the impact of two digestate application methods—disc injection (I) and band spreading (S)—combined with four dose variants (0, 20, 40, and 80 m3·ha-1), including split-dose strategies. Emissions of ammonia (NH3), carbon dioxide (CO2), and methane (CH4) were measured using wind tunnel systems immediately after application. Vegetation status was assessed via Sentinel-2-derived Normalized Difference Vegetation Index, Normalized Difference Water Index, and Modified Soil Adjusted Vegetation Index, and agronomic performance through dry matter yield (DMY), net energy for lactation (NEL), and relative feed value (RFV). NH3 and CO2 emissions increased proportionally with digestate dose, while CH4 responses suggested a threshold effect, but considering solely the disc injection, CH4 flux did not increase markedly with higher application rates. Disc injection resulted in significantly lower emissions of the monitored fluxes than band spreading. The split-dose I_40+40 variant achieved the highest DMY (3.57 t·ha-1) and improved forage quality, as indicated by higher NEL values. The control variant (C, no fertilization) had the lowest yield and NEL. These results confirm that subsurface digestate incorporation in split doses can reduce emissions while supporting yield and forage quality. Based on the findings, disc injection at 40+40 m3·ha-1 is recommended as an effective option for reducing emissions and maintaining productivity in managed grasslands.

Czech name

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Czech description

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Type

J_imp - Article in a specialist periodical, which is included in the Web of Science database

CEP classification

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OECD FORD branch

40101 - Agriculture

Project

Result was created during the realization of more than one project. More information in the Projects tab.

Continuities

P - Projekt vyzkumu a vyvoje financovany z verejnych zdroju (s odkazem do CEP)<br>S - Specificky vyzkum na vysokych skolach

Publication year

2025

Confidentiality

S - Úplné a pravdivé údaje o projektu nepodléhají ochraně podle zvláštních právních předpisů

Name of the periodical

Agronomy

ISSN

2073-4395

e-ISSN

2073-4395

Volume of the periodical

15

Issue of the periodical within the volume

5

Country of publishing house

CH - SWITZERLAND

Number of pages

23

Pages from-to

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UT code for WoS article

001495861200001

EID of the result in the Scopus database

2-s2.0-105006410690