The agricultural value of whole biomethanation digestate and its various fractions: potential use in fertilization and recycled bedding

Stéphane Godbout

Researcher, P.Eng., agr., Ph.D.

418 643-2380
ext 600

Contact Stéphane Godbout
Christine Landry, researcher

Christine Landry

Researcher, agr., Ph.D.

418 643-2380
ext 640

Contact Christine Landry

Caroline Côté

Researcher, agr., Ph.D.

450 653-7368
ext 310

Contact Caroline Côté

Description

The project comprises two components:

  1. The assessment in field trials of the efficiency of nitrogen fertilizers derived from the whole digestate of anaerobic digestion and from nitrogen-concentrated filtrate. If the digestate and filtrate meet the standards of the Guide to the Recycling of Fertilizing Residual Materials, trials will be set up at the IRDA experimental farm in Deschambault during the 2021 and 2022 growing seasons. To determine the nitrogen efficiency coefficients, four protocols will be followed annually for two crops (grain corn and oats) in light and heavy soils.
  2. The microbiological characterization of the digestate solid fraction for use as bedding in dairy production.

Objective(s)

  • Determine the potential agricultural value of digestate and its various fractions as a fertilizer (for the digestate and liquid fractions) or as recycled bedding (for the solid fraction).
  • Provide a description of the fertilization characteristics of these products and validate their safety.
  • Determine, in situ, the fertilizing efficiency of digestate and concentrated filtrate.
  • Determine the quality of the recycled bedding created from the solid fraction.

From 2020 to 2023

Project duration

Livestock production, Field crops

Activity areas

Fertilizer management, Animal welfare, Food safety and quality, Environmental regulations

Services

This work will open up new possibilities for the use of biomass.

Partners

Ministère de l'Agriculture, des Pêcheries et de l'Alimentation du Québec | Centre de recherche en sciences animales de Deschambault | COOP Carbone | Institut universitaire de cardiologie et de pneumologie de Québec | Université Laval | Université de Montréal

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