Agricultural effect and evaluation of anaerobic digestate of the OFMSW as fertilizer on winter triticale

Abstract

Anaerobic Digestion (AD) has proven to be an economically viable technologyto treat the organic fraction of the municipal solid wastes (OFMSW). Research regardingthe management and application of AD byproducts in Mexico, is required to encourage theprivate sector and local administrations to invest in this technology. In this study, fodder wintertriticale (x triticosecale Wittm. ex A. Camusvar. Rio Nazas) was grown to demonstrate thefertilizer effect and to evaluate the raw digestate generated from the AD under thermophilicconditions of locally sampled OFMSW, using a batch scale digester. The digestate producedwas incorporated into a 6 m2plot according to the recommender fertilization for this crop. Atthe same time, a crop treated with inorganic fertilizer (IF) and a control were grown, eachon a plot of same dimensions, for comparison purposes. The fertilizer effect was measuredin crop yield (Mg ha−1), seed efficiency (kgTriticalekgSeed−1) and bromatological value.Overall, the digestate treatment had better results in crop yield (12.54 Mg ha−1) and seedefficiency (83.61 kgTriticalekgSeed−1) than those achieved with the IF (11.16 Mg ha−1and74.43 kgTriticalekgSeed−1, respectively) and the control. Whereas the bromatological value,a statistical analysis revealed that, regardless of the treatment, the mineral uptake, protein,sugar and fiber content were not significantly different (p > 0.05). Raw digestate generatedfrom AD of the OFMSW under thermophilic conditions, is a valuable by product, rich enoughto fully substitute IF for growing triticale Río Nazas.