Using Biogas Derived Digestate of Chicken Manure for Wheat Crop Fertilization: A Laboratory-Scale Investigation

The aim of this study was to compare the fertilizer properties of anaerobic digestion residues of chicken manure and fresh chicken manure with the aim of benefiting from the produced biogas and alleviating the environmental problems of fresh chicken manure. A total of ۳۰ experimental pots were used for soil treatments and wheat planting. At the end of the growing season, soil variables and physical properties of wheat were measured. Based on the results the use of chicken manure digestate as a fertilizer had relatively increased soil nitrogen, organic carbon and phosphorus, kept the soil pH neutral, and improved wheat yield components. Compared to fresh chicken manure, not only has the quality of chicken manure digestate as bio-fertilizer not decreased, but it has improved in some respects. Compared to fresh chicken manure, the application of chicken manure digestate showed better or at least equal results. In general, the use of digestate has led to ۲, ۲.۴, ۳.۴, ۰.۵۷ and ۰.۴۴ fold increases in the amount of soil OC, soil P, soil N, root weight and grain weight; and a ۷۰% decrease in soil pH, respectively. Due to the environmental benefits of anaerobic digestion of chicken manure and also the production of biogas as a valuable product and proving that the quality of the resulting fertilizer is not reduced, the use of chicken manure digestate as organic fertilizer has more advantages than the use of fresh chicken manure and even enriched chicken manure.