Yield in double cropping system as affected by N fertilization rate with pig slurry in a Catalonia dryland region

Intensive swine production is an important agricultural and economical activity in Europe. The high availability of pig slurry (PS) lead to attractive fertilization strategy to reduce costs, therefore is mainly applied as fertilizer in agricultural systems. The optimization N fertilization in these areas should be taken in into to avoid nitrates losses by lixiviation and to achieve maximum efficiency in crop nutrition. Many studies have shown that PS applications can achieve satisfactory yields in different crops by partially or completely replacing synthetic fertilizers. In addition, for the last years, in Northeast Spain (Catalonia) has been widely extended the double-cropping forage system

Efecto de la fertilización con purín de cerdo en sistemas de doble cultivo en secanos subhúmedos del noreste de Cataluña

La producción intensiva de cerdos se ha desarrollado significativamente en muchas áreas de Europa en las últimas décadas. En estas zonas se genera gran cantidad de deyecciones ganaderas que pueden ser utilizadas directamente como fertilizante orgánico para los cultivos. Con el fin de investigar los efectos de la fertilización nitrogenada con purín de cerdo en rotaciones de doble cultivo anual se llevó a cabo un ensayo de campo desde 2006 hasta 2015 en Cataluña bajo condiciones mediterráneas subhúmedas de secano. Se realizaron cuatro tratamientos de fertilización con purín de cerdo con las siguientes dosis: 0, 170, 250 y 330 kg N ha-1 año-1. Los resultados sugieren que, la aplicación de N, en forma de purín de cerdo, con dosis superiores a 170 kg N ha-1 año-1, mejora tanto la producción obtenida por el sistema de doble cultivo, como la calidad del forraje en cuanto al contenido en proteína.La producció intensiva de porcs s'ha desenvolupat significativament en moltes àrees d'Europa en les últimes dècades. En aquestes zones es generen gran quantitat de dejeccions ramaderes que poden ser utilitzades directament com a fertilitzant orgànic per als cultius. Per tal d'investigar els efectes de la fertilització nitrogenada amb purí de porc en rotacions de doble cultiu anual es va dur a terme un assaig de camp des de 2006 fins a 2015 en Catalunya en condicions mediterrànies subhumides de secà. Es van realitzar quatre tractaments de fertilització amb purins de porc amb les següents dosis: 0, 170, 250 i 330 kg N ha-1 any-1. Els resultats suggereixen que, l'aplicació de N, en forma de purí de porc, amb dosis superiors als 170 kg N ha-1 any-1, millora tant la producció obtinguda pel sistema de doble cultiu, com la qualitat del farratge pel que fa al contingut en proteïna.Intensive pig production has developed significantly in many areas of Europe in the most recent decades. In these areas, large quantities of livestock slurries are generated and can be used directly as organic fertilizer for the crops. In order to investigate the effects of nitrogen fertilization in the form of pig slurry on double-annual cropping rotation, a field trial was carried out from 2006 to 2015 in Catalonia under rainfed sub-humid Mediterranean conditions. Four pig slurry fertilization treatments were applied with the following doses: 0, 170, 250 and 330 kg N ha-1 year-1. The results suggest that, under our conditions, the application of N, in the form of PS, at rates higher than the 170 kg N ha-1 year-1 of organic fertilizer, improves both the yield obtained by the double cropping system and the forage quality in terms of protein content

Biomass fuel production from cellulosic sludge through biodrying: Aeration strategies, quality of end-products, gaseous emissions and techno-economic assessment

This study assesses the technological, environmental and economic feasibility of biodrying to valorise cellulosic sludge as a renewable energy source. Specifically, three different aeration strategies were compared in terms of biodrying performance, energetic consumption, gaseous emissions, quality of end-products and techno-economic analysis. These strategies were based on different combinations of convective drying with biogenic heat produced. Two innovative biodrying performance indicators (Energetic Biodrying Index and Biodrying Performance Index) were proposed to better assess the initial and operational conditions that favour the maximum energy process efficiency and the highest end-product quality. The end-products obtained consistently presented moisture contents below 40% and lower heating values above 9.4 MJ·kg-1. However, the best values achieved were 32.6% and 10.4 MJ·kg-1 for moisture content and lower heating value, respectively. Low N2O and CH4 emissions confirmed the effective aeration of all three strategies carried out, while NH4 and tVOCs were related either to temperature or biological phenomena. A techno-economic analysis proved the economic viability and attractiveness of the biodrying technology for cellulosic sludge in all the strategies applied.This study was carried out within the framework of the ‘SMARTPlant’ Innovation Action, which has received funding from the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation program under grant agreement No. 690323. Joan Colón has received funding from the 2018 call for Ramón y Cajal Grants from the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities (reference RYC2018-026231-I) co-financed by the State Research Agency and the European Social Fund. Authors thank CirTec B.V. for providing CS samples for the study and Aigües de Manresa S.A for their availability and orientation. Authors would like also thank Nicola Vitale (Univ. of Catania, Italy) for his support developing the economic model

Pig slurry fertilization in a double-annual cropping forage system under sub-humid mediterranean conditions

In areas of Southern Europe with very intensive pig production, most of the pig slurry (PS) is applied asfertilizer. However, in the European Union, no more than 170 kg N ha−1year−1can be applied in nitratevulnerable zones (NVZs) from livestock manures. In this context, a six-year trial was conducted for amaize-triticale double-annual forage cropping rotation under rainfed conditions. Four different N rateswere applied (0, 170, 250 and 330 kg N ha−1year−1), to evaluate their effect on crop yield, N uptake, unre-covered N and soil nitrate content. The corresponding PS rates were defined as zero (PS 0), low (PSL)medium (PSM) and high (PSH). The annual average dry matter (DM) yields (maize + triticale) for the PSfertilization treatments PS0, PSL, PSM and PSH were 12.6, 17.7, 20.2 and 22.0 Mg DM ha−1, respectively.Maize DM yield was influenced mainly by weather conditions, and triticale DM yield was clearly influ-enced by initial soil NO3−-N and PS fertilization rates. Unrecovered N was affected by PS fertilizationrate and initial soil NO3−-N content. A residual effect of the PS when applied to maize had an importanteffect on soil NO3−-N and subsequent triticale DM yield. Moreover, total annual average unrecoveredN, considering the sum of both crops (maize + triticale), were 91, 144, and 222 kg N ha−1in PSL, PSMand PSH, respectively. In order to avoid part of this unrecovered N, mainly by lixiviation of nitrates, PSfertilization in triticale should be applied as side dressing at tillering. The application of N, in the formof PS, at rates higher than the legally permitted maximum of 170 kg N ha−1year−1, may result in betteryields. However, high rates of PS fertilization may originate in significantly lower N use efficiency anda higher potential environmental impact in double-cropping systems, practiced in rainfed sub-humidMediterranean conditions