Deciphering the Effectiveness of Humic Substances and Biochar Modified Digestates on Soil Quality and Plant Biomass Accumulation

Abstract

The effective use of digestate as exogenous organic matter to enhance soil carbon sequestration depends on the balance between labile and recalcitrant organic carbon, which is influenced by the type of feedstock, the fermentation process, and the fraction (liquid, solid) of the fermented product used. In this work, in order to change the ratio of labile to stable carbon in the resulting fertiliser, the digestate was mixed with organic carbon-rich supplements: biochar and Humac (a humic acid-rich substance). The pot experiment was carried out under controlled conditions with maize (Zea mays L.) in soil amended with the digestate (D), which was incubated with Humac (H), biochar (B), or a combination of both (D + B + H) before the application. Digestate enriched with Humac showed improved short-term nutrient (carbon, phosphorus, nitrogen) transformation, as indicated by soil enzyme activity and the highest maize biomass production of. Total carbon content, C:N ratio, short-term respiration activity, and nitrification were most enhanced by digestate enriched with either biochar or combined biochar + Humac). Long-term nitrogen mineralization was mostly enhanced by digestate + Humac, as indicated by amino-acid-induced respiration and urease activity. Short-term positive effects of digestate + biochar (eventually + Humac) on catabolism were proven, whereas their long-term effects on nutrient mineralization were negative (i.e., biochar-mediated immobilization, sequestration), which should be the focus of further research in future.

Humic Substances: Importance for Agriculture, Affinity and Interactions with Soil Amendments and Pollutants

“…The objective of "Deciphering the Effectiveness of Humic Substances and Biochar Modified Digestates on Soil Quality and Plant Biomass Accumulation" by J. Holatko, T. Hammerschmiedt, O. Latal, A. Kintl, A. Mustafa, T. Baltazar, O. Malicek, and M. Brtnicky is to examine the changes in labile-to-stable carbon induced by the addition of organic carbon-rich supplements to Zea mays L. pot experiments. Humic acid alone or combined with biochar improved the short-term nutrient (carbon, phosphorus, and nitrogen) transformation, the respiration activity, the nitrification and catabolism, the total carbon content and C/N ratio, and the long-term nitrogen mineralization [4].…”

‘Soil and Plant Nutrition’—A Section of Agronomy: Advances and Perspectives

“…Biochar is the most intensively investigated amendment and is widely described in the literature, including in the 'Soil and Plant Nutrition' section [6,[21][22][23][33][34][35][36][37][38][39]. Many review papers (1327 reviews indexed in the Web of Science Core Collection in categories related to agronomy) and meta-analyses have already been written on this subject [40][41][42][43][44][45][46][47][48].…”