Carbon and Nitrogen Mineralisation in Soils and Nutrient Efficiency of Digestates from Fruit and Vegetable Wastes

Abstract A significant amount of fruit and vegetable wastes is generated annually in markets, supermarkets, restaurants households. Anaerobic digestion allows their appropriate management helps to complete the cycle circular economy as it converts into resources: biogas, a renewable source energy, digestate, rich nutrients interest for agriculture. The aim this study was define agronomic value digestate from wastes. Two digestates residues were used incubation experiments C N mineralisation soil, pot experiment with crops (cardoon maize), calculate fertiliser potential comparison mineral fertiliser. quickly mineralised soil nitrification processes led fast formation NO 3 − -N. However, increasing application rate enhanced N-immobilisation reduced N-mineralisation soil. addition resulted adequate plant growth nutrient composition, without any negative effects on plants or special attention should be paid salt accumulation long-term application. recovery efficiency indicated that could replace completely cardoon partially (44.5–82.6%) maize, an associated economic benefit. salinity limits quality agricultural use salt-sensitive limited.