Land application of stabilized manure and biofertilisers from recycled organic waste streams: Effects on greenhouse gas emissions, soil properties and crop yields

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Large quantities of manure and organic wastes produced from farm feedlots and other sources pose logistic (such as disposal, transportation cost if land-filled and social acceptability) as well as environmental problems, such as odor, greenhouse gas production and nutrient loss. Biogas production and biodigestion of manure followed by composting provides an opportunity for environmental friendly application of stabilized manure (or biofertilizers) for crop production, improvement of soil properties, and reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. This research will test the economic (crop productivity) and environmental benefits (improvement of soil properties and reduction of greenhouse gas emissions) of organic fertilizer applications in agricultural production by comparing the applications of inorganic fertilizers, stabilized manure, biofertilizer, and biofertilizer combined with blended biochar, using a rigorously designed experiment. This research will also evaluate the effects of stabilized manure and biofertilizer applications on soil physical, chemical and biological activities. We aim to improve our understanding of the benefits of the application of stabilized manure and biofertilizers and enable the promotion of biofertilizer application in agricultural production systems as an alternative to disposing manure in landfills. This would benefit companies in marketing the product and in developing techniques for proper application of organic fertilizers in the field.