Phosphorus fertilising potential of fly ash and effects on soil microbiota and crop

Deborah Schönegger; María Gómez-Brandón; Thomas Mazzier; Heribert Insam; Roy Hermanns; Evert Leijenhorst; Tommaso Bardelli; Marina Fernández-Delgado Juárez

doi:10.1016/j.resconrec.2018.03.018

Phosphorus fertilising potential of fly ash and effects on soil microbiota and crop

Deborah Schönegger
, María Gómez-Brandón
, Thomas Mazzier
, Heribert Insam
, Roy Hermanns
, Evert Leijenhorst
, Tommaso Bardelli
, Marina Fernández-Delgado Juárez

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Academic › peer-review

34 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

The production of fast pyrolysis bio oil (FPBO) constitutes one of the newest technologies for gaining a liquid biofuel from woody biomass. During this process biomass fly ashes (FAs), rich in minerals and salts, are produced. However, FAs are often disposed in landfills and their fertilising potential has been underestimated. A greenhouse trial was set up to test the impact of FA on soil physico-chemical and microbiological properties with a special focus on phosphorus, one of the main limiting nutrients in terrestrial ecosystems. FA were added into an acidic grassland soil at a rate of 2% with wheat (Triticum aestivum subsp. spelta) used as test plant. Soil and plants were collected after an incubation period of 60 and 100 days. Ash application increased soil pH and electrical conductivity, and improved soil nutritional status by increasing soil total, inorganic, and plant available phosphorus over time. Accordingly, higher plant yields were observed in ash-treated soils. The effect of FA on microbial biomass, assessed as double stranded DNA content, was time dependent and increased significantly with plant presence. Acid phosphomonoesterase activity significantly decreased following ash addition. However, neither alkaline phosphomonoesterase (ALP) activity nor the abundance and composition of the ALP gene (phoD) harboured by bacteria were affected by FA application. On the whole, FA from FPBO production seems to improve soil nutrient status and plant growth without inheriting detrimental effects on soil microbial communities in the mid-term.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	262-270
Number of pages	9
Journal	Resources, Conservation and Recycling
Volume	134
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resconrec.2018.03.018
Publication status	Published - 1 Jul 2018
Externally published	Yes

Funding

The authors thank Christian Partl from the Amt der Tiroler Landesregierung for supplying the seeds for the trial; Monika Leitner for providing a soil sampling area; as well as Daniela Pirkebner and Peter Schönswetter from the Institute of Botany at the University of Innsbruck for kindly providing greenhouse space. T. Bardelli has been funded by a PhD grant from the University of Florence and by the Doctoral Scholarship for Junior Researchers (Vizerektorat für Forschung) at the University of Innsbruck. M. Gómez-Brandón acknowledges support by the Programa Ramón y Cajal ( RYC-2016-21231 ; Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad). The Residue2Heat project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation programme under Grant Agreement No. 654650 .

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 15 Life on Land

Keywords

Biomass fly ash
Enzymatic activities
Fast pyrolysis bio oil
phoD gene
Phosphorus
Soil microbial communities

Access to Document

10.1016/j.resconrec.2018.03.018

Cite this

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title = "Phosphorus fertilising potential of fly ash and effects on soil microbiota and crop",

abstract = "The production of fast pyrolysis bio oil (FPBO) constitutes one of the newest technologies for gaining a liquid biofuel from woody biomass. During this process biomass fly ashes (FAs), rich in minerals and salts, are produced. However, FAs are often disposed in landfills and their fertilising potential has been underestimated. A greenhouse trial was set up to test the impact of FA on soil physico-chemical and microbiological properties with a special focus on phosphorus, one of the main limiting nutrients in terrestrial ecosystems. FA were added into an acidic grassland soil at a rate of 2\% with wheat (Triticum aestivum subsp. spelta) used as test plant. Soil and plants were collected after an incubation period of 60 and 100 days. Ash application increased soil pH and electrical conductivity, and improved soil nutritional status by increasing soil total, inorganic, and plant available phosphorus over time. Accordingly, higher plant yields were observed in ash-treated soils. The effect of FA on microbial biomass, assessed as double stranded DNA content, was time dependent and increased significantly with plant presence. Acid phosphomonoesterase activity significantly decreased following ash addition. However, neither alkaline phosphomonoesterase (ALP) activity nor the abundance and composition of the ALP gene (phoD) harboured by bacteria were affected by FA application. On the whole, FA from FPBO production seems to improve soil nutrient status and plant growth without inheriting detrimental effects on soil microbial communities in the mid-term.",

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AU - Gómez-Brandón, María

AU - Mazzier, Thomas

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AU - Hermanns, Roy

AU - Leijenhorst, Evert

AU - Bardelli, Tommaso

AU - Fernández-Delgado Juárez, Marina

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AB - The production of fast pyrolysis bio oil (FPBO) constitutes one of the newest technologies for gaining a liquid biofuel from woody biomass. During this process biomass fly ashes (FAs), rich in minerals and salts, are produced. However, FAs are often disposed in landfills and their fertilising potential has been underestimated. A greenhouse trial was set up to test the impact of FA on soil physico-chemical and microbiological properties with a special focus on phosphorus, one of the main limiting nutrients in terrestrial ecosystems. FA were added into an acidic grassland soil at a rate of 2% with wheat (Triticum aestivum subsp. spelta) used as test plant. Soil and plants were collected after an incubation period of 60 and 100 days. Ash application increased soil pH and electrical conductivity, and improved soil nutritional status by increasing soil total, inorganic, and plant available phosphorus over time. Accordingly, higher plant yields were observed in ash-treated soils. The effect of FA on microbial biomass, assessed as double stranded DNA content, was time dependent and increased significantly with plant presence. Acid phosphomonoesterase activity significantly decreased following ash addition. However, neither alkaline phosphomonoesterase (ALP) activity nor the abundance and composition of the ALP gene (phoD) harboured by bacteria were affected by FA application. On the whole, FA from FPBO production seems to improve soil nutrient status and plant growth without inheriting detrimental effects on soil microbial communities in the mid-term.

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KW - Enzymatic activities

KW - Fast pyrolysis bio oil

KW - phoD gene

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KW - Soil microbial communities

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VL - 134

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EP - 270

JO - Resources, Conservation and Recycling

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ER -

Phosphorus fertilising potential of fly ash and effects on soil microbiota and crop

Abstract

Funding

UN SDGs

Keywords

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