Changes in Chemical Properties and Effect on Germination of Radish Seed from Aeration of Co-digestate Fertilizers

This study aimed to determine the minimum period of aeration treatment of co-digestate to develop it as liquid fertilizer and the chemical changes that occur in the aerobic liquefying process. The co-digestates were divided into three types depending on their additives: swine slurry anaerobic digestate (SS AD), swine slurry 70% + cow slurry 30% anaerobic digestate (SS + CS AD), and swine slurry 70% + apple pomace 30% anaerobic digestate (SS + AP AD). The pH of all co-digestates increased rapidly after 3 days of aerobic treatment, but had slightly decreased in SS AD after 9 days and in SS + CS AD and SS + AP AD after 15 days. All co-digestates showed a strongly reduced pH between 27 and 36 days of aeration treatment. SS AD had lower pH value, dissolved oxygen (DO), NH4-N, and NO3-N content under aerobic conditions than other co-digestates. To assess the fully decomposed liquid fertilizer, a germination test was performed on the undiluted and diluted co-digestate using the liquid fertilizer germination index (LFGI) method. The relative germination ratio, relative root elongation, and germination index of SS AD were higher than those of the others. When the LFGI method was used for the germination test, all co-digestates showed an appropriate germination index of 70 after 60 days of aeration treatment. Thus, we suggest that the minimum period of aeration treatment for co-digestates might be 60 days to develop the fully decomposed liquid fertilizer.