Conversion of anaerobic digestates into biochar for sustainable fodder production in soilless agriculture
Ana L. Navas-Romero·Raúl Rodríguez·Romina Zabaleta·Erick Torres·Viviana N. Fernández-Maldonado·Mathías Riveros-Gomez·Patricia Alina Bres·German Delfor Mazza·M. Paula Fabani·E.Y. Sanchez
Abstract The valorization of anaerobic digestates through slow pyrolysis offers a sustainable pathway for agricultural systems. This study assessed the effects of digestate type (swine, cattle, and dairy) and pyrolysis temperature (400, 500, and 600 °C) on biochar properties and evaluated their impact on maize ( Zea mays ) fodder grown under hydroponic-like soilless conditions. Thirty-six treatments were evaluated in a factorial design combining digestate source, temperature, and application rat