Closing nutrient loops in a maize rotation. Catch crops to reduce nutrient leaching and increase biogas production by anaerobic co-digestion with dairy manure.

Abstract Three catch crop species, ryegrass, forage rape and black oat, were grown between successive rotations of maize to reduce nitrogen leaching due to maize fertilization with digested dairy manure. Catch crops showed a high nutrient uptake, but with a wide range, depending on the year and the specie. Ensiling was shown to be a feasible storing method increasing catch crop methane production per hectare between 14–36% compared with fresh catch crop. In semi-continuous co-digestion experiments, methane production was increased between 35–48%, in comparison with anaerobic digestion of dairy manure alone. Catch crops were shown to be a good co-substrate, being a sustainable option to prevent leaching of nutrients to the environment, thus closing the loops from production to utilization by optimal recycling measures.