Making Compost Contributions
1. Presentation
Characterization of the technique
Description of the technique:
| Adeline Michel | CER FRANCE Normandy | amichel(at)50.cerfrance.fr | Fleury sur Orne (14) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rémy Ballot | INRA | remy.ballot(at)grignon.inra.fr | Grignon (78) |
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Promote biological degradation under moist and aerated conditions of livestock effluents, green waste… Composting allows a reduction in effluent volume (about 50%) and hygienization of the product (destruction of weed seeds, pathogens...) due to the temperature rise caused by biological activity (6 weeks above 40°C including 10 days above 60°C are necessary for this). Conditions favorable to biological degradation require one or more windrow turnings (using a windrow turner or a fixed-position spreader) to promote aeration of the compost. The obtained compost can be spread at a rate of 10 to 15 tons per hectare.
Example of implementation:
Compost from strawy cattle manure, co-composting of wet cattle manure and green waste, poultry manure compost…
Implementation period On established crop
Spatial scale of implementation Farm
Application of the technique to...
All crops: Easily generalizable
All soil types: Easily generalizable
Compost application is particularly beneficial on loamy soils sensitive to crusting and erosion.
All climatic contexts: Easily generalizable
Regulation
2. Services provided by the technique
3. Effects on the sustainability of the cropping system
"Environmental" criteria
Effect on air quality: Variable
GHG emissions: VARIABLE
Effect on water quality: Increasing
N.P.: DECREASE
Effect on fossil resource consumption: Variable
Fossil energy consumption: VARIABLE
Other: No effect (neutral)
Air : Composting involves fuel consumption, thus greenhouse gas emissions, for windrow turning. However, volume reduction limits consumption related to spreading compared to spreading raw products.
Water : Nitrogen release from compost is slower than from raw effluents (stable organic matter with slow mineralization). The risk of nitrogen transfer to water is thus limited.
Fossil energy: Composting involves fuel consumption for windrow turning. However, volume reduction limits consumption related to spreading.
"Agronomic" criteria
Productivity: No effect (neutral)
Soil fertility: Increasing
Compost application effectively and sustainably improves soil organic matter content.
Water stress: Decreasing
Compost application effectively and sustainably improves soil organic matter content and thus the available water capacity.
Functional Biodiversity: Increasing
Compost application helps improve soil biological activity.
"Economic" criteria
Operational costs: Variable
In some cases and in the long term, regular compost applications can reduce mineral fertilizer inputs.
Mechanization costs: No effect (neutral)
Mechanization costs involved in composting (windrow formation, turning…) are offset by reduced costs related to spreading compared to spreading raw product (volume halved). Composting cost (windrow turning performed by a third party) averages €0.77 per ton of composted manure for two passes.
Margin: No effect (neutral)
"Social" criteria
Working time: Decreasing
Working time related to windrow formation and turning is offset by reduced time for loading and spreading (volume halved).
Observation time: No effect (neutral)
4. Favored or disadvantaged organisms
Favored Bioagressors
| Organism | Impact of the technique | Type | Details |
|---|
Disadvantaged bioagressors
| Organism | Impact of the technique | Type | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| weeds | MEDIUM | weeds |
Favored Auxiliaries
| Organism | Impact of the technique | Type | Details |
|---|
Disadvantaged Auxiliaries
| Organism | Impact of the technique | Type | Details |
|---|
Favored climatic and physiological accidents
| Organism | Impact of the technique | Details |
|---|
Disadvantaged climatic and physiological accidents
| Organism | Impact of the technique | Details |
|---|
5. For further information
- On-farm composting guide
- -Chambre d'agriculture of Occitanie, Technical brochure, 2019
- Compost: a deadly weapon against crusting and erosion!
- -Agroperspectives
Press article, 2011
Terre-net.fr, Press article, 2013
6. Keywords
Bioagressor control method: Cultural control
Mode of action: Action on initial stock
Type of strategy regarding pesticide use: Redesign
Annexes
Est complémentaire des leviers
Défavorise les bioagresseurs suivants
