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This research was funded by the Spanish Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (Direccion General de Desarrollo Rural, Innovacion y Formacion Agroalimentaria-DGRIFA) and the European Agricultural Funds for Rural Development-FEADER, grant O00000226e2000044284_GO23.

Analysis of institutional authors

Quilez, DoloresCorresponding AuthorBalcells, MariaAuthorHerrero, EvaAuthor

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November 5, 2025
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Reducing Ammonia Emissions from Digested Animal Manure: Effectiveness of Acidification, Open Disc Injection, and Fertigation in Mediterranean Cereal Systems

Publicated to:Agriengineering. 7 (10): 352- - 2025-10-18 7(10), DOI: 10.3390/agriengineering7100352

Authors: Quilez, Dolores; Balcells, Maria; Herrero, Eva

Affiliations

Agroalimentaria Aragon CITA, Ctr Invest & Tecnol, Dept Sistemas Agr Forestales & Medio Ambiente, Avda Montanana 930, Zaragoza 50059, Spain - Author
Ctr Invest & Tecnol Agroalimentaria Aragon CITA, Oficina Proyectos, Avda Montanana 930, Zaragoza 50059, Spain - Author

Abstract

Ammonia poses a risk to human health and terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. In Spain in 2022, the agricultural sector was responsible for 97% of ammonia emissions to the atmosphere, with the application of animal manure as fertilizer accounting for 24.4% of these emissions. The search for effective mitigation strategies in the application of animal manures is imperative to support the implementation of policies that contribute to the sustainability of the agricultural sector. The aim of this study is to evaluate three digestate application techniques, namely, acidification, open disc injection, and fertigation, in a wheat-maize rotation and compare them to traditional trail hose application. In spring wheat topdressing, acidification is the most efficient method for reducing ammonia emissions, followed by disc injection and, finally, fertigation. In the summer base dressing to maize, acidification is the best method, with more than 70% reduction compared with trail hoses. In terms of both base dressing and side-dressing fertilization, the most efficient method is fertigation, with a 70% reduction, followed by acidification and disc injection (>25%). Although the three methods reduce ammonia emissions, they have certain drawbacks: fertigation requires previous solid/liquid separation, acidification requires ad hoc equipment, and disc injection requires high mechanical traction.

Keywords

AcidificationAmmoniaAmoniacoAplicación de abonosDigestateDigestatoDisc injectionEmisiones de gases de efecto invernaderoExposed surface-areaFertigationFertilizersGaseous emissionsInfiltrationLivestock slurryMitigación del cambio climáticoNitrogenStorageStrategiesTreated cattle slurryVolatilization

Quality index

Bibliometric impact. Analysis of the contribution and dissemination channel

The work has been published in the journal Agriengineering due to its progression and the good impact it has achieved in recent years, according to the agency Scopus (SJR), it has become a reference in its field. In the year of publication of the work, 2025, it was in position , thus managing to position itself as a Q1 (Primer Cuartil), in the category .

Impact and social visibility

From the perspective of influence or social adoption, and based on metrics associated with mentions and interactions provided by agencies specializing in calculating the so-called "Alternative or Social Metrics," we can highlight as of 2025-11-22:

With a more dissemination-oriented intent and targeting more general audiences, we can observe other more global scores such as:

    It is essential to present evidence supporting full alignment with institutional principles and guidelines on Open Science and the Conservation and Dissemination of Intellectual Heritage. A clear example of this is:

    • The work has been submitted to a journal whose editorial policy allows open Open Access publication.
    • Assignment of a Handle/URN as an identifier within the deposit in the Institutional Repository: http://hdl.handle.net/10532/7902

    Leadership analysis of institutional authors

    There is a significant leadership presence as some of the institution’s authors appear as the first or last signer, detailed as follows: First Author (Quílez Sáez De Viteri, Dolores) and Last Author (Herrero Mallen, Eva).

    the author responsible for correspondence tasks has been Quílez Sáez De Viteri, Dolores.