A "nutrient-rich" waste product could be used to fertilise sports grounds, soil and energy crops.

The Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) is funding two-year trials of digestate, similar to compost, across Scotland, England and Wales in the landscape and regeneration sectors.

Those behind the scheme hope the trials will increase the opportunities for producers of digestate by building confidence in the use of the material.

Digestate is a by-product of the anaerobic digestion process. It can be applied to land as a bio-fertiliser, or with other organic materials to improve soil quality.

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Ian Wardle of WRAP said: "It is important that we find new markets for this useful, nutrient-rich product. Along with agriculture, the landscape and regeneration sectors are significant potential markets for digestate."

Field trials will assess the use of the liquid fraction of digestate as a bio-fertiliser on sports turf such as golf course fairways, football pitches and in commercial turf production. They will compare the use of digestate against standard fertilizers.

Energy crop trials will use digestate to establish miscanthus and reed canary grass, and examine the effect on the yield and quality of the harvested crop, as well as the practical and cost impacts of using digestate in this way.

Soil trials will assess whether digestate can be blended with other materials to manufacture or improve in-situ soils.

Interim results will be published in 2013. For more information, visit the WRAP website.

(NE)