Evaluation of Poultry Litter Amendment to Agricultural Soils: Leaching Losses and Partitioning of Trace Elements in Collard Greens

Abstract

Leaching of trace metals and greenhouse plant growth (Collard greens; Brassica oleracea var. acephala) response studies were conducted in two types of soils with contrasting characteristics amended with varying rates (0 to 24.70 Mg ha −1 ) of poultry litter (PL) or 1:1 mixture of PL and fly ash (FA). Leaching of Cr, Zn, Cd, Cu, and Pb from soils amended with PL or PL + FA (1:1) increased with increasing rates of amendment. Leaching losses were greater from coarsetextured soil compared to that from medium-textured soil. Crop performance study indicated that growth as well as trace elements concentrations increased with increasing rates of amendments only up to 12.35 Mg ha −1 . Trace element concentrations in plant parts were greater in plants grown in Candler fine sand (CFS) compared to that grown in Ogeechee loamy sand (OLS). Trace element concentrations were greater in the above ground plant parts (leaf and stem) than those in roots. This study demonstrated beneficial effects of PL or mixture of PL + FA amendments to soils at rates not exceeding 4.94 Mg ha −1 . Further field studies are recommended to evaluate the long-term impact of using poultry litter and fly ash on plant growth and tissue trace metal concentration as well as environmental impact.

Immobilization of copper in contaminated sandy soils using calcium water treatment residue

“…Copper is mobile under both acidic and highly alkaline conditions, but its mobility is usually the lowest at neutral to slightly alkaline pH [9,10]. A range of amendments have been tested for Cu immobilization, including fly ash, clay minerals, compost, sewage sludge, peat, phosphates, and lime [11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20]. These materials reduce the mobility and toxicity of Cu to biota by raising soil pH and chemisobing or precipitating Cu in soils [21].…”

Copper Bioavailability to Beans (Phaseolus vulgaris) in Long-Term Cu-Contaminated Soils, Uncontaminated Soils, and Recently Cu-Spiked Soils

“…Jones (1972, as cited in Paramasivam et al, 2009) reports that the concentrations of less than 4 mg/kg are considered deficient and copper concentrations of more than 20 mg/kg are considered toxic. Therefore, bean plants in the present study did not take up copper in excess quantities.…”

Swine manure application methods effects on ammonia volatilization, forage quality, and yield in the Pre-Amazon Region of Brazil

“…Low rainfall values do not favor manure incorporation because they may increase NH3 losses by providing the necessary moisture for the hydrolysis of urea found in manure (Kong et al, 1991;Freney et al, 1992). The effect of rainfall in reducing ammonia volatilization has been well-documented (Sharpe et al, 2004;Paramasivam et al, 2009;Faria et al, 2013) and may be explained by the fact that rainwater dilutes superficial NH4 (thereby reducing the partial pressure of NH3) and also transports NH4 deeper into the soil (thus increasing resistance to volatilization) (Van der Molen et al, 1990).…”