Nitrogen- and phosphorus-based applications of cattle manure and compost for irrigated cereal silage

Abstract

E. 2010. Nitrogen-and phosphorus-based applications of cattle manure and compost for irrigated cereal silage. Can. J. Soil Sci. 90: 619Á635. Land application of livestock manure has caused concern about excess nutrients in soil and the potential risk to water quality. Application of manure based on cropnutrient requirements is considered a beneficial management practice. A field study was conducted to assess the feasibility and impact of crop-based N and P application rates of cattle (Bos taurus) manure and compost for crop productivity and accumulation of extractable soil N and P. The 6-yr (2002Á2007), small-plot field study included 10 amendments: control (CONT), annual synthetic fertilizer N (F-N), annual synthetic fertilizer P (F-P), annual synthetic fertilizer N plus P (F-NP), annual N-based manure (M-N), annual P-based manure (M-P), three times the P-based manure once per 3 yr (M-3P), annual N-based compost (C-N), annual P-based compost (C-P), and three times the P-based compost once per 3 yr (C-3P). Amendments were arranged in randomized complete block design with five replicates and applied based on annual soil testing and nutrient recommendations. The test crops were triticale ()Triticosecale rimpaui Wittm.) and barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) silage managed under irrigation. Dry matter yields for CONT and F-P were significantly smaller than for the other treatments. There were generally no significant differences among the six organic and F-NP amendments. Apparent N recovery (ANR) was greatest for F-NP (45%) and F-N (41%), followed by the P-based organic amendments (26Á34%), M-N (15%), and smallest for C-N (10%). Apparent P recovery (APR) was greatest for F-NP (30%) and smallest for M-N (6%) and C-N (4%). The APR for the P-based organic amendments ranged from 14 to 22%. Application of the amendments did not result in the accumulation of excess nitrate N in the soil profile. The M-N and C-N amendments applied for 6 yr increased extractable P in the 0-to 0.15-m soil layer from 12 mg kg(1 to 121 and 156 mg kg (1 , respectively. Crop productivity and soil nutrient responses indicated that assumptions made for P and N availability in manure and compost were reasonably accurate. Based on the results, P-based application of manure or compost can achieve optimum crop yield and prevent nutrient build-up in soil. Under the conditions of this study, the amount of land required to accommodate P-based application would be five to seven times more for manure and eight to ten times more for compost compared with N-based application.

Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Potassium Availability in Manure- and Sewage Sludge–Applied Soil

“…Both P and K in soil did not increase in the F treatment compared to the control; neither did they increase over time in the F treatment. This shows that both organic amendments added significant quantities of available P and K, more than inorganic fertilizer did, even though the target comparable value was N. This was in agreement with other researchers, who have reported that organic amendments added to soils targeting equivalent total N additions tend to overapply other nutrients, such as P and K. For example, Olson et al (2010) in their 6-year field study found that P-based manure application would require seven to ten times less manure than N-based application. Downloaded by [New York University] at 11:41 16 June 2015 Table 2 pH, electrical conductivity (EC), soil organic matter (SOM), Olsen P, and exchangeable K at the end of each of the 2 years of experiment EC SOM Olsen P…”

Soil Properties under Nitrogen‐ vs. Phosphorus‐Based Manure and Compost Management of Corn

“…For example, Schlegel (1992) reported an increase in Bray-1 STP from an initial value of 13 to 67 mg kg −1 with the addition of composted beef cattle feedlot manure at 16.1 Mg ha −1 (N-based management) after 3 yr of annual applications. Similarly, greater STP with N-based management systems was reported by Toth et al (2006) for dairy manure, by Olson et al (2010) for cattle manure, and by Maguire et al (2008) for poultry litter, reflecting positive P balances.…”

Agronomic Values of Anaerobically Digested Cattle Manure and the Separated Solids for Barley Forage Production

“…A 6-yr study of an irrigated triticale (Triticosecale spp. )-barley forage rotation found that the ANR from N-based beef cattle feedlot manure applied to a calcareous soil near Lethbridge, AB, was 15% (Olson et al, 2010b). We suspect that the greater recovery from the cattle manure probably resulted from irrigation boosting N mineralization, yield, and N uptake.…”