Solid and Liquid Cattle Manure Application in a Subarctic Soil: Bromegrass and Oat Production and Soil Properties

Abstract

An experiment was conducted in subarctic Alaska from 1999 to 2001 to determine the effect of liquid and solid cattle (Bos taurus) manure application rates on smooth bromegrass (Bromus inermis Leyss.) and oat (Avena sativa L.) biomass production, nutrient uptake, and soil properties. One-time manure application of 100 and 200 kg N ha 21 was made in May 1999 in comparison with annual fertilizer application of 50, 100, and 200 kg N ha 21. In the first year, liquid manure at 100 and 200 kg N ha 21 generated 3036 and 4292 kg ha 21 smooth bromegrass biomass, respectively, statistically (p $ 0.05) similar to that of fertilizer application (3654 kg ha 21) at 200 kg N ha 21 but greater (p # 0.05) than control (1572 kg ha 21). Similar results were found with oat. The 200 kg N ha 21 liquid manure application continued to benefit crop growth in the second and third years. Solid manure did not influence biomass production of either crop in most crop/year combinations. Cumulatively, in 3 yr, smooth bromegrass recovered 59% of nitrogen from liquid manure, compared with 37% by oat. Soil Mehlich 3-P accumulation was found in some liquid and solid manure treatments for both crops. High soil exchangeable K was found in 1999 after liquid manure application but declined over time. Our results suggest that 100 kg N ha 21 liquid manure can replace nitrogen fertilizer at a similar rate. Liquid cattle manure was better than solid cattle manure in promoting bromegrass and oat production.

Acúmulo de carbono em Latossolo adubado com dejeto líquido de suínos e cultivado em plantio direto

“…Esses resultados são indicativos de que o efeito do dejeto de suíno não se resume ao suprimento dos três nutrientes da adubação tradicional. Isso porque esse dejeto tem efeitos positivos adicionais aos do adubo solúvel, como a diminuição da disponibilidade de Al e o aumento de Ca (Cassol et al, 2012) e de outros nutrientes (Zhang et al, 2006), especialmente micronutrientes e outras substâncias estimulantes que podem favorecer a produtividade das culturas (Annicchiarico et al, 2011).…”

“…Isso evidencia que a adição de C ao solo pela fitomassa, na ausência de fertilização, foi insuficiente para compensar a perda de C decorrente, principalmente, da mineralização microbiana da MOS (Zhang et al, 2006 Olson et al (2014) observaram incremento de C orgânico no solo após a transição de cultivo convencional para sistema plantio direto, da ordem de 0,50 Mg ha -1 por ano.…”

Liquid Cattle Manure Application to Soil and Its Effect on Crop Growth, Yield, Composition, and on Soil Properties

“…Such LCM application rates resulted in increased crop yields at levels similar to the inorganic fertilizers. However, the same was evident when LCM was applied at rates equivalent to the recommended inorganic N fertilization for crops, based on LCM total N content (Kaffka & Kanneganti, 1996;Lithourgidis et al, 2007;Matsi et al, 2003;Zhang et al, 2006). In addition, there are cases of applying cattle slurry at rates equivalent to the recommended inorganic N fertilizers, based on LCM initial plant available N content (Patni & Culley, 1989;Randall et al, 2000), or on this plus the expected amount of organically bound N that would be mineralized during the growing season (Beauchamp, 1986;Griffin et al, 2002).…”

“…Soil application of liquid cattle manure (LCM) (excrements plus urine, occasionally containing bedding material) can enhance plant growth and increase crop yield (Beauchamp, 1986;Culley et al, 1981;Evans et al, 1977;Kaffka & Kanneganti, 1996;Lithourgidis et al, 2007;Matsi et al, 2003;Motavalli et al, 1989;Sutton et al, 1986;Zhang et al, 2006;Zebarth et al, 1996). In most of the cases, crop yield increases are accompanied by increases in plant macronutrients concentration and/or uptake Lithourgidis et al, 2007;Matsi et al, 2003;Motavalli et al, 1989;Sutton et al, 1986).…”

“…Due to the high quantity of immediately available N, LCM can be as efficient as inorganic fertilizers in satisfying plant needs in respect to N, when it is applied at equivalent rates (Kaffka & Kanneganti, 1996;Lithourgidis et al, 2007;Matsi et al, 2003;Zhang et al, 2006). In addition to N, LCM can increase soil available P and K, upon its use as an organic fertilizer (Beauchamp, 1983;Culley et al, 1981;Lithourgidis et al, 2007;Matsi et al, 2003;Pratt & Laag, 1981;Randall et al, 2000;Sutton et al, 1979Sutton et al, , 1986Zhang et al, 2006).…”