Subsurface Application of Poultry Litter in Pasture and No‐Till Soils

Pote, D. H.; Way, Thomas R.; Kleinman, Peter J. A.; Moore, P.; Meisinger, J. J.; Sistani, K. R.; Saporito, Lou S.; Allen, Arthur L.; Feyereisen, Gary W.

doi:10.2134/jeq2010.0352

Cited by 55 publications

(75 citation statements)

References 28 publications

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“…In other words, overall NH 3 volatilization losses in 2009 were more than 12 times higher from surface-applied litter than from subsurface (injected) litter and were more than 4 times higher from disked-in litter than from subsurface litter. These results were very similar to those from research studies on perennial grassland that also showed subsurface application of poultry litter prevented more than 90% of NH 3 loss when compared to surface-applied poultry litter Pote et al 2011). In Sweden, Rodhe and Karlsson (2002) applied broiler manure in May 1998 after using a harrow to break the soil surface, and found that about 39% of the NH 3 -N from the surface-applied manure was volatilized after five days, whereas incorporating the manure into the soil effectively prevented NH 3 volatilization.…”

Section: Resultssupporting

confidence: 86%

“…The prototype poultry litter injector known as a Subsurfer (figure 1) has been described in more detail by Pote et al (2011). Briefly, it uses a patented internal auger system to distribute a steady flow of dry, untreated poultry litter from a 4,540 kg (10,000 lb) hopper capacity to eight shallow, parallel soil trenches simultaneously.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…When compared to conventional surface spreading of poultry litter, studies have shown that the Subsurfer technology can decrease odor problems, prevent more than 90% of nutrient losses in runoff events that follow litter applications, and increase crop yields . Research has also shown that subsurface application of poultry litter can prevent more than 97% of NH 3 loss from perennial grassland Pote et al 2011), but the effectiveness of this technology for preventing NH 3 volatilization from conservation tillage systems has not been previously studied. Therefore, a two-year research project was conducted to determine the effect of litter application method on the rate of NH 3 volatilization from dry poultry litter applied to a high-residue conservation tillage system.…”

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confidence: 99%

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Effect of poultry litter application method on ammonia volatilization from a conservation tillage system

Pote¹,

Meisinger²

2014

Journal of Soil and Water Conservation

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Ammonia (NH 3 ) volatilization from agricultural fields is important economically as a direct loss of the valuable crop nutrient nitrogen (N), but it can also be a significant environmental concern for soil, air, and water quality of nearby ecosystems. As poultry production has expanded in cropland areas of the southeastern United States, poultry litter has become a major source of crop nutrients for farmers using conservation tillage systems. However, the conventional application method of broadcasting poultry litter on the soil surface can allow as much as 60% of the applied litter N to volatilize as NH 3 . To provide management options that can prevent NH 3 losses and help farmers use poultry litter nutrients more efficiently, a research team at USDA's Agricultural Research Service developed a prototype tractor-drawn implement for subsurface application of dry poultry litter in perennial pasture and conservation tillage systems. When compared to surface broadcasting, previous research showed that subsurface application of poultry litter decreased odor problems, increased crop yields, prevented more than 90% of nutrient losses in runoff, and prevented NH 3 volatilization from perennial pasture systems. The current study was conducted to expand our knowledge regarding the effect of this litter application method on NH 3 volatilization from row-crop conservation tillage systems. For two consecutive summers, field plots with a uniform high-residue surface cover of chopped wheat straw received about 5,000 kg ha -1 (4,500 lb ac -1) of poultry litter applied by surface spreading with no incorporation, surface spreading followed by light disking, or subsurface banding using the prototype USDA ARS applicator. Small mobile wind tunnels monitored NH 3 volatilization for at least five days after each litter treatment. Results for both years showed that NH 3 losses were consistently affected by diurnal variations that were closely related to the vapor pressure deficit. Compared to conventional surface spreading of poultry litter, NH 3 volatilization decreased an average of 67% when the litter application was followed by light disking, and decreased an average of 88% when the litter was applied below the soil surface using the prototype applicator. These data show that subsurface injection of dry poultry litter can preserve adequate surface cover for conservation needs while constraining NH 3 losses to minimal levels, thus conserving N for row crops and reducing potential nitrogen losses to the environment.

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Section: Resultssupporting

confidence: 86%

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Effect of poultry litter application method on ammonia volatilization from a conservation tillage system

Pote¹,

Meisinger²

2014

Journal of Soil and Water Conservation

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“…Significant advances have been made in the arena of land application methods for poultry litter, including the development of subsurface placement technologies formerly available only for liquid manures. These technologies have been shown to significantly reduce nutrient runoff from litter-amended soils and even increase crop yields (Pote et al 2011). Their benefit is derived from the removal of litter from the soil surface where it serves as a concentrated source of contaminants, placing the litter near the roots of plants where litter-derived nutrients can be beneficially used.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Transport of dissolved trace elements in surface runoff and leachate from a Coastal Plain soil after poultry litter application

Kibet

Allen

Church³

et al. 2013

Journal of Soil and Water Conservation

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Abstract:The application of poultry (Gallus gallus domesticus) litter to agricultural soils may exacerbate losses of trace elements in runoff water, an emerging concern to water quality. We evaluated trace elements (arsenic [As], mercury [Hg], selenium [Se], and zinc [Zn]) in surface runoff and leachate from an agricultural soil with and without poultry litter application. Litter from a commercial operation was applied by three methods-broadcast application, subsurface placement, and broadcast application followed by disking-to no-till soils with a history of receiving litter. Soil monolith lysimeters (61 by 61 by 61 cm)(24 by 24 by 24 in) were extracted from each of the treatments and subjected to rainfall simulation (1 hour, 61 mm h -1 [2.4 in hr ) of As and Zn in runoff during the first event relative to other application methods. Notably, incorporating litter, either by disking after broadcasting or by subsurface placement, lowered As and Zn in runoff to near background levels by the second event, and there were no significant differences in As and Zn between any of the treatments. While Hg and Se were detected in runoff, they likely derived from edaphic sources as they were not detected in the litter nor did they differ significantly between treatments. Results point to poultry litter as a temporary source of some trace elements to runoff. This source can be readily controlled by adjusting application method.

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“…Improved N conservation due to subsurface application was demonstrated by increased PSNT values, significantly so in the spring (Fig. 1b), echoing Pote et al (2011). Significantly larger PSNT values after spring subsurface application than fall indicate N efficiencies increase with applications nearer planting.…”

Section: Agronomic Efficiencymentioning

confidence: 78%

Subsurface Application Enhances Benefits of Manure Redistribution

Liu

Kleinman

Beegle

et al. 2016

Agricultural & Env Letters

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Core Ideas Manure redistribution adds fertility benefits to recipient fields. Subsurface application of poultry litter has environmental benefits. Redistribution plus subsurface application benefits both farmers and the environment. Sustainable nutrient management requires redistribution of livestock manure from nutrient‐excess areas to nutrient‐deficit areas. Field experiments were conducted to assess agronomic (i.e., corn yield) and environmental (i.e., ammonia volatilization and surface nutrient loss) effects of different poultry litter application methods (surface vs. subsurface) and timings (fall vs. spring) in a potential manure‐importing region in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed in the United States. All four litter treatments (205 kg nitrogen ha−1) produced grain yields (10.9–12.8 Mg ha−1) nearly equivalent to or higher than the 11.5 Mg ha−1 yield expected from the same mineral nitrogen rate. Compared with surface application, subsurface application significantly reduced ammonia emission (p < 0.0001), runoff volume (fall: p = 0.02; spring: p = 0.004), and loads of nitrate nitrogen (p < 0.0001; p = 0.003) and dissolved phosphorus (p < 0.0001; p = 0.004) soon after application. Integrating subsurface manure application technologies into the manure redistribution programs would help ensure that the surplus nutrients being relocated provide a maximum agronomic impact and minimum environmental impact to the importing region.

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Subsurface Application of Poultry Litter in Pasture and No‐Till Soils

Cited by 55 publications

References 28 publications

Effect of poultry litter application method on ammonia volatilization from a conservation tillage system

Effect of poultry litter application method on ammonia volatilization from a conservation tillage system

Transport of dissolved trace elements in surface runoff and leachate from a Coastal Plain soil after poultry litter application

Subsurface Application Enhances Benefits of Manure Redistribution

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