On-Farm Evaluation of Poultry Manure as a Nitrogen Source for Corn

Poultry manure in Iowa is primarily used for row crop production. However, producers question the proportion of total manure N that is available for plant uptake under local conditions and using local manure types. The objectives of this study were to estimate the first-year supply of plant-availabl...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Soil Science Society of America journal 2011-03, Vol.75 (2), p.729-737
Main Authors: Ruiz Diaz, D.A, Sawyer, J.E, Mallarino, A.P
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Agronomy. Soil science and plant productions
Biological and medical sciences
chlorophyll
Composting
confidence interval
corn
corn stover
crop management
Earth sciences
Earth, ocean, space
Exact sciences and technology
fertilizer rates
fertilizers
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
General agronomy. Plant production
grain yield
leaves
management systems
Manures
nitrogen
nitrogen content
Other nutrients. Amendments. Solid and liquid wastes. Sludges and slurries
Poultry
poultry manure
soil
Soil science
Soil-plant relationships. Soil fertility. Fertilization. Amendments
Soils
Studies
Surficial geology
Zea mays
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Summary:Poultry manure in Iowa is primarily used for row crop production. However, producers question the proportion of total manure N that is available for plant uptake under local conditions and using local manure types. The objectives of this study were to estimate the first-year supply of plant-available N to corn (Zea mays L.) from three poultry manure types under producer crop management conditions across environments in Iowa, and to evaluate alternative soil and plant parameters as tools to assess N availability of poultry manure. Manure was applied at two rates, a low and high rate based on total N analysis of the manure (intending to supply approximately 84 and 168 kg total N), in addition to a no-manure control. The study was conducted at 18 locations from 2004 to 2006. Fertilizer equivalency determined from four rates of fertilizer N was used to estimate first-year poultry manure N availability. Across all manure types and sites, and using grain yield (GY) response, statistical confidence intervals indicated 38 to 55% of the total N applied with poultry manure was available to corn, with a mean 46% plant-available N. Analysis of postmaturity lower corn stalk NO3 −–N concentrations indicated 41% N availability, while leaf chlorophyll meter (CM) readings may be unreliable for estimating plant N availability as results indicated only 34% N availability. Soil NO3 −–N concentrations in early June appeared to vary with added NH4 +–N from the manure. This on-farm field study provided estimates of poultry manure plant-available N to corn with producer management systems and would include any volatile N losses during or after land-spreading.
ISSN:0361-5995
1435-0661
DOI:10.2136/sssaj2010.0110