ARS | Publication request: LACK OF INCORPORATION REDUCES BENEFITS OF POULTRY LITTER APPLIED TO NO-TILL COTTON

Submitted to: National Cotton Council Beltwide Cotton Conference
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: January 4, 2005
Publication Date: January 7, 2005
Citation: Tewolde, H., Shankle, M.W., Sistani, K.R., Rowe, D.E., Adeli, A. 2005. Lack of incorporation reduces benefits of poultry litter applied to no-till cotton. National Cotton Council Beltwide Cotton Conference 2005. New Orleans, Jan 4-7, 2005 pp. 2504-2506

Technical Abstract: Poultry litter which is a multi-nutrient fertilizer can only be applied to no-till cotton by broadcasting on the soil surface without incorporation. This practice leaves some fraction of litter-derived N vulnerable to volatilization loss. Research was conducted in North MS in 2003 to estimate the magnitude of litter benefit loss due to lack of incorporation of surface-applied broiler litter. The results showed that applying litter on the soil surface without incorporation is an effective method of fertilizing no-till cotton. However, nearly 10% of the litter benefit is lost due to lack of incorporation which implies an upward adjustment by 10% of the litter rate is necessary when litter is used as the primary fertilizer of no-till cotton.