ARS | Publication request: FORAGE SUBSURFACE DRIP IRRIGATION USING TREATED SWINE EFFLUENT

Submitted to: Irrigation Association Conference Proceedings
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: September 12, 2005
Publication Date: November 6, 2005
Citation: Stone, K.C., Hunt, P.G., Millen, J.A., Johnson, M.H. 2005. Forage subsurface drip irrigation using treated swine effluent. In: Proceedings of The Irrigation Association Emerging Irrigation Technology Conference, November 6-8, 2005, Phoenix, Arizona. p. 57-61.

Technical Abstract: An experimental subsurface drip irrigation (SDI) system was initiated to evaluate the use of treated swine effluent on a bermuda grass forage crop. The SDI system was installed in Duplin County, North Carolina, at the location of an innovative swine wastewater treatment system. The effluent from the treatment facility was applied to Bermuda grass forage crop at agronomic nutrient rates. Treated wastewater application below the soil surface reduces nutrient loss potential through volatilization and places nutrients in the rooting zone. Results from the forage SDI system indicated that treatments receiving treated waste as their nutrient source had higher biomass yields.