ARS | Publication request: Agronomic effectiveness of phosphorus materials recovered from manure

Submitted to: Recycling of Agricultural Municipal and Industrial Residues
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: April 15, 2008
Publication Date: June 11, 2008
Citation: Szogi, A.A., Bauer, P.J., Vanotti, M.B. 2008. Agronomic effectiveness of phosphorus materials recovered from manure. p. 52-56. In: Proceedings of Recycling of Agricultural Municipal and Industrial Residues (RAMIRAN) 13th International Conference, June 2008, Albena, Bulgaria.

Technical Abstract: Land application of large amounts of manure from confined livestock facilities is an environmental concern often associated often associated to excess phosphorus (P) in soils and potential pollution of water resources. Recovery of P from livestock manure is an attractive approach when on-farm application of manure is limited by strict nutrient management plans. New treatment processes have been developed to recover P from manure in concentrated solid form. We have recovered P from liquid pig manure and poultry litter. The high P concentration of these recovered P materials suggests that they likely have utility as a fertilizer source. A study was conducted to evaluate these materials as fertilizer sources. The study was conducted under greenhouse conditions. Annual ryegrass was the test crop. The two recovered P materials from pig manure (26% P2O5) and broiler litter (11% P2O5) were compared to commercial triple super phosphate (TSP). Treatments were three fertilizer sources and five fertilizer rates (0, 22, 44, 88, and 176 mg P/kg soil). Three harvests of plant tissues were made in each trial. Plant tissues were oven-dried and acid digested. Phosphorus from soil collected at the end of each trial was extracted using the Mehlich 3 procedure. Both plant tissue digest and soil extracts were analyzed for P using colorimetric analysis. Plants fertilized with recovered P from pig manure or broiler litter had P uptake responses almost as good as TSP. Although further research is needed under field conditions and on various soil types for fertilizer application recommendation, both recovered P materials appear to have potential as fertilizer source.