ARS | Publication request: Broiler Litter Source, Placement and Timing on Corn Grain Yield, N Uptake and Recovery, and Soil Residual NO3-N

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: May 3, 2010
Publication Date: November 4, 2010
Citation: Adeli, A., Tewolde, H., Jenkins, J.N. 2010. Broiler litter source, placement and timing on corn grain yield, N uptake and recovery, and soil residual NO3-N. Agronomy Abstracts. CD-ROM.

Technical Abstract: Use of broiler litter as an economical alternative source of nutrients for no-till corn production has been increasing in southeastern states. Surface application of broiler litter to no-till system, however, exposes the litter and its nutrients to potential loss in runoff, volatilization, and wind erosion. Placing the litter in narrow bands below the soil surface may reduce or eliminate such losses but has not been evaluated and its effects lacking in the literature. It is hypothesized that subsurface banding of broiler litter will reduce nutrient loss, increase corn grain yield, N recovery and reduce soil residual NO3-N. While spring application of manure provided the best agronomic response in most instances, many farmers in Mississippi apply broiler litter in the fall as a source of P and K. On a private farm, a study was conducted in a silt loam soil in 2007 and 2008 to evaluate the effect of broiler litter source (fresh vs. pelletized litter), placement (band vs. broadcast) and timing (fall vs. spring) under a no-till system on corn grain yield, N uptake and recovery, and residual soil NO3-N. At the same rate, pelletized litter resulted in greater grain yield than fresh litter when either placed in a subsurface band (6.2 vs. 5.4 Mg ha-1, respectively) or applied as surface broadcast (5.9 vs. 4.0 Mg ha-1). No significant difference was obtained between subsurface and surface broadcast when pelletized litter was used (6.2 vs, 5.9 Mg ha-1, respectively). However, with fresh litter, surface broadcast application produced grain yield that was 25% lower than subsurface band application (4.0 vs. 5.4 Mg ha-1, respectively). Grain N recovery was in the order of standard fertilizer>pelletized litter>fresh litter. Regardless of the source, corn grain yield with surface broadcast application of broiler litter in the spring was greater than corn grain yield when broiler litter was applied in the fall.