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ARS Home » Plains Area » Brookings, South Dakota » Integrated Cropping Systems Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #292623
Title: Nutrient export in tile drainage: Comparing manure injection to fertigation

Author
item Schneider, Sharon
item Feyereisen, Gary
item Wente, Christopher - Chris
item Baker, John

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/29/2013
Publication Date: 9/26/2013
Citation: Papiernik, S.K., Feyereisen, G.W., Wente, C.D., Baker, J.M. 2013. Nutrient export in tile drainage: Comparing manure injection to fertigation. 246th American Chemical Society National Meeting and Exposition, September 9-12, 2013, Indianapolis IN. AGRO 74, vol. 84, p. 107.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Subsurface tile drainage of agricultural land is implicated as a major source of nutrients to the Mississippi River. To protect water quality, land application of manure should maximize crop nutrient use and minimize nutrient loss. Weather constraints and regulations restrict the period during which manure can be land-applied in the upper Midwest. We performed on-farm experiments at the large-field scale to test the concept of applying liquid dairy manure through center pivot irrigation during the growing season to silage corn. Our objectives were to compare subsurface drainage nutrient losses (nitrate and dissolved reactive phosphorus) and corn silage yields for fall manure injection (standard practice) and fertigation with dairy slurry. Results showed that water flux and nutrient export had very high temporal variability, with most of the water flow occurring during the spring. Fertigation holds promise as a means to reduce nutrient export by subsurface tile drainage.