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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Kimberly, Idaho » Northwest Irrigation and Soils Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #60989

Title: BICARBONATE EXTRACTABLE K AND SOLUBLE CA, MG NA AND K MOVEMENT FROM WHEY IN TWO CALCAREOUS SOILS

Author
item Robbins, Charles
item HANSEN, CONLY - UTAH STATE UNIV LOGAN
item ROGINSKI, MARK - UTAH STATE UNIV LOGAN
item SORENSEN, D - UTAH STATE UNIV LOGAN

Submitted to: Journal of Environmental Quality
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/13/1995
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: The American cheese and butter industry produces 9 billion gallons of whey each year. Much of it is applied to soils as fertilizer or as a method of treating waste water. Much of the cheese production is moving to areas with calcareous soils, and only limited information is available on the effects of whey on these high pH soils. This study showed that when 200,000 gallons of whey were applied per acre over a two-year period soluble salts accumulated and plant available potassium increased in the surface soil. At their highest rate, excess salt and potassium accumulations would develop if these rates were continued. However, at lower rates, no salinity or potassium problems should develop.

Technical Abstract: Cheese whey contains from 1.0 to 1.4 g K/kg and 5.0 to 10.0 g total salts/kg and has an electrical conductivity (EC) of 7 to 15 dS/m. Much of the 34 billion L (9 billion gallons) of whey produced in the United States each year is applied to soils. Whey application effects on the salinity and K status of irrigated calcareous soils is not well documented. Changes in soil sodium adsorption ratio (SAR), EC, pH and Ca, Mg, Na, and K concentrations resulting from whey application to irrigated, calcareous soils were measured in two soils that received various whey application rates. Application time of year was also a variable. Potassium application rates up to 2,200 kg/ha did not increase the bicarbonate extractable K below 0.3 m in a silty clay loam soil. Up to 2,090 kg/ha K application rates did not increase the bicarbonate extractable K concentrations below 0.6 m in a silt loam soil. The 0.0-0.3 m soil depth Bicarbonate extractable K concentrations increased to over 500 mg K/kg soil in the 0.0 - 0.3 m soil depth at the highest application rates and may be of concern for some crops. Soil pH and SAR were not affected sufficiently to be a concern under the conditions of these studies. The saturation paste extract EC increased to nearly 2.0 dS/m in the surface 0.3 m depth under the highest whey rate and would possibly affect the yield of salt sensitive crops until the salt is leached lower into the profile. If soil salinity was not already a concern, the effect would be short-lived under normal irrigation with good quality water.