ARS | Publication request: Fertilizer Effectiveness of Phosphorus Recovered from Broiler Litter

Submitted to: Agronomy Journal
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: December 15, 2009
Publication Date: March 1, 2010
Repository URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10113/41337
Citation: Szogi, A.A., Bauer, P.J., Vanotti, M.B. 2010. Fertilizer effectiveness of phosphorus recovered from broiler litter. Agronomy Journal. 102(2):723-727.

Interpretive Summary: The potential of phosphorus (P) recovered from broiler litter using a new process (‘quick wash’) as plant fertilizer is not known. The objective of this study was to determine the effectiveness of this P material for plant growth. A greenhouse study was conducted with annual ryegrass to compare the recovered P (RP) to commercial triple superphosphate (TSP) and to broiler litter (BL) as a fertilizer source applied at increasing P rates (0, 22, 44, 88, and 176 mg P per kilogram of soil). Three harvests of the ryegrass were made at 2-wk intervals. Total P plant uptake increased linearly with application rate for all three fertilizer materials. Chemical analysis of the RP material revealed that over 90% of the P in the RP material was mostly plant available P. Plant available soil P extracted at the end of the experiment indicated that the amount of RP material that dissolved was much less than TSP. Although the soil available P using RP was less than TSP or BL, dry matter yields were not different among the three fertilizer sources. The RP material appears to have potential as a fertilizer source.

Technical Abstract: Phosphorus (P) can be recovered from broiler litter using a new process (‘quick wash’). However, limited information is available on the beneficial reuse of this P product as plant fertilizer. The objective of this study was to determine the agronomic effectiveness of this P material. A 7-wk greenhouse study was conducted with annual ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum Lam.) to compare the recovered P (RP) to both commercial triple superphosphate (TSP) and raw broiler litter (BL) as a fertilizer source. Fertilizer rates were 0, 22, 44, 88, and 176 mg P kg'1 soil. Three harvests of the ryegrass were made at 2-wk intervals. On average, biomass production was higher than the control with no P for plants fertilized with RP, BL or TSP. Total P uptake increased linearly with application rate for all three fertilizer materials. At the highest application rate, total P uptake was 36.1 mg pot-1for TSP, 21.3 mg pot-1 for the BL, and 17.3 mg pot-1 for the RP. Chemical analysis of the RP material revealed that over 90% of the P2O5 in the RP material was mostly plant available P as citrate-soluble. Mehlich-3 extractable soil P at the end of the experiment indicated that less RP material dissolved than TSP during this short study. The RP material appears to have potential as a fertilizer source.