ARS | Publication request: Availability of residual phosphorus from broiler litter ash and layer manure ash amended soil for Paspalum vaginatum uptake

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: April 4, 2010
Publication Date: November 3, 2010
Citation: Codling, E.E. 2010. Availability of residual phosphorus from broiler litter ash and layer manure ash amended soil for Paspalum vaginatum uptake. Meeting Abstract. pp. 304-307.

Technical Abstract: It has been hypothesized by several scientists that poultry litter ash could be used as a slow releasing phosphorus fertilizer that will become available over time. To test this hypothesis, a greenhouse study was conducted using a broiler litter ash, layer manure ash and calcium phosphate to determine phosphorus availability for Paspalum (Paspalum vaginatum) after consecutive cropping with corn (Zea Mays), wheat (Triticum aestivum) and soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr]. In the original study, broiler litter ash, layer manure ash and calcium phosphate were applied at two rates (40 and 80 mg P kg-1) to a limed low phosphorus silt loam soil from the Beltsville series. Each pot contained two kilograms of the amended soil replicated four times. After the third crop (soybean), soil was mixed and sample removed for Mehlich-3 extraction. Four pre-rooted Paspalum cuttings were planted in each pot and fertilized with 100 kg ha-1 nitrogen as potassium and magnesium nitrate. Plants were harvested, 8, 14 and 18 weeks after planting. Averaged over harvest, yields were higher for the plants grown on the phosphorus amended soil compared to the control. There was no significant difference in yield between phosphorus source or the phosphorus rates. Phosphorus concentration in the Paspalum tissue will be presented.