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ARS Home » Midwest Area » St. Paul, Minnesota » Plant Science Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #103530
Title: CORN BIOMASS PRODUCTION AND ELEMENTAL COMPOSITION IN SOILS AMENDED WITH GASIFIED ALFALFA STEM ASH

Author
item MOZAFFARI, MORTEZA - UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA
item ROSEN, CARL - UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA
item Russelle, Michael
item NATER, EDWARD - UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA

Submitted to: Agronomy Abstracts
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/20/1999
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Utilization of industrial byproducts as soil amendments is often a sound alternative to land filling. Gasification of alfalfa for electricity generation is projected to generate significant quantities of ash in Minnesota. We evaluated the potential use of this ash as a fertilizer and a liming agent in the growth chamber. Three Minnesota agricultural soils were eused, Waukegan silt loam (pH 6.4, low K, and high P), Wykeham sandy loam (pH 6.9, low P, and low K), and Hubbard sand (pH 4.9, low K, and high P). Treatments included a control, 7 ash rates ranging from 900 to 22,000 kg/ ha, 220 kg/ha K, 34 kg/ha P, and a K+P fertilizer addition. Ash application significantly affected corn shoot production. Low to medium ash rates increased shoot dry mass, whereas high ash rates decreased it. Ash application significantly increased plant tissue K but not P. Ash application significantly increased exchangeable K, Ca, and Mg, extractable eP, and pH. The effect of ash on other nutrients in soil and plant will be discussed. This study indicated that alfalfa stem ash could be used as a source of K and as a liming agent.