BIOMASS YIELD AND PHOSPHORUS AVAILABILITY FOR WHEAT GROWN ON HIGH PHOSPHATE SOILS AMENDED WITH PHOSPHATE-INACTIVATING RESIDUES. III. FLUIDIZED BED COAL COMBUSTION ASH

Authors: Codling, Eton; MULCHI, CHARLES - UNIV MD; Chaney, Rufus

Submitted to: Communications in Soil Science and Plant Analysis
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 12/4/2001
Publication Date: 4/1/2002
Citation: CODLING, E.E., MULCHI, C.L., CHANEY, R.L. BIOMASS YIELD AND PHOSPHORUS AVAILABILITY FOR WHEAT GROWN ON HIGH PHOSPHATE SOILS AMENDED WITH PHOSPHATE-INACTIVATING RESIDUES. III. FLUIDIZED BED COAL COMBUSTION ASH. COMMUNICATION IN SOIL SCIENCE PLANT ANALYSIS. 2002.

Interpretive Summary: Use of industrial byproducts such as Fluidized bed coal combustion ash (BA) which is high in calcium (Ca) is one method being considered to immobilize soil phosphorus in the poultry producing area of Maryland Eastern Shore. Due to the ability of calcium (Ca) to inactivate phosphorus, the potential for reduction in yield for crops grown on soils amended with BA is a concern to farmers. Three crops of wheat were grown on three high P soils (Matapeake, Evesboro, and Woodstown) amended with BA at rates of 0,10,25, and 50 g kg-1 to: 1) determine the effect on yield, phosphorus, and manganese uptake, and 2) phosphorus and Mn concentration in the amended soils after three croppings with wheat. Wheat yield was significantly reduced with the addition of BA. Plant P concentrations were also reduced with the addition of BA. Plant P concentrations were in the low to sufficient range for all treatments and soils with the exception of the 50 g kg-1 rate on the Matapeake soil for which plants were in the deficient range. Plant Mn concentrations were reduced with the addition of BA. Both water soluble P and Mehlich-3 extractable P were significantly reduced with the addition of BA and increasing crop cycle for the three soils. BA addition increased the soil pH and significantly reduced Mn availablity for the three soils. Because the potential for phosphate runoff was reduced effectively by BA application, field testing would be necessary to see if the yield reduction at low rates of BA occurred only in pot studies, or also occurred in the field.

Technical Abstract: High Phosphorus(P)soils in the poultry producing area of Maryland's Eastern Shore pose an environmental risk to surface and ground water. Previous studies have shown that chemical grade Ca as well as Ca containing byproducts can significantly lower soluble P in high P soils. A growth chamber experiment was conducted using Matapeake, Evesboro, and Woodstown soils that had received poultry litter for over 30 years and which had Mehlich 3-P (M3-P) above 800 mg kg-1 to: 1) determine the effect of bed ash (BA) on wheat yields and on P and Mn uptake and 2) examine pH and extractable P and Mn concentration in soils after three cropping cycles with wheat. BA was mixed with the soils at rate of 0, 10, 25 and 50 g kg-1 soil followed by incubation for 7 weeks. Three crops of wheat (Triticum aestivum)were then grown in succession. Biomass yield (BM) was reduced significantly with the addition of BA. Plant P concentration was significantly lower than the control at all rates of BA addition for all soils. Plant P concentration was in the low to sufficient range for all treatments and soils with the exception of the 50 g kg-1 BA rate on the Matapeake soil for which plant P was in the deficient range. Plant Mn concentrations were within the range considered to be sufficient for wheat. Both water soluble P and M3-P concentrations were reduced with the addition of BA and increasing crop cycle for all soils. Water soluble P was much more highle eorrelated with plant P content than was M3-P for all soils. BA addition increased the soil pH and reduced Mn concentration for all soils. Field testing would be necessary to see if the yield reduction at low rates of BA occurred only in pot studies, or also occured in the field.