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ARS Home » Midwest Area » St. Paul, Minnesota » Soil and Water Management Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #263903
Title: Nutrient losses from fall- and winter-applied manure: effects of timing and soil temperature

Author
item WILLIAMS, MARK - Pennsylvania State University
item Feyereisen, Gary
item BEEGLE, DOUGLAS - Pennsylvania State University
item SHANNON, ROBERT - Pennsylvania State University

Submitted to: Proceedings of the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers International (ASABE)
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/1/2011
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Soil temperature is a major environmental factor that affects meltwater and precipitation infiltration and nutrient cycling. The objective of this study was to determine nutrient losses in runoff and leachate from fall- and winter-applied dairy manure as affected by soil temperature at the time of application. Manure was applied to lysimeters containing intact soil cores representing three soil temperature treatments: early-fall (Oct. 21, 16°C), late-fall (Nov. 16, 4.5°C), and winter (Dec. 15, -6.5°C). Runoff and leachate were collected during a series of four rainfall simulations (Oct. 2009-Jan. 2010) followed by a total of five natural snowmelt and rainfall events (Feb.- April 2010). When manure was applied during the winter there were significantly greater nutrient losses in runoff during the first rainfall after manure application. This was attributed to the frozen soil at the time of application. Infiltration of water and nutrients after the early-fall and late-fall manure applications resulted in significant losses of nutrients in leachate compared to the winter application. The results of this research show that both soil temperature and timing of manure application are significant factors in determining nutrient losses from fall- and winter-applied manure.