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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Florence, South Carolina » Coastal Plain Soil, Water and Plant Conservation Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #365537

Research Project: Improvement of Soil Management Practices and Manure Treatment/Handling Systems of the Southern Coastal Plain

Location: Coastal Plain Soil, Water and Plant Conservation Research

Title: Nitrogen mineralization in a sandy soil amended with treated low-phosphorus broiler litter

Author
item Szogi, Ariel
item Shumaker, Paul
item Ro, Kyoung
item Sigua, Gilbert

Submitted to: Environments
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/11/2019
Publication Date: 8/14/2019
Citation: Szogi, A.A., Shumaker, P.D., Ro, K.S., Sigua, G.C. 2019. Nitrogen mineralization in a sandy soil amended with treated low-phosphorus broiler litter. Environments [MDPI]. 6(8):96. https://doi.org/10.3390/environments6080096.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/environments6080096

Interpretive Summary: Most of the spent broiler litter is applied to soils as a source of plant nutrients for crop and forage production. However, recurrent land application of broiler litter in regions with a high concentration of poultry farms is a major environmental concern because of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) buildup in soils to elevated levels. After soil application, a significant fraction of the organic N in broiler litter mineralize into ammonium (NH4) and nitrate (NO3). Both inorganic N forms become available for plant use during the growing season but they also can be lost via leaching or surface runoff and emissions of ammonia (NH3) and nitrous oxide (N2O). A low P litter, by product from a treatment method developed by USDA-ARS, called Quick Wash, was tested as an organic soil amendment and nitrogen (N) source. A laboratory incubation study was conducted in a sandy soil to compare the effect of adding untreated fine or pelletized broiler litter versus low-P treated fine or pelletized broiler litter on N mineralization. Untreated litter materials provided high levels of mineralized N, 71% of total N applied for FUL and 64% for PUL, with rather high losses of NH3 of 24% to 35% and N2O losses of 3.3% to 7.4% of total N, respectively. Instead, soil application of low-P treated litter provided lower levels of mineralized N, 42% for FLP of total applied N and 29% for PLP, but with lower NH3 losses of 5.7% for FLP for and 4.1% for PLP, and very low N2O loses of < 0.5%. Differences in mineralized N between untreated and treated broiler litter products were attributed to contrasting organic carbon and N contents and acidity of the low-P materials. Soil application of treated low-P litter appears as an option for slow N release and reduction of NH3 and N2O soil losses.

Technical Abstract: Low-phosphorus (P) litter, a manure treatment byproduct, can be used as an organic soil amendment and nitrogen (N) source but its effect on N mineralization is unknown. A laboratory incubation study was conducted to compare the effect of adding untreated (fine or pelletized) broiler litter (FUL or PUL) versus extracted, low-P treated (fine or pelletized) broiler litter (FLP or PLP) on N dynamics in a sandy soil. All four litter materials were surface applied at 157 kg N ha-1. The soil accumulation of ammonium (NH4+) and nitrate (NO3-) were used to estimate available mineralized N. The evolution of carbon dioxide (CO2), ammonia (NH3), and nitrous oxide (N2O) was used to evaluate gaseous losses during soil incubation. Untreated litter materials provided high levels of mineralized N, 71% of the total N applied for FUL and 64% for PUL, while NH3 losses were 24% to 35% and N2O losses were 3.3% to 7.4% of the total applied N, respectively. Soil application of low-P treated litter provided lower levels of mineralized N, 42% for FLP and 29% for PLP of the total applied N with NH3 losses of 5.7% for FLP for and 4.1% for PLP, and very low N2O losses (0.5%). Differences in mineralized N between untreated and treated broiler litter materials were attributed to contrasting C:N ratios and acidity of the low-P litter byproducts. Soil application of treated low-P litter appears as an option for slow mineral N release and abatement of NH3 and N2O soil losses.