Fertilizer value of sugarbeet processing precipitated calcium carbonate for crop production in Southern Idaho

Authors: Tarkalson, David; OLSEN, DAVEY - Amalgamated Sugar Company; Bjorneberg, David - Dave

Submitted to: Crop, Forage & Turfgrass Management
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/16/2023
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: The annual accumulation of precipitated calcium carbonate (PCC) in sugar processing factory stockpiles in the Northwest U.S. sugarbeet growing area can create problems related to storage requirement and environmental related issues. Utilizing this PCC for agricultural use may provide a long-term solution to this problem but applying PCC or other lime materials to high pH soils is not a common practice. Recently concluded research in southern Idaho has demonstrated that PCC application (rates up to 40 dry tons per acre) on calcareous soils does not negatively affect crop growth or yields. An alternative reason for PCC application may be to supply phosphorus and potassium as a fertilizer. The PCC in this study has concentrations of these nutrients of 24.8 lbs P2O5 per ton and 4.1 lbs K2O per ton. Data from this and other research studies suggests that PCC and phosphorus (P) fertilizer likely have equivalent plant P availability. Across common crops grown in the area, as P and potassium (K) fertilizer prices increased from 2018 and 2022, the value of P and K in PCC increased from $12.65 per ton to $25.54 per ton and $1.19 per ton to $2.87 per ton, respectively. Substituting PCC for fertilizer P and accompanying K could have resulted potential savings of between $39 per acre in 2018 to $80 per acre in 2022. Substituting PCC for fertilizer K could have resulted potential savings of between $34 per acre in 2018 to $77 per ac in 2022. Alternate uses, and transportation and application costs need to be accounted for to fully understand the full PCC value. Because Amalgamated Sugar Company is a grower owned cooperative, PCC utilization strategies are economically important for sugarbeet growers.

Technical Abstract: The annual accumulation of precipitated calcium carbonate (PCC) in sugar processing factory stockpiles in the Northwest U.S. sugar beet growing area can create problems related to storage requirement and environmental related issues. Utilizing this PCC for agricultural use may provide a long-term solution to this problem but applying PCC or other lime materials to high pH soils is not a common practice. In other areas of the U.S., PCC is routinely used as an amendment in low pH soils to ameliorate negative effects on crop growth, however this use is not needed in the Northwest U.S. sugarbeet growing area due to soils typically having high pH. Recently concluded research in southern Idaho has demonstrated that PCC application (rates up to 40 dry tons per acre) on calcareous soils does not negatively affect crop growth or yields. An alternative reason for PCC application may be to supply phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) as a fertilizer. The PCC in this study had average P and K concentrations of 24.8 lbs P2O5 per ton and 4.1 lbs K2O per ton. Data from this and other research studies suggests that PCC and P fertilizer likely have equivalent plant P availability. This study also assumed that the K in PCC was equivalent to K fertilizer. Across all crops assessed in this study (sugarbeet, corn, spring malt barley, and potato (Russet Burbank)), as P and K fertilizer prices increased from 2018 and 2022, the value of P and K in PCC increased from $12.65 per ton to $25.54 per ton and $1.19 per ton to $2.87 per ton, respectively. Averaged across all acres and selected crops in the Amalgamated Sugar Company (ASCO) growing area, substituting PCC for fertilizer P and accompanying K could have resulted potential savings of between $39 per acre in 2018 to $80 per acre in 2022. Substituting PCC for fertilizer K could have resulted potential savings of between $34 per acre in 2018 to $77 per ac in 2022. Alternate uses, and transportation and application costs need to be accounted for to fully understand the full PCC value. Because Amalgamated Sugar Company is a grower owned cooperative, PCC utilization strategies are economically important for sugarbeet growers.