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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Fayetteville, Arkansas » Poultry Production and Product Safety Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #400898
Research Project: Developing Best Management Practices for Poultry Litter to Improve Agronomic Value and Reduce Air, Soil and Water Pollution

Location: Poultry Production and Product Safety Research

Title: Perenniality drives multifunctional filter strip ability to improve water quality in poultry litter amended soils

Author
item Ashworth, Amanda
item KATUWAL, SHEELA - University Of Arkansas
item Adams, Taylor
item Owens, Phillip
item Moore Jr, Philip

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/15/2022
Publication Date: 11/15/2022
Citation: Ashworth, A.J., Katuwal, S., Adams, T.C., Owens, P.R., Moore Jr, P.A. 2022. Perenniality drives multifunctional filter strip ability to improve water quality in poultry litter amended soils. Abstract. American Society of Agronomy.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: The influence of various forage species in transport of sediment and nutrients in runoff is required for limiting non-point source pollution from application of broiler litter to pasture systems. In this study, we examined the effect of five forage species [eastern gamagrass (Tripsacum dactyloides), Kernza (Thinopyrum intermedium), silphium (Silphium integrifolium), switchgrass (Panicum virgatum), and winter wheat Triticum aestivum)] on runoff nutrient losses from broiler litter amended (5.6 Mg ha-1) and non-amended plots (control) on a Captina silt loam soil (fine-silty, siliceous, mesic Typic Fragiudults) in a rainfall simulation experiment. Following litter application in split-plots, rainfall (5 cm h-1) was applied late spring and early fall of 2019 and 2021. Runoff collected for 30 min was analyzed for total suspended solids (TSS) and nutrients [total organic carbon (TOC), soluble reactive phosphorus (SRP), total dissolved phosphorus (TDP), total phosphorus (TP), total nitrogen (TN), ammonium-nitrogen (NH4-N), and nitrate-nitrogen (NO3-N)]. Total sediment and nutrients losses increased 2 – 12-fold following litter application from all forage species, which reduced to background levels during fall rainfall events. Among the five forage species, lowest TN and NO3-N concentrations in runoff were observed under Kernza. Overall, switchgrass resulted in the lowest and wheat in the greatest cumulative nutrient losses (TOC, SRP, TDP, TP, TN, NH4-N) from the four rain events. The performance of newly introduced perennial crops, Kernza and silphium, were similar or better than that of eastern gamagrass in terms of cumulative sediment and nutrient losses in runoff. The results show high potential for Kernza and silphium to provide environmental benefits when used in forage systems.