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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Beltsville, Maryland (BARC) » Beltsville Agricultural Research Center » Adaptive Cropping Systems Laboratory » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #292247
Title: Effect of broiler litter ash and flue gas desulfurization gypsum on yield, calcium and phosphorus uptake by peanut

Author
item Codling, Eton
item LEWIS, JESSICA - Eleanor Roosevelt High School
item Watts, Dexter

Submitted to: BARC Poster Day
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/18/2013
Publication Date: 4/18/2013
Citation: Codling, E.E., Lewis, J., Watts, D.B. 2013. Effect of broiler litter ash and flue gas desulfurization gypsum on yield, calcium and phosphorus uptake by peanut. BARC Poster Day. Poster presented on 4/18/13.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Peanut (Arachis hyogaea) is an important oil seed crop that is grown as a principle source of edible oil and vegetable protein. Over 1.6 million acres of peanuts were planted in the United States during 2012. Peanuts require large amounts of Calcium (Ca) and Phosphorus (P). In 2010, over 10 million tons of high soluble Ca in the form of Flue Gas Desulfurization Gypsum (FGD-gypsum) was produced in the U.S., a by-product of coal combustion. Broiler litter ash (BLA) is produced during the combustion of broiler litter for electricity. Broiler litter ash contains high levels of phosphorus, calcium, magnesium, potassium, copper, zinc and manganese. No research has been conducted using BLA as a P source and FGD-gypsum as a Ca source for peanut production. Objectives of this study were to determine the effects of BLA and FGD-gypsum on peanut yield, and Ca and P uptake when grown at different soil pH. Calcium carbonate was added to a low phosphorus sandy soil to attain pH 4.5, 5.5 and 6.5 and incubated for three weeks. Three kilograms of the pH adjusted soil was mixed with 168 kg ha-1BLA or superphosphate (SP) and placed into 20 x 15 cm plastic pots and incubated moist for three additional weeks. Six inoculated peanut seeds were planted in each pot and 1680 kg ha-1 FGD-gypsum was surface applied to 18 of the 72 pots. Pots were placed in the growth chamber in a randomized complete bock design. Plants were thinned to three plants per pot. Two additional applications of FGD-gypsum were added at early bloom and pegging stage of growth to two additional sets of 18 pots and allowed to grow for 123 days. Peanut yield was significantly higher for plants grown with BLA compared to the SP. Only the 4.5 pH treatment of the SP was there a significant difference in yield for both phosphorus sources. FGD-gypsum application and time of application did not significantly influence peanut yield. Phosphorus and calcium concentrations in the peanut tissue will be presented.