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Solid and Liquid Cattle Manure Application in a Subarctic Soil: Bromegrass and Oat Production and Soil Properties
Author(s) -
Zhang M.,
Gavlak R.,
Mitchell A.,
Sparrow S.
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
agronomy journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.752
H-Index - 131
eISSN - 1435-0645
pISSN - 0002-1962
DOI - 10.2134/agronj2006.0045
Subject(s) - agronomy , bromus inermis , manure , fertilizer , biomass (ecology) , avena , nutrient , green manure , subarctic climate , environmental science , chemistry , biology , poaceae , ecology , organic chemistry
An experiment was conducted in subarctic Alaska from 1999 to 2001 to determine the effect of liquid and solid cattle ( Bos taurus ) manure application rates on smooth bromegrass ( Bromus inermis Leyss.) and oat ( Avena sativa L.) biomass production, nutrient uptake, and soil properties. One‐time manure application of 100 and 200 kg N ha −1 was made in May 1999 in comparison with annual fertilizer application of 50, 100, and 200 kg N ha −1 . In the first year, liquid manure at 100 and 200 kg N ha −1 generated 3036 and 4292 kg ha −1 smooth bromegrass biomass, respectively, statistically ( p ≥ 0.05) similar to that of fertilizer application (3654 kg ha −1 ) at 200 kg N ha −1 but greater ( p ≤ 0.05) than control (1572 kg ha −1 ). Similar results were found with oat. The 200 kg N ha −1 liquid manure application continued to benefit crop growth in the second and third years. Solid manure did not influence biomass production of either crop in most crop/year combinations. Cumulatively, in 3 yr, smooth bromegrass recovered 59% of nitrogen from liquid manure, compared with 37% by oat. Soil Mehlich 3–P accumulation was found in some liquid and solid manure treatments for both crops. High soil exchangeable K was found in 1999 after liquid manure application but declined over time. Our results suggest that 100 kg N ha −1 liquid manure can replace nitrogen fertilizer at a similar rate. Liquid cattle manure was better than solid cattle manure in promoting bromegrass and oat production.