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Poultry Litter and Manure Contributions to Nitrate Leaching through the Vadose Zone
Author(s) -
Adams P. L.,
Daniel T. C.,
Nichols D. J.,
Pote D. H.,
Scott H. D.,
Edwards D. R.
Publication year - 1994
Publication title -
soil science society of america journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.836
H-Index - 168
eISSN - 1435-0661
pISSN - 0361-5995
DOI - 10.2136/sssaj1994.03615995005800040029x
Subject(s) - lysimeter , manure , leaching (pedology) , poultry litter , litter , agronomy , zoology , festuca arundinacea , environmental science , nitrate , soil water , chemistry , biology , poaceae , nutrient , ecology , soil science
Pastures are commonly fertilized with poultry litter or manure in northwestern Arkansas. We hypothesized that this practice may enhance NO 3 ‐N movement to groundwater and wanted to ascertain the likelihood of common application rates causing excessive NO 3 ‐N leaching. Our objective was to determine the effect of application rate of poultry litter or manure on NO 3 ‐N concentration in vadose water under fescue ( Festuca arundinacea Schreb.) plots as a function of depth and time. In August 1991, poultry litter was applied at 0 (control), 10 (PL10), and 20 Mg ha −1 (PL20) and poultry manure at 17.7 Mg ha −1 (PM20). In June 1992, we applied an additional 4.5 Mg ha −1 litter (PL5) to the PL10 plots and 3.8 Mg ha −1 manure (PM5) to PM20 plots. Pan lysimeters at the 60‐cm depth and suction‐cup lysimeters at 60 and 120 cm sampled soil water. The PL10, PL20, and PM20 treatments produced NO 3 ‐N concentrations as high as 13, 54, and 41 mg L −1 at 60 cm. At 120 cm, NO 3 ‐N reached 8, 24, and 37 mg L −1 for the PL10, PL20, and PM20 treatments. In 1992, the PL5 and PM5 treatments produced NO 3 ‐N concentrations <1 mg L −1 at the 60‐ and 120‐cm depths. The recommended litter application rate in Arkansas is not more than 11.2 Mg ha −1 yr −1 , split in two 5.6 Mg ha −1 applications. The PL10 and PL5 rates (similar to a maximum full‐year application plus a single split application) did not result in NO 3 ‐N concentrations above the drinking water standard (10 mg L −1 ) at the 120‐cm depth.