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Nutrient Management & Soil & Plant Analysis

Impact of Alum-Treated Poultry Litter Applications on Fescue Production and Soil Phosphorus Fractions

^a Eastern Shore Agricultural Research and Extension Center, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State Univ., 33446 Research Dr., Painter, VA 23420
^b Dep. of Agronomy and Horticulture, New Mexico State Univ., Room 127N, Skeen Hall, P.O. Box 30003, Las Cruces, NM 88003-8003
^c Dep. of Crop and Soil Environmental Sciences, Virginia Polytechnic and State Univ., 330 Smyth Hall, Blacksburg, VA 24061

^* Corresponding author (jwarren{at}ars.usda.gov)

The purpose of this 4-yr study was to evaluate tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea L.) production and changes in soil P fractions resulting from alum-treated poultry litter (ATPL) applications. Plots were established in the spring of 2000 at Orange, VA, on a Davidson loam (fine, kaolinitic, thermic Rhodic Kandiudult). Treatments included the application of ATPL, non-treated poultry litter (NPL) and triple superphosphate (TSP) at rates based on current litter management strategies in Virginia. During the 4 yr of this study, applications of ATPL resulted in forage yield and P uptake similar to that found in treatments receiving NPL. Also, no significant differences in Mehlich-1 extractable soil P between litter treatments were observed after 4 yr of application. A soil P fractionation procedure revealed significantly decreased H₂O extractable inorganic P (Pi) concentrations in soils receiving N-based rates of ATPL compared with equivalent applications of NPL. Conversely, the organic P (Po) fraction extracted with 0.1 M NaOH was significantly elevated in treatments that had received ATPL compared with those receiving NPL or TSP regardless of P application rate. The results indicate that applications of ATPL does not adversely affect P uptake by fescue or forage production. This study also shows that ATPL can have an impact on the forms of P found in soils following continued applications; however, these differences may not always be detected through routine soil analyses such as the Mehlich-1 extraction.

Abbreviations: ATPL, Poultry litter treated with alum • CR, Phosphorus application rate of 35 kg P ha^–1, equivalent to estimated crop P removal • 2CR, Phosphorus application rate of 70 kg P ha^–1, equivalent to estimated 2 yr of crop P removal, applied before planting in 2000 and 2002 • NPL, Non-treated poultry litter without alum additions • PAN, Plant available N • Pi, Inorganic P • Po, Organic P • TSP, Triple superphosphate fertilizer

This article has been cited by other articles:

				J. G. Warren, C. J. Penn, J. M. McGrath, and K. Sistani The Impact of Alum Addition on Organic P Transformations in Poultry Litter and Litter-Amended Soil J. Environ. Qual., March 1, 2008; 37(2): 469 - 476. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]