Manure management practices applied to a seven‐course rotation on a sandy soil: effects on nitrate leaching. (21st January 2013)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Shepherd, M.; Newell‐Price, P.
• Is Part Of: Soil use and management. Volume 29:Number 2(2013:Jun.)
• Page Start: 210
• Page End: 219
• Publication Date: 2013-01-21
• Subjects: Soil management -- Periodicals; 631.4
• DOI: 10.1111/sum.12024
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0266-0032

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main" id="sum12024-abs-0001"> <title>Abstract</title> <p>This experiment tested whether it was possible to incorporate broiler litter (BL) or cattle farmyard manure (FYM) into a 7‐yr arable rotation on a sandy soil without causing an increase in nitrate‐nitrogen (NO<sub>3</sub>‐N) leaching. Four manure treatments (with adjusted fertilizer inputs), varying in frequency and timing of application, were imposed on the rotation and compared with a control that received inorganic fertilizer according to recommended rates. Over seven winters, the annual average NO<sub>3</sub>‐N leached from the inorganic fertilizer treatment (control) was 39 kg/ha in 183 mm drainage. Total manure N loadings over the period of the experiment ranged between 557 and 1719 kg/ha (80–246 kg/ha/yr) for the four treatments. Three of the four manure treatments significantly increased NO<sub>3</sub>‐N leaching over the rotation (<italic>P </italic><<italic> </italic>0.001). Annual applications of FYM (1719 kg/ha manure N or 246 kg/ha/yr) increased NO<sub>3</sub>‐N leaching by 39%. We hypothesize that this was due to increased mineralization of the organic N accumulating from repeated FYM applications. BL applied each year (1526 kg/ha manure N or 218 kg N/ha/yr) increased NO<sub>3</sub>‐N leaching by 52% above the control; BL applied 5 of 7 yr (972 kg/ha manure N or 139 kg N/ha/yr on average) and including inadvisable autumn applications increased leaching by 50%. BL applied in late winter or early spring every 2–3 yr (557 kg/ha manure N or 80 kg N/ha/yr on average) resulted in NO<sub>3</sub>‐N leaching similar to the control. This suggests that to avoid additional NO<sub>3</sub>‐N leaching from manure use in an arable rotation, manure should not be applied every year and autumn applications should be avoided; there are real challenges where manure is used on an annual basis.</p> </abstract>