This study evaluated the potential of trees planted around commercial poultry farms to trap ammonia (NH 3 ) and dust or particulate matter (PM). Norway spruce, Spike hybrid poplar, hybrid willow, and Streamco purpleosier willow were planted on five commercial farms from 2003 to 2004. Plant foliage was sampled in front of the exhaust fans and at a control distance away from the fans on one turkey, two laying hen, and two broiler chicken farms between June and July 2006. Samples were analyzed for dry matter (DM), nitrogen (N), and PM content. In addition, NH 3 concentrations were measured downwind of the exhaust fans among the trees and at a control distance using NH 3 passive dosi-tubes. Foliage samples were taken and analyzed separately based on plant species. The two layer farms had both spruce and poplar plantings whereas the two broiler farms had hybrid willow and Streamco willow plantings which allowed sampling and species comparisons with the effect of plant location (control vs. fan). The results showed that NH 3 concentration h − 1 was reduced by distance from housing fans (P ≤ 0.0001), especially between 0 m (12.01 ppm), 11.4 m (2.59 ppm), 15 m (2.03 ppm), and 30 m (0.31 ppm). Foliar N of plants near the fans was greater than those sampled away from the fans for poplar (3.87 vs. 2.56%; P ≤ 0.0005) and hybrid willow (3.41 vs. 3.02%; P ≤ 0.05). The trends for foliar N in spruce (1.91 vs. 1.77%; P = 0.26) and Streamco willow (3.85 vs. 3.33; P = 0.07) were not significant. Pooling results of the four plant species indicated greater N concentration from foliage sampled near the fans than of that away from the fans (3.27 vs. 2.67%; P ≤ 0.0001). Foliar DM concentration was not affected by plant location, and when pooled the foliar DM of the four plant species near the fans was 51.3% in comparison with 48.5% at a control distance. There was a significant effect of plant location on foliar N and DM on the two layer farms with greater N and DM adjacent to fans than at a control distance (2.95 vs. 2.15% N and 45.4 vs. 38.2% DM, respectively). There were also significant plant species effects on foliar N and DM with poplar retaining greater N (3.22 vs. 1.88%) and DM (43.7 vs. 39.9%) than spruce. The interaction of location by species (P ≤ 0.005) indicated that poplar was more responsive in terms of foliar N, but less responsive for DM than spruce. The effect of location and species on foliar N and DM were not clear among the two willow species on the broiler farms. Plant location had no effect on plant foliar PM weight, but plant species significantly influenced the ability of the plant foliage to trap PM with spruce and hybrid willow showing greater potential than poplar and Streamco willow for PM 2.5 (0.0054, 0.0054, 0.0005, and 0.0016 mg cm − 2 ; P ≤ 0.05) and total PM (0.0309, 0.0102, 0.0038, and 0.0046 mg cm − 2 , respectively; P ≤ 0.001). Spruce trapped more dust compared to the other three species (hybrid willow, poplar, and Streamco willow) for PM 10 (0.0248 vs. 0.0036 mg cm − 2 ; P ≤ 0.0001) and PM ...
Rolling, potential erodible cropland predominates the Northeast dairy region so corn (Zea mays L.) acreage under no‐tillage (NT) or ridge tillage (RT) may increase. Farmer‐operated studies were conducted on well‐drained, moderately well‐drained, somewhat poorly drained, and poorly drained sites in 1986, 1987, and 1988 to evaluate the competitiveness of NT and RT corn systems relative to conventional or moldboard plow (MP) corn systems. Compared with MP, NT had lower plant populations in seven and lower grain yields in five of the 12 site‐year comparisons. Compared with MP, RT had lower plant populations in five and lower grain yields in two of the comparisons. In the 10 other comparisons, RT had higher (twice) or similar grain yields. Averaged across sites and years, MP compared with NT and RT had higher equipment costs ($26.25, $20.46, and $22.75/acre, respectively) and labor costs ($21.21, $16.26, and $18.33/acre, respectively). Higher herbicide and grain‐drying costs for NT in most site‐year comparisons offset lower equipment and labor costs, which resulted in higher variable production costs for NT compared with MP at two sites. Variable production costs of RT were the same or lower than MP. The break‐even price indicated that NT was economically competitive with MP at the well‐drained ($1.58 and $1.55/bu, respectively) and poorly drained sites ($2.08 and $2.16/bu, respectively). In contrast, RT was economically competitive at all sites. Although RT is economically competitive with MP in a 3‐yr corn rotation, RT is not easily adapted to the corn‐sod rotation in the Northeast.
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