No abstract

The most viable way to beneficially use animal manure on most farms is land application. Over the past few decades, repeated manure application has shown adverse effects on environmental quality due to phosphorus (P) runoff with rainwater, leading to eutrophication of aquatic ecosystems. Improved understanding of manure P chemistry may reduce this risk. In this research, 42 manure samples from seven animal species (beef and dairy cattle, swine, chicken, turkey, dairy goat, horse, and sheep) were sequentially fractionated with water, NaHCO₃, NaOH, and HCl. Inorganic (P(i)), organic (P(o)), enzymatic hydrolyzable (P(e); monoester-, DNA-, and phytate-like P), and nonhydrolyzable P were measured in each fraction. Total dry ash P (P(t)) was measured in all manures. Total fractionated P (P(ft)) and total P(i) (P(it)) showed a strong linear relationship with P(t). However, the ratios between P(ft)/P(t) and P(it)/P(t) varied from 59 to 117% and from 28 to 96%, respectively. Water and NaHCO₃ extracted most of the P(i) in manure from ruminant+horse, whereas in nonruminant species a large fraction of manure P was extracted in the HCl fraction. Manure P(e) summed over all fractions (P(et)) accounted for 41 to 69% of total P(0) and 4 to 29% of P(t). The hydrolyzable pool in the majority of the manures was dominated by phytate- and DNA-like P in water, monoester- and DNA-like P in NaHCO₃, and monoester- and phytate-like P in NaOH and HCl fractions. In conclusion, if one assumes that the P(et) and P(it) from the fractionation can become bioavailable, then from 34 to 100% of P(t) in animal manure would be bioavailable. This suggests the need for frequent monitoring of manure P for better manure management practices.

Core Ideas Humic acid coatings on monoammonium phosphate had no effect on P lability or mobility. Struvite provided the lesser P mobility among the fertilizers tested. There was greater P mobility in soils with high sand content and low initial pH. The fertilizer industry has attempted to increase P mobility and lability after fertilizer application by using nonconventional phosphates or by including additives in the fertilizer formulation. We incubated granular monoammonium phosphate (MAP), sulfur‐coated MAP, humic acid‐coated MAP, triple superphosphate (TSP), ammonium potassium polyphosphate (AKPP), and ammonium magnesium phosphate (struvite) with soils from the United States and Brazil in Petri dishes for 56 d. We estimated P mobility by measuring P movement away from fertilizer granules and assessed P lability through sequential chemical fractionation of soil collected from the dishes. In addition, we monitored the change in soil pH with distance from fertilizer placed in the Petri dish. Soil pH changed in response to fertilizer additions as a function of initial soil pH. In fertilized soils, the soil pH response followed a quadratic function as the distance from the fertilizer placement site increased. Soil characteristics influenced P mobility, with mobility decreasing from the Hubbard (12% clay; pH 5.3), to Brazil (20% clay; pH 6.5), to Normania (22% clay; pH 5.5), and then Barnes (31% clay; pH 8.0) soil. The use of MAP‐based fertilizers resulted in the greatest mobility, while struvite provided the lowest mobility. In contrast, struvite granules dissolved the least resulting in the highest labile P concentrations, due to direct extraction of fertilizer P from undissolved granules (average of 73% of applied P). Comparatively, TSP provided the lowest amount of labile P (average of 52% applied P). Sulfur and humic acid‐coated MAP had no effect on P lability or mobility.

No abstract

Phosphorus enrichment of surface water is a concern in many urban watersheds. A 3-yr study on a silt loam soil with 5% slope and high soil test P (27 mg kg(-1) Bray P1) was conducted to evaluate P fertilization and clipping management effects on P runoff from turfgrass (Poa pratensis L.) under frozen and nonfrozen conditions. Four fertilizer treatments were compared: (i) no fertilizer, (ii) nitrogen (N)+potassium (K)+0xP, (iii) N+K+1xP, and (iv) N+K+3xP. Phosphorus rates were 21.3 and 63.9 kg ha(-1) yr(-1) the first year and 7.1 and 21.3 kg ha(-1) yr(-1) the following 2 yr. Each fertilizer treatment was evaluated with clippings removed or clippings recycled back to the turf. In the first year, P runoff increased with increasing P rate and P losses were greater in runoff from frozen than nonfrozen soil. In year 2, total P runoff from the no fertilizer treatment was greater than from treatments receiving fertilizer. This was because reduced turf quality resulted in greater runoff depth from the no fertilizer treatment. In year 3, total P runoff from frozen soil and cumulative total P runoff increased with increasing P rate. Clipping management was not an important factor in any year, indicating that returning clippings does not significantly increase P runoff from turf. In the presence of N and K, P fertilization did not improve turf growth or quality in any year. Phosphorus runoff can be reduced by not applying P to high testing soils and avoiding fall applications when P is needed.