Bedding additives reduce ammonia emission and improve crop N uptake after soil application of solid cattle manure

Abstract

This study examined the influences of three potential additives, i.e., lava meal, sandy soil top-layer and zeolite (used in animal bedding) amended solid cattle manures on (i) ammonia (NH), dinitrous oxide (NO), carbon dioxide (CO) and methane (CH) emissions and (ii) maize crop or grassland apparent N recovery (ANR). Diffusion samplers were installed at 20 cm height on grassland surface to measure the concentrations of NH from the manures. A photoacoustic gas monitor was used to quantitate the fluxes of NO, CH and CO after manures' incorporation into the maize-field. Herbage ANR was calculated from dry matter yield and N uptake of three successive harvests, while maize crop ANR was determined at cusp of juvenile stage, outset of grain filling as well as physiological maturity stages. Use of additives decreased the NH emission rates by about two-third from the manures applied on grassland surface than control untreated-manure. Total herbage ANR was more than doubled in treated manures and was 25% from manure amended with farm soil, 26% and 28% from zeolite and lava meal, respectively compared to 11% from control manure. In maize experiment, mean NO and CO emission rates were the highest from the latter treatment but these rates were not differed from zero control in case of manures amended with farm soil or zeolite. However, mean CH emissions was not differed among all treatments during the whole measuring period. The highest maize crop ANR was obtained at the beginning of grain filling stage (11-40%), however ample lower crop recoveries (8-14%) were achieved at the final physiological maturity stage. This phenomenon was occurred due to leaf senescence N losses from maize crop during the period of grains filling. The lowest losses were observed from control manure at this stage. Hence, all additives decreased the N losses from animal manure and enhanced crop N uptake thus improved the agro-environmental worth of animal manure.

Potassium Plus Biopolymer Coating Controls Nitrogen Dynamics of Urea in Soil and Increases Wheat Production

“…The purpose of sampling five times was to study the mineral N, microbial biomass C, and N content of the soil with time. Each time, three soil samples (random) were collected at a standard soil sampling depth of 0-30 cm [8,[38][39][40][41] from all plots, which were mixed properly to form a composite sample. Half of each soil sample (fresh) was used for the determination of microbial biomass C and N content of soil, while the remaining half was oven dried for 2 days at a temperature of 45 • C to analyze soil pH, EC (electrical conductivity), TOC (total organic carbon), available C, N min (mineral nitrogen) and plant available P and K.…”

Synthesis of Climate, Soil Factors, and Nitrogen Management Practices Affecting the Responses of Wheat Productivity and Nitrogen Use Efficiency to Nitrogen Fertilizer in China

“…Soil texture, total N, available N, and pH, are key factors modulating the effect of N fertilizer on wheat yield. Soil texture is an important soil parameter that affects crop productivity, due to its significant influence on N mineralization [33], soil organic matter storage [34], crop N requirements [35], and microbial biomass [36]. Our results showed that there was a greater increase in yield under conditions of coarse soil texture versus fine and medium soil textures ( Figure 7A).…”

Additives Used with Straw Bedding Can Mitigate Ammonia and Greenhouse Gaseous Emissions from Solid Cattle Manure in Sloping-Floor Housing System

“…The economic feasibility analysis of bedding additives used in this study was carried out to know their suitability on farm use (Shah et al, 2018). The cost of the soil, when used as bedding additives, was associated with collection equipment, transportation, time and drying.…”