Effects of Applying Liquid Swine Manure on Soil Quality and Yield Production in Tropical Soybean Crops (Paraná, Brazil)

Abstract

Brazil is one of the main producers of pork meat in the world. It is well-known that the agricultural sector is a key component of the economic development of this country, where super-intensive fields are only competitive in the globalized market. For the farmers, the application of swine manure to fertilize the soil can increase the yearly income, but it also may cause serious environmental problems related to soil health and soil quality. In this research, we assessed the effects of applying liquid swine manure in a tropical soybean (Glycine max) plantation to better understand when this technique stops being effective and starts causing a threat to soil health and quality. Therefore, we compared values of several soil properties and the soybean yield on treated fields at 10 random points belonging to 7 different plots that were treated with the liquid swine manure over a period ranging from 0 to 15 years. The results showed a positive linear trend in soybean production from 2.45 to 3.08 Mg ha−1 yr−1. This positive trend was also recorded for some key soil parameters such as porosity and exchangeable cations content (Ca, Mg, K, and Al). Additionally, positive effects were also found for organic matter content after 10 years of application. Our findings suggest that the use of liquid swine manure has a positive effect on soybean yield and improves soil quality, particularly on mixed farms where pigs are intensively raised nearby cultivated fields.

Changes in Water Quality of the River das Antas as It Passes through Rural and Urban Areas

“…In Irati agricultural areas, soybean is planted annually in October, after several months during which soils are covered with oat (Avena strigosa), usually used for grazing and as protection against soil erosion. Soybean is harvested in February or March, depending on the year [37], and potatoes (as alternative crop) in March [38]. The cultivation of tobacco also demands land with uncovered soil.…”

Effectiveness of Using Chicken Manure and Organic Liquid Fertilizer in Ciplukan Plant Cultivation (Physalis angulata L.)

“…The purpose of treatment using OLF is to balance essential nutrients needed by plants for plant production. Organic Liquid fertilizer has a positive impact on plant growth [27], [28]. In this study, it is hoped that OLF concentration can be obtained, increasing optimal plant productivity.…”

Insights about the Choice of Pig Manure Processing System in Three Italian Regions: Piemonte, Friuli Venezia Giulia, and Veneto

“…In general, the criterion related to the valorization of processing products is mostly considered by the farms that adopt some kind of processing, and the medium-high value given to products' valorization in the "no-processing cases" may be due to the farms being satisfied with the valorization of manure. Indeed, pig manure is widely used for its high fertilizer value [26], but several studies point out that the variability in nutrient content makes it difficult to valorize pig manure as it is [27,28]. Nevertheless, in these cases, the medium-high values accorded to environmental criteria may be due to some misunderstanding in the environmental effect of storage without processing, as previous studies have recorded that farmers that are aware of the environmental risk posed by pig manure tend to adopt some kind of processing technology [25,29].…”