Meat and bone meal as nitrogen and phosphorus supplier to cereals and oilseed rape

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of meat and bone meal (MBM) on cultivation of winter triticale, winter oilseed rape, winter wheat and maize. The average annual yields and protein yield achieved in crop rotation were studied. The field trials were carried out in north-eastern Poland in 2006-2010. The factor was dose of MBM: 1.0, 1.5, 2.0 and 2.5 t ha -1 year -1 or 2.0, 3.0, 4.0 and 5.0 t ha -1 every other year. The four-year experiment has proven that MBM is a valuable nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizer in cultivation of cereals and oilseed rape. By amendment of the tested meal into the soil it produced crop yield and protein yield similar to that achieved by mineral fertilization. However, the crude fat yield of rape was significantly higher under the influence of all the MBM doses. The yield-stimulating effect of MBM did not depend on the frequency of its application; therefore it is more convenient to apply it once every two years. Increasing MBM from 1.5 to 2.5 t ha -1 did not significantly increase any of the four crop yields, therefore for soils that had satisfactory nutrients content, 1 or 1.5 t ha -1 MBM is enough and increasing MBM will only increase economic burden for farmers and environmental risks.

Rate and Timing of Meat and Bone Meal Applications Influence Growth, Yield, and Soil Water Nitrate Concentrations in Sweet Corn Production

“…In concurrence with Chen [14], we found increased yield with increasing rate of MBM. However, others have reported yield increases with increasing rate of MBM, but no further yield increase beyond MBM rates of 117 kg N ha −1 on cereal crops in Poland [13] and 120 kg N ha −1 with jicama in Hawai'i [32]. Maresma et al [33] reported yield increase when more than 240 kg N ha −1 was applied to maize grown with various organic and synthetic fertilizers.…”

“…The use of MBM to fertilize organic crops can aid in agricultural intensification that helps meet increasing consumer demand for local and organically-grown produce [11]. Previous studies have reported MBM as an effective N source for wheat and rapeseed, cereals and oilseed rape [12,13], and comparable to mineral fertilizer on barley and oat [14]. However, few studies have investigated the effect of application timing of MBM within a cropping season.…”

Meat and bone meal as fertilizer for spring barley

“…In a pot experiment performed by Jeng et al (2004), an increase in MBM dose from 60-180 kg N/ha led to an over 2.5-fold increase in the grain yield Chen et al (2011) found that increasing MBM N from 60-120 kg/ha significantly increased barley grain yield. Nogalska et al (2014) reported that an increase in MBM dose from 1.5 t/ha to 2.5 t/ha had no significant effect on the yields of the four analysed crops, and concluded that in soils with satisfactory nutrient content, MBM dose of 1.0 t/ha or 1.5 t/ha is sufficient, and a further increase in MBM fertilization could increase economic burden for farmers and environmental risks. Spring barley is a crop species with a short growing season and a weak root system, which increases the risk of nitrogen losses to the environment (Shejbalová et al 2014).…”

Phosphorus availability in residues as fertilizers in organic agriculture

“…The commercial fertiliser product Ladybug plus and meat and bone meal also had almost no available P either the first or second season. Previous research has shown better P availability in meat and bone meal, although it depended on the type of meat and bone meal (Jeng et al 2004, Bøen and Haraldsen 2013, Brod et al 2014, Nogalska et al 2014. In natural soil P will be released by decomposition of organic material, and in soils poor in P arbuscular mychorrhizal associations may increase P availability (Gollier et al 2011).…”