Nutrient losses from manure and fertilizer applications as impacted by time to first runoff event

Abstract

Fertilization with manures results in lower nutrient runoff than inorganic fertilizers, especially if at least one week passes between fertilization and runoff.Abstract Nutrient losses to surface waters following fertilization contribute to eutrophication. This study was conducted to compare the impacts of fertilization with inorganic fertilizer, swine (Sus scrofa domesticus) manure or poultry (Gallus domesticus) litter on runoff water quality, and how the duration between application and the first runoff event affects resulting water quality. Fertilizers were applied at 35 kg P ha-1-, and the duration between application and the first runoff event varied between 1 and 29 days. Swine manure was the greatest risk to water quality 1 day after fertilization due to elevated phosphorus (8.4 mg P L -1) and ammonium (10.3 mg NH4-N L-1) concentrations; however, this risk decreased rapidly. Phosphorus concentrations were 2.6 mg L -1 29 days after fertilization with inorganic fertilizer. This research demonstrates that manures might be more environmentally sustainable than inorganic fertilizers, provided runoff events do not occur soon after application. Crown

Available content, surface runoff and leaching of phosphorus forms in a typic hapludalf treated with organic and mineral nutrient sources

“…In addition, as the crops have low nutrient demand at the beginning of their development and soil cover is incomplete since the plant canopy is undeveloped, the P applied becomes susceptible to transfer via surface runoff, especially in the first rain events after application (Ceretta et al, 2010b). Similar results were obtained by Smith et al (2007), who observed greater concentrations of soluble P in the first rains after the application of manure and, according to the authors, the reaction of P added via manure with the soil particles or the formation of co-precipitates with metals, for example Cu, derived from the manure, reduces the P concentration in the solution of the subsequent events. The greatest transfer of the P forms was observed in the treatments with the application of the greatest quantities of P (PS and PL) (Table 3), showing a close relationship between the quantities applied and P transfer via surface runoff (Table 4).…”

“…This shows that, especially for PL, using N contents for determining P rates might not be the best criterion. The reason is that, after successive manure applications, there was an accumulation of available P in the surface layers and migration in the soil profile, intensifying P transfer via surface runoff (Bertol et al, 2010;Ceretta et al, 2010b;Brennan et al, 2011;Kang et al, 2011) and leaching Girotto et al, 2013), which may cause eutrophication of surface and underground water bodies (Correll, 1998;Smith et al, 2007, Ceretta et al, 2010bHahn et al, 2012).…”

“…Phosphorus accumulation in soils with sequential application of manure may intensify nutrient transfer via runoff from the soil surface (Smith et al, 2001;Gessel et al, 2004;Basso et al, 2005;Vadas et al, 2007;Ceretta et al, 2010b), causing eutrophication of surface waters adjacent to the areas treated with organic residues (Correll, 1998;Smith et al, 2007). Moreover, P may be partially leached by the solution into the soil profile, especially in profiles with sandy texture and low organic matter and oxide contents (Kleinman et al, 2009;Sorensen & Rubaek, 2012), leading to contamination of the water table, making the water unsuitable for human consumption.…”

Manure and sorbent fertilisers increase on-going nutrient availability relative to conventional fertilisers

“…Conventional use of manures as fertilisers often do not achieve this end, as demonstrated by a range of studies into nutrient losses (e.g. Chardon et al, 1997;Rasouli et al, 2014;Smith et al, 2007). However, it is likely that continued seasonal applications of moderate quantities of manure nutrients will result in steadily increasing availability of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium with successive applications (BarTal et al, 2004).…”

Correlation of Quantitative PCR for a Poultry-Specific Brevibacterium Marker Gene with Bacterial and Chemical Indicators of Water Pollution in a Watershed Impacted by Land Application of Poultry Litter

“…Poultry litter also contains heavy metals, such as As, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, and Zn (12,19,26,30,31), obligate and opportunistic pathogens, such as Yersinia enterocolitica, Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella enterica, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, enteropathogenic Escherichia coli strains such as O157:H7, Campylobacter jejuni, and Clostridium perfringens, and fecal indicator bacteria (FIB), such as E. coli and enterococci (21,28). Studies have shown these metals and bacteria can be transported from agricultural fields on which litter has been applied to receiving waters (3,29,31,44), and quantities can exceed 56% of applied NH 3 -N and 10% of applied total phosphorus (11,12,15,20). Furthermore, E. coli in runoff from pastures with broadcast-applied litter can exceed 1,300 CFU 100 ml Ϫ1 (43).…”