Prospects of using leguminous green manuring crop Sesbania rostrata for supplementing fertilizer nitrogen in rice production and control of environmental pollution

Abstract

Modern rice cultivation relies on chemical nitrogen (N) fertilizer that ultimately degrades soil health and creates environmental pollution. The increasing concerns about environmental pollution, restoring soil health, and conservation of energy, public attention is now towards green manures as supplement for N fertilizer. Sesbania rostrata is a popular leguminous green manuring crop that fixes atmospheric N₂, improves soil health, and rice productivity through incorporation of its biomass in to soil. About 40–60?days plants provide 5–6 tons dry biomass that can supplement 50–100% N requirement. In world, it is adapted as pre-rice or post-rice green manuring crop. Long-term use of S. rostrata improves soil health and increased rice yield by 9–11% over chemical fertilizer. Use of S. rostrata in large scale for rice production can reduce environmental pollution problems as it can cut down chemical N requirement and thus reduction dispersal of Nr to the environment.     

Yield and nitrogen response of lowland rice (Oryza sativa L.) to Sesbania rostrata and Aeschynomene afraspera green manure in different marginally productive soils in the Philippines

Organic-N fertilizers in the form of flood-tolerant, leguminous, stem-nodulating Sesbania rostrata and Aeschynomene afraspera may be useful alternatives to resource-poor rice farmers if applied as green manure. Therefore, the accumulation of N by these green manure species and their effect on the performance and yield of wetland rice (IR 64) was examined at four different sites in Luzon, Philippines. Soils deficient in N, P, and K were selected and compared with the fertile Maahas clay of the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) at Los Baños. The green manure plants were grown under flooded conditions for 49 days in the wet season of 1987, chopped, and then ploughed in before transplanting rice seedlings. In a second experiment, the effect of S. rostrata green manure was studied under rainfed conditions. All green manure treatments were compared to an urea treatment (60 kg N ha^–1) and an untreated control. Both legumes developed well, even on the marginally productive soils. S. rostrata accumulated up to 190 kg N ha^–1 and A. afraspera even accumulated 196 kg N ha^–1 in the shoots. In all treatments, green manure increased grain yield significantly (P=0.05) over the untreated control, by 1.3–1.7 Mg ha^–1. The yields were comparable to those obtained with 60 kg N ha^–1 of urea fertilizer. S. rostrata caused the highest grain yield, of 6.5 Mg ha^–1 on the Maahas clay soil of IRRI. The apparent release of exchangeable NH ₄ ⁺ -N in the soils after green manuring and the rice grain yield response showed that both green manure species may provide sufficient available N throughout the development of IR 64 in the wet season. In the rainfed marginal soil site, green manure with S. rostrata produced even higher rice grain yields than urea. Green manure therefore seems particularly attractive for poor farmers on marginally productive soils, at least as a temporary strategy to improve yield and yield sustainability.     

An approach to soil testing with special reference to the zinc requirement of rice paddy soils

Abstract

Experiments were conducted to seek a better basis for soil testing of rice paddy soils. Soils were incubated under variable conditions of simulated flooding, and then extracted with DTPA⁵ . The amounts of Cu, Zn, Mn and Fe extracted were sensitive to the imposed soil conditions. Good correlations between Zn extracted from simulated flooded soils and Zn uptakes by rice from flooded soils in pots, suggest that this approach to soil testing may be more useful for paddy soils than existing tests on air dried soils.     

Immobilization of Zinc Fertilizer in Flooded Soils Monitored by Adapted DTPA Soil Test

Zinc (Zn) deficiency is a persistent problem in flooded rice (Oryza sativa L.). Severe Zn deficiency causes loss of grain yield, and rice grains with low Zn content contribute to human nutritional Zn deficiencies. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (DTPA) extraction method for use with reduced soils and to assess differences in plant availability of native and fertilizer Zn from oxidized and reduced soils. The DTPA‐extractable Zn decreased by 60% through time after flooding when the extraction was done on field‐moist soil but remained at original levels when air‐dried prior to extraction. In a pot experiment with one calcareous and one noncalcareous soil, moist‐soil DTPA‐extractable Zn and plant Zn uptake both decreased after flooding compared with the oxidized soil treatment for both soils. In the flooded treatment of the calcareous soil, both plant and soil Zn concentrations were equal to or less than critical deficiency levels even after fertilization with 50 kg Zn ha^?1. We concluded that Zn availability measurements for rice at low redox potentials should be made on reduced soil rather than air‐dry soil and that applied Zn fertilizer may become unavailable to plants after flooding.     

Mineralization and denitrification in upland, nearly saturated and flooded subtropical soil II. Effect of organic manures varying in N content and C:N ratio

 Nitrogen and carbon mineralization of cattle manure (N=6 g kg^–1; C:N=35), pressmud (N=17.4 g kg^–1; C:N=22), green manure (N=26.8 g kg^–1; C:N=14) and poultry manure (N=19.5 g kg^–1; C:N=12) and their influence on gaseous N losses via denitrification (using the acetylene inhibition technique) in a semiarid subtropical soil (Typic Ustochrepts) were investigated in a growth chamber simulating upland, nearly saturated, and flooded conditions. Mineralization of N started quickly in all manures, except pressmud where immobilization of soil mineral N was observed for an initial 4 days. Accumulation of mineral N in upland soil plus denitrified N revealed that mineralization of cattle manure-, pressmud-, poultry manure- and green manure-N over 16 days was 12, 20, 29 and 44%, respectively, and was inversely related to C:N ratio (R ²=0.703, P=0.05) and directly to N content of organic manure (R ²=0.964, P=0.01). Manure-C mineralized over 16 days ranged from 6% to 50% in different manures added to soil under different moisture regimes and was, in general, inversely related to initial C:N ratio of manure (R ²=0.690, P=0.05). Cumulative denitrification losses over 16 days in control soils (without manure) under upland, nearly saturated, and flooded conditions were 5, 23, and 24 mg N kg^–1, respectively. Incorporation of manures enhanced denitrification losses by 60-82% in upland, 52–163% in nearly saturated, and 26–107% in flooded soil conditions over a 16-day period, demonstrating that mineralized N and C from added manures could result in 2- to 3-fold higher rate of denitrification. Cumulative denitrification losses were maximal with green manure, followed by poultry manure, pressmud and cattle manure showing an increase in denitrification with increasing N content and decreasing C:N ratio of manure. Manure-amended nearly saturated soils supported 14–35% greater denitrification than flooded soils due to greater mineralization and supply of C.     

Influences of starch and Zn-EDTA on Zn-desorption and rice ( Oryza sativa L.) nutrition under different moisture regimes

Desorption of Zn from sorbed Zn in soils is controlled by different moisture regimes in rice fields and thus control the Zn availability to rice. A laboratory experiment was conducted at different moisture regimes viz. flooded-dried, alternate wetting and drying and preflooding condition in two Inceptisols and two Alfisols of West Bengal, India, with (50?g kg^???1) and without starch as control to investigate the desorption of adsorbed Zn from Zn-EDTA (0.0, 0.1, and 0.2?mg Zn g^???1 soil). Percent desorption of Zn was found significantly higher on alternate wetting and drying condition in Alfisols. Starch applications enhanced desorption under flooded-dried and alternate wetting and drying, but decreased it under preflooding conditions. The variations in Zn desorption among soils and moisture treatments are the result of changes in soil pH, Fe-oxides, bonding energy constants, and free energies for Zn adsorption. After desorption experiment a pot trial was conducted with rice (cv. IET-4094) under alternate wetting and drying moisture conditions. The results show that the dry matter yield and 1000 grain weight of rice are appreciably higher when alternate flooding and drying moisture condition was maintained. This finding was in close agreement with the Zn desorption studies under the alternate flooding and drying moisture regimes.     

MANURING EFFECT ON RICE GRAIN YIELD AND EXTRACTABLE TRACE ELEMENTS IN SOILS

Animal manures contain significant amounts of plant-available nutrients which could increase crop yields. They also contain heavy metals which may be exported outside soil systems by plants, animal and surface and underground water following application to soils. The effect of some animal manures on rice yield and extractability of iron (Fe), zinc (Zn), manganese (Mn), and copper (Cu) were determined in fours soils with different properties. The manures were applied at the rate of 100Mg ha^?1, and rice was grown for two consecutive seasons. In the second of the two seasons, rice yield and yield components were determined. Immediately after the second season rice harvest, soils were sampled and analyzed for DTPA extractable Fe, Zn, Mn, and Cu. Averaged across the soils, the level of extractable Fe increased by between 5% in chicken manure (PM) and 71% in cattle manure (CM); Zn by between 312% in CM and 871% in swine manure (SM); Mn by between 61% in PM and 172% in SM and Cu by between 327% in PM and 978% in SM. Mixing these manures before application reduced the level of extractable trace elements. Although there was increased yield following application, the results of this study indicated a possible risk of trace element export to the environment within a year, if high levels of the manures are applied.     

Symbiotic efficiency of Sesbania rostrata and S. cannabina as affected by agronomic practices

A field experiment was conducted to study the N₂ fixation efficiency of Sesbania rostrata and S. cannabina as affected by agronomic practices in semi-arid subtropical climate, Sowing seeds resulted in smaller numbers of nodules, lower dry weight, lower total biomass, less N uptake, and less N₂ fixation for S. rostrata than S. cannabina, while cut-stem planting improved the symbiotic efficiency. Flooding the soil increased the relative humidity of the crop micro-environment by 4–11% and induced early appearance of stem nodules in S. rostrata. Only 67 kg N ha^-1 was fixed by S. rostrata compared to 160 kg N ha^-1 by S. cannabina when normal agronomic practices (sowing and non-flooding) were followed. In contrast, planting stem cuttings and flooding resulted in greater biological N₂ fixation, 307 and 209 kg N ha^-1 by S. rostrata and S. cannabina, respectively. Therefore, S. rostrata can be successfully exploited as a green manure when stem cuttings are planted under flooded conditions.     

Influence of green manuring with Sesbania rostrata and Aeschynomene afraspera or urea on dynamics and uptake of nutrients by wetland rice

Nutrient concentrations in the soil and crop uptake from incorporated green manure and urea in flooded rice was studied in field experiments. Release of plant-available nitrogen (NH₄ ⁺-N) from green manure was slightly delayed compared with that from prilled urea (PU) because Sesbania rostrata L. and Aeschynomene afraspera L. released the N gradually after their decomposition, whereas N became available immediately after PU application. Exchangeable NH₄ ⁺-N concentration in soil peaked at 163 mg kg^–1 in the transplanted rice (TPR) and 198 mg kg^—1 in broadcast-seeded rice (BSR) at 0 and 1 week after PU application. Broadcast-seeded rice depleted NH₄ ⁺-N faster than did TPR because of the crop‘s vigorous growth in the former during the early stage. Soil solution NH₄ ⁺-N followed a similar trend to that of soil NH₄ ⁺-N. Incorporation of S. rostrata and A. afraspera increased the concentration of P, K⁺, Fe²⁺ and Mn²⁺ in soil solution more than did the application of PU. However, zinc concentration decreased in all treatments. Both PU and green manure increased the N status of the rice plants and enhanced the uptake of P, K, Fe, Mn and Zn by the rice crop. This suggests that application of green manures improves the uptake of these nutrients by the crop. The highest apparent N recovery was obtained with PU followed by green manure. Received: 11 November 1996     

Impacts of agricultural practices on aquatic oligochaete populations in ricefields

Summary The impacts of N fertilizer, pesticides and green manure on aquatic oligochaetes in irrigated ricefields were investigated in experimental plots. Populations, determined by the wet sieving of soil cores, were dominated by the Tubificidae Limnodrilus hoffmeisteri. Total densities ranged from 0 to 40 000 m^-2. Oligochaete numbers increased in response to additions of urea N. An inhibitory effect of carbofuran on oligochaete populations was observed during the first season of experimental pesticide treatments, but not during the following year. The green manure Sesbania rostrata stimulated population development more than Azolla microphylla. Populations in plots maintained as wet fallow remained low throughout the crop cycle. Population dynamics were associated with the crop cycle. Peak densities were achieved 30–50 days after transplanting.     

吉林省畜禽粪便自然堆放条件下粪便/土壤体系中Cu、Zn的分布规律

本文通过对不同养殖场鸡、猪、牛粪便自然堆放条件下粪便和土壤样品的采集和实验室分析,研究了吉林省部分养殖场不同类型畜禽粪便Cu、Zn含量,以及粪便自然堆放对土壤Cu、Zn含量的影响。结果表明,鸡粪、猪粪和牛粪中Cu的含量范围和均值分别为7.12～26.04mg·kg-（1风干样,下同）（均值18.24mg·kg-1）、87.99～463.7mg·kg-（1均值243.6mg·kg-1）、3.95～27.63mg·kg-（1均值12.28mg·kg-1）;Zn的含量范围和均值分别为179.2～340.8mg·kg-（1均值276.9mg·kg-1）、140.5～455.8mg·kg-（1均值381.8mg·kg-1）、150.5～292.3mg·kg-（1均值188.1mg·kg-1）。不同类型粪便中Cu、Zn含量均是猪粪〉鸡粪〉牛粪,但不论是哪种类型的畜禽粪便重金属含量均是Zn〉Cu。在自然堆放条件下,鸡粪和猪粪中的Cu可从粪便向底土迁移,迁移量随粪便中Cu含量的增加而增加,并主要积累在土壤表层,而牛粪在自然堆放过程中对底土的Cu含量影响不显著,粪底土Cu含量分布规律为猪粪底土〉鸡粪底土〉牛粪底土;鸡粪、猪粪和牛粪中的Zn也可向底土迁移,使粪底土Zn含量有不同程度的增加,但主要积累在粪底土的表层,且不同类型粪便底土Zn含量差异不明显。     

Two-year fluctuation of Cd bioavailability in a remediated rice field under different water managements

Purpose

Based on two consecutive years of field-scale trials, under different water managements, we illustrated the persistence of remediation effect of palygorskite on a Cd-polluted rice field.

Materials and methods

The Cd uptake by a plant, pH and Cd chemical extractability, available P/K, and extractable Zn/Cu in paddy soils were used to evaluate the influence of palygorskite on Cd immobilization and soil fertility index.

Results and discussion

In contrast to the 1st year, at 0–1.5% palygorskite applied dose in soils, 0.025 M HCl–extractable Cd in continuous flooding reduced by 12.1–19.0%, and that in wetting irrigation increased by 10.9–18.9% in the 2nd year (p?<?0.05). The toxicity characteristic leaching procedure Cd reduction of 3.0–11.4% and increase of 8.9–12.0% were obtained under above-mentioned water managements (p?<?0.05). Compared with the 1st year, at different clay additional concentrations, grain Cd in continuous flooding reduced by 7.0–11.3%, and that in wetting irrigation increased by 6.5–10.8% in the 2nd year (p?<?0.05). Although trace elements in clay treated soils declined, they had no influence on the grain yield due to a minimum value higher than the critical value of 1.5 mg kg^?1 for Zn and 2.0 mg kg^?1 for Cu. The available P in continuous flooding took on a maximum increase of 8.2% in the 2nd year (p?<?0.05).

Conclusions

Two consecutive years of field-scale in situ demonstration tests revealed that continuous flooding was a preferable water management regime for Cd immobilization using palygorskite in the rice field. There were no remarkable differences in extractable Zn/Cu between 2 years.

     

Sesbania rostrata as a green manure for lowland rice: Growth,N2 fixation,Azorhizobium sp. inoculation,and effects on succeeding crop yields and nitrogen balance

Summary Root and stem nodulation, nitrogen fixation (acetylene-reducing activity), growth and N accumulation bySesbania rostrata as affected by season and inoculation were studied in a pot experiment. The effects ofS. rostrata as a green manure on succeeding wet-season and dry-season rice yields and total N balance were also studied.S. rostrata grown during the wet season showed better growth, nodulation, and greater acetylene-reducing activity than that grown during the dry season. Inoculation withAzorhizobium caulinodans ORS 571 StrSpc® (resistant to streptomycin and spectinomycin) on the stem alone or on both root and stem significantly increased N₂ fixation by the plants. Soil and seed inoculation yielded active root nodules under flooded conditions. Plants that were not inoculated on the stem did not develop stem nodules. The nitrogenase activity of the root nodules was greater than that of the stem nodules in about 50-day-oldS. rostrata. S. rostrata incorporation, irrespective of inoculation, significantly increased the grain yield and N uptake of the succeeding wet season and dry season rice crops. The inoculated treatments produced a significantly greater N gain (873 mg N pot^–1) than the noinoculation (712 mg N pot^–1) treatment. About 80% of the N gained was transferred to the succeeding rice crops and about 20% remained in the soil. The soil N in the flooded fallow-rice treatment significantly declined (–140 mg N pot^–1) but significantly increased in bothS. rostrata-rice treatments (159 and 151 mg N pot^–1 in uninoculated and inoculated treatments respectively). The N-balance data gave extrapolated values of N₂ fixed per hectare at about 303 kg N ha^–1 per two crops forS. rostrata (uninoculated)-rice and 383 forS. rostrata (inoculated)-rice.     

Effects of Green Manures and Zinc Fertilizer Sources on DTPA-Extractable Zinc in Soil and Zinc Content in Basmati Rice Plants at Different Growth Stages

Rice is very sensitive to low zinc(Zn) supply in submerged paddy soils and Zn deficiency is one of the major limiting factors in determining rice production in India. A field experiment was conducted during the summer-rainy seasons of 2009 and 2010 at the research farm of the Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi, to determine the effects of summer green manure crops and Zn fertilizers on diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid(DTPA)-extractable(available) Zn concentration in soil and total Zn content in Basmati rice cultivar Pusa Basmati 1 at periodic intervals. Summer green manure crops included Sesbania aculeata(Dhaincha),Crotalaria juncea(Sunhemp), and Vigna unguiculata(Cowpea) and the Zn fertilizers used were ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid(EDTA)-chelated Zn, ZnSO_4·7H_2O, ZnSO_4·H_2O, ZnO, and ZnSO_4·7H_2O + ZnO. Beneficial effects of summer green manure crops and Zn fertilizers on DTPA-extractable Zn concentration in soil and total Zn content in dry matter of Basmati rice at periodic intervals were observed, with significant increases in all the determined parameters, in comparison with those in the control(no Zn application or summer fallow). The rate of increase varied among summer green manure crops and Zn fertilizers during both years. Among the summer green manures, incorporation of S. aculeata led to a significant increase in mean Zn content in Basmati rice grain and straw when compared with C. juncea, V. unguiculata, and summer fallow treatments. Among the Zn fertilizers, significant increases in Zn content in Basmati rice dry matter and DTPA-extractable Zn concentration in soil during various growth stages of the plant were recorded with EDTA-chelated Zn application, followed by the application of ZnSO_4·7H_2O, ZnSO_4·H_2O, ZnSO_4·7H_2O + ZnO, ZnO,and no Zn. The highest mean Zn content in Basmati rice grain and straw was recorded with EDTA-chelated Zn application in 2009 and 2010, respectively. The application of ZnSO_4·7H_2O was the second best treatment after EDTA-chelated Zn; however, it was statistically inferior to EDTA-chelated Zn. The lowest values were recorded with the control(no Zn application) during both years of study. The amount of Zn concentration in soil was found to be significantly positively correlated with the Zn content in Basmati rice dry matter during both years. Significantly higher levels of residual fertility in soil after the harvest of Basmati rice were observed with application of EDTA-chelated Zn and incorporation of S. aculeata when compared with those of other Zn sources and summer green manures.     

Long-Term Influence of Nutrient Management on Carbon and Nutrients In Typic-Ustochrept Soils

ABSTRACT

Continuous incorporation of green manure (GM) and rice straw residue (RSR) over a long period of time generally improved soil physico-chemical properties. To generate this information, laboratory studies were conducted during 2014 on the soil samples collected from an on-going long-term experiment on rice–wheat sequence in progress since 2001. The results of the study reported improvement in bulk density, water holding capacity, and total porosity with green manuring. The maximum organic carbon build up was recorded in manure @ 15 t ha^?1 which was applied through GM. The application of fertilizers, GM and RSR incorporation improved the buildup of the available and total N, P, and K contents of surface soil. The data further indicated that the DTPA-extractable and total Zn, Cu, Fe, and Mn in soil increased significantly in all the fertilizer and manurial treatments over recommended practice. The integrated use of GM and RSR in combination with chemical fertilizers improved the soil fertility status, as well as its physical environment. To sustain the soil health of rice–wheat system in loamy sand soil, it is imperative to apply GM and RSR in combination with chemical fertilizers. Also the increase in DTPA-extractable and total Zn, Cu, Fe, and Mn may be attributed to chelating action of organic compounds released from manures applied in the form of GM and RSR under rice–wheat system.     

Carbon and nitrogen mineralisation from green manures as alternative nitrogen sources in Mediterranean farming

The soil incorporation of green manures is a practice that can be used in sustainable agriculture and in organic farming, where nitrogen (N) sources are limited. The aim of this study was to evaluate balansa clover (Trifolium michelianum Savi), yellow lupine (Lupinus luteus L.) and ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum Lam.) as potential alternative N sources. A total of nine treatments were considered in this study: control, aerial of balansa clover, roots of balansa clover, aerial of yellow lupine, roots of yellow lupine, aerial of ryegrass, roots of ryegrass, mixture aerial + roots of yellow lupine and mixture aerial + roots of ryegrass. A laboratory incubation experiment was conducted under controlled conditions during 196 days and carbon and N mineralisation were followed. Results showed that green manures are appropriate N sources for Mediterranean farming. No significant differences in terms of N mineralisation were observed between aerial or roots biomass of the green manures. Besides, 37–55% of total N applied was mineralised in treatments amended with balansa clover or yellow lupine, whereas 13–21% of total N applied was mineralised in ryegrass. It can be concluded that the most efficient green manure for supplying mineral N to the succeeding crop was yellow lupine.     

Copper Release, Speciation, and Toxicity Following Multiple Floodings of Copper Enriched Agriculture Soils: Implications in Everglades Restoration

This study characterizes the effects of water–soil flooding volume ratio and flooding time on copper (Cu) desorption and toxicity following multiple floodings of field-collected soils from agricultural sites acquired under the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP) in south Florida. Soils from four field sites were flooded with three water–soil ratios (2, 4, and 6 [water] to 1 [soil]) and held for 14 days to characterize the effects of volume ratio and flooding duration on Cu desorption (volume ratio and flooding duration study). Desorption of Cu was also characterized by flooding soils four times from seven field sites with a volume ratio of 2 (water) to 1 (soil) (multiple flooding study). Acute toxicity tests were also conducted using overlying waters from the first flooding event to characterize the effects of Cu on the survival of fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas), cladocerans (Daphnia magna), amphipods (Hyalella azteca), midges (Chironomus tentans), duckweed (Lemna minor), and Florida apple snails (Pomacea paludosa). Acute tests were also conducted with D. magna exposed to overlying water from the second and third flooding events. Results indicate that dissolved Cu concentrations in overlying water increased with flooding duration and decreased with volume ratio. In the multiple flooding study, initial Cu concentrations in soils ranged from 5 to 223 mg/kg (dw) and were similar to Cu concentration after four flooding events, indicating retention of Cu in soils. Copper desorption was dependent on soil Cu content and soil characteristics. Total Cu concentration in overlying water (Cu_w) was a function of dissolved organic carbon (DOC), alkalinity, and soil Cu concentration (Cu_s): log(Cu_w)?=?1.2909?+?0.0279 (DOC)?+?0.0026 (Cu_s)???0.0038 (alkalinity). The model was validated and highly predictive. Most of the desorbed Cu in the water column complexed with organic matter in the soils and accounted for 99% of the total dissolved Cu. Although total dissolved Cu concentrations in overlying water did not significantly decrease with number of flooding events, concentrations of free Cu²⁺ increased with the number of flooding events, due to a decrease in DOC concentrations. The fraction of bioavailable Cu species (Cu²⁺, CuOH⁺, CuCO₃) was also less than 1% of the total Cu. Overlying water from the first flooding event was only acutely toxic to the Florida apple snail from one site. However, overlying water from the third flooding of six out of seven soils was acutely toxic to D. magna. The decrease in DOC concentrations and increase in bioavailable Cu²⁺ species may explain the changes in acute toxicity to D. magna. Results of this study reveal potential for high Cu bioavailability (Cu²⁺) and toxicity to aquatic biota overtime in inundated agricultural lands acquired under the CERP.     

Phosphorus and trace metal dynamics in soils amended with poultry litter and granulates

Environmental sustainability of animal agriculture is strongly dependent upon development of approaches to minimize the potential environmental impacts of applying animal manures. The excess manure and its nutrients (primarily phosphorus) in intensive animal production regions may need to be exported to other areas to comply with increased regulations on manure management. In our previous study we generated a variety of granulated products from poultry litter to achieve export of excess litter from the southwestern Ozarks, AR, USA. Our objective in the present study was to determine the effect of the application of poultry litter and granulated litter products on phosphorus (P), arsenic (As), copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn) dynamics in two Arkansas soils (Dewitt silt loam and Hector sandy loam). Poultry litter and granulated products were mixed with the surface horizon (0–15 cm) of soils at two application rates: P‐based (100 kg total P per hectare) and N‐based (160 kg plant‐available N per hectare). Soil–litter mixtures were incubated at 25 °C for 21 days. Sub‐samples were removed at 1, 7 and 21 days to determine the solubility and availability of P, As, Cu and Zn in soils. Results suggest that when litter was applied at 100 kg total P per hectare, contents of P, As, Cu and Zn were significantly greater in the soils amended with litter and granulated products than in the control (soil alone). However, the contents of P, As, Cu and Zn did not significantly differ in the soils amended with either normal litter or granulated litter products at total P or plant‐available N‐based application rates. This suggests that poultry litter granulation is a sound management practice that can be used to reduce concerns with fresh litter transport and potentially improve P and trace element balances in intensive poultry production regions, especially when applied on a plant‐available N basis.     

The relationship between phosphorus and copper concentrations in wheat

Abstract

Poorly managed kaolinitic soils are often too low in P and K for optimum agronomic crop production. Even though many of these soils have relatively high phosphate fixing capacities, P applied at sufficient rates to increase soil P to acceptable levels may induce micronutrient deficiencies. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of applied and residual P on Mn, Zn, and Cu uptake by field grown wheat (Triticum aestivum). Treatments were a one‐time application of P (0, 64, 128, 256, and 384 kg/ha P) and K (0, 110, 220, 440, and 660 kg/ha K) rates arranged in a 5×5 complete factorial. The treatments were applied in October, 1977 and the study was continued through June, 1979. Potassium and P × K interactions did not have a significant effect on Mn, Zn, or Cu uptake. Phosphorus did not affect Mn concentration in the wheat tissue but Zn and Cu concentrations generally decreased as applied and residual soil P levels increased. The tissue Zn concentration at the various plant growth stages did not decrease below defined critical levels. The Cu concentration decreased linearly with applied P and curvilinearly with residual P. The tissue Cu levels often decreased below suggested critical levels. Total Cu in the wheat tissue indicated that the decrease in Cu concentration as P levels increased was not a simple dilution effect resulting from increased plant growth as applied and residual soil P increased.