Silvopasture Switchgrass Fertilized with Poultry Litter: Nutrient Removal,Soil Fertility,and Runoff Water Quality |
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| Authors: | L. Gaston M. Blazier J. Beasley S. Dodla W. Felicien T. Clason |
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| Affiliation: | 1. School of Plant, Environmental and Soil Sciences, Louisiana State University Agricultural Center, Baton Rouge, LA, USA;2. Hill Farm Research Station, Louisiana State University Agricultural Center, Homer, LA, USA;3. Red River Research Station, Louisiana State University Agricultural Center, Bossier City, LA, USA |
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| Abstract: | Alternative use of poultry litter (PL) for forest rather than pasture fertilization would improve forest soil fertility and reduce nutrient build-up in pasture. Yield and nutrient uptake of Alamo switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) in a loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) silvopasture annually fertilized with PL or urea at 80 and 160 kg N ha?1 for four years, and without fertilization were compared. Treatment effects on soil fertility and effect of PL on runoff water quality were also determined. Fertilization with N increased yields 120% to an average of 3.8 Mg ha?1 yr?1. Since nutrient removal was small, P, base cations and pH increased in the ≤30 cm depth soil with PL. Total P in edge-of-plot runoff was increased by 0.31 kg ha?1 y?1 at the higher PL rate. Two applications at this rate per tree rotation might be justified based on increased soil fertility and infrequently increased P load. |
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| Keywords: | Silvopasture switchgrass loblolly pine poultry litter phosphorus soil fertility water quality |
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