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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Mississippi State, Mississippi » Crop Science Research Laboratory » Genetics and Sustainable Agriculture Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #225646
Title: Nutrient uptake of 'Jesup MaxQ' tall fescue fertilized with broiler litter

Author
item Read, John
item Adeli, Ardeshir
item Aiken, Glen

Submitted to: Agronomy Abstracts
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/20/2008
Publication Date: 10/15/2008
Citation: Read, J.J., Adeli, A., Aiken, G.E. 2008. Nutrient uptake of 'Jesup MaxQ' tall fescue fertilized with broiler litter. Agronomy Abstracts. CD-ROM. Paper 727-6.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: The nutrients derived from organic or inorganic sources can affect tall fescue(Festuca arundinacea Schreb.)forage in various ways, including seasonal availability of macronutrients, and interaction with endophyte-produced metabolites, alkaloids, that can reduce animal performance. The cultivar, Jesup MaxQ, has little or no ergot alkaloid production. This field study determined nutrient uptake by Jesup MaxQ and soil chemical parameters in response to five litter rates (0, 4.5, 8.9, 13.4, and 17.9 Mg ha-1) and a commercial fertilizer ‘check’(CF). Manure and fertilizer were split-applied in April and October 2005-2007 to small plots (2 x 5 m) randomized in a complete block design. Plots were harvested in April, May and October, and soil sampled in April at depths of 0-5, 5-15, and 15-30 cm. Averaged across years, N uptake averaged 140 kg ha-1 with CF and increased quadratically from about 35 to 147 kg ha-1 across litter rates (r2=0.99). The percentage of N recovered (adjusted for unfertilized controls) averaged 47% with CF, much higher than the 14-27% range observed with broiler litter. Soils analysis in April 2007 found Mehlich-3 extractable P averaged 62 mg kg-1 with either CF or 4.5 Mg ha-1 litter, the value increased to 77 mg kg-1 with 8.9 Mg ha-1 litter, and averaged about 113 mg kg-1 in the two highest litter rates. Broiler litter appeared to improve forage production in summer months, though litter rates exceeding 8.9 Mg ha-1 may cause a rapid accumulation of manure P and other nutrients in soil.