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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Fayetteville, Arkansas » Poultry Production and Product Safety Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #100139
Title: EFFECT OF ALUMINUM SULFATE ADDITIONS TO POULTRY LITTER ON SOIL TEST PHOSPHORUS

Author
item DELAUNE, PAUL - UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS
item Moore, Philip
item SELF-DAVIS, MARSHA - UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS
item DANIEL, TOMMY - UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS
item EDWARDS, DWAYNE - UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/5/1999
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Aluminum sulfate(alum) additions to poultry litter have been shown to reduce soluble phosphorus (P) runoff by as much as 87%. However, the long-term effect of fertilizing soils with alum-treated litter on soil P test levels is unknown. The objective of this study was to compare soil P levels (Mehlich III and water soluble P) in tall fescue plots fertilized with alum-treated litter, untreated litter, and ammonium nitrate (NH4NO3). Untreated and alum-treated poultry litter (10% by wt.) was applied at rates of 0, 2.24, 4.40, 6.73, and 8.98 Mg ha**-1 whereas NH4NO3 was applied at rates of 0, 65, 130, 195, and 260 kg N ha**-1. Treatments were applied annually for three years to tall fescue plots. Soil cores (0-5cm) were taken throughout the study. Mehlich III and water soluble P values fluctuated in the litter treated plots seasonally corresponding to forage growth, although there was an increasing yearly trend in these values. Plots fertilized with alum- treated litter had the lowest Mehlich III and water soluble P values compared to plots fertilized with untreated litter. Lowest soil P values were from plots fertilized with NH4NO3.