ANAEROBICALLY DIGESTED DAIRY MANURE AS FERTILIZER FOR MAIZE IN ACID AND ALKALINE SOILS

Authors: Morris, Dolen; LATHWELL, D - CORNELL UNIVERSITY

Submitted to: Communications in Soil Science and Plant Analysis
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/28/2004
Publication Date: 2/28/2004
Citation: Morris, D.R., Lathwell, D.J. 2004. Anaerobically digested dairy manure as fertilizer for maize in acid and alkaline soils. Communications in Soil Science and Plant Analysis. Vol. 35, pges 1757-1771.

Interpretive Summary: Energy conservation will probably become increasingly important as energy reserves are depleted. If all the manure on a 100 cow dairy herd were placed in anaerobic digesters and the methane collected, there would be enough energy produced to meet the needs of the entire dairy farm. In addition, the manure by-product from the digesters may provide a valuable fertilizer source, resulting in less dependence on energy consuming production of inorganic fertilizers. Two greenhouse experiments were conducted to determine the effectiveness of anaerobically digested dairy manure on early growth corn in an acid and an alkaline soil. The corn shoots yields from the manure applications were as high or higher in the acid soil compared to the alkaline soil, indicating the manure had an ameliorating effect on acid soil conditions. High corn yields could not be attributed wholly to high available N levels in the soil. It appears that organic matter improved soil conditions for plant growth which allowed for more efficient utilization of soil N.

Technical Abstract: Anaerobically digested animal manure is a potentially useful by product from methane generation facilities on farm businesses. Two greenhouse experiments were conducted to determine the effectiveness of anaerobically digested dairy manure applied to maize (Zea mays L.) and associated soil N availability in an acid and an alkaline soil. The first experiment utilized digested manure at 0, 100, 200, and 300 ug total N/g dry soil applied to Mardin (pH 5.2; coarse-loamy, mixed, active, mesic Typic Fragiudepts) and Honeoye (pH 7.4; fine-loamy, mixed, mesic Glossoboric Hapludalfs) soils. In the second experiment, digested manure at a rate of 200 ug total N/g dry soil was applied to the soils and compared with fresh dairy manure, Ca(NO3)2, NH4NO3, and (NH4)2SO4 applied at the same total N rate. Also, an unamended control was included. In both experiments, all plant shoot growth parameters (dry wt., total N, tillers, height, and stalk diameter) after manure application were equal or greater in the acid soil than in the alkaline soil. Total available N levels in the manures were less than those in the inorganic fertilizer amended treatments. Since the yields of maize from manure treatments could not be wholly attributed to higher available N levels in the soil, organic matter in the manure probably improved soil conditions, which allowed for more efficient utilization of N by maize.