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ARS Home » Plains Area » Lincoln, Nebraska » Agroecosystem Management Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #126003
Title: MANURE AND COMPOST RESIDUAL EFFECTS ON GREENHOUSE GAS FLUXES AND SOIL QUALITY

Author
item GINTING, DANIEL - UNIV OF NEBRASKA/LINCOLN
item KESSAVALOU, ANABAYAN - MONSANTO - KANSAS CITY
item Eghball, Bahman
item Doran, John

Submitted to: Agronomy Abstracts
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/21/2001
Publication Date: 11/1/2001
Citation: GINTING, D., KESSAVALOU, A., EGHBALL, B., DORAN, J.W. MANURE AND COMPOST RESIDUAL EFFECTS ON GREENHOUSE GAS FLUXES AND SOIL QUALITY. AMERICAN SOCIETY OF AGRONOMY ABSTRACTS #150647. 2001.

Interpretive Summary: Understanding soil C and N inputs, soil C and N gas emission, and soil health long after termination of manure and compost application is crucial for alleviation of their undesirable residual effects. Our objective is to evaluate the emission of soil C and N gases, C and N inputs, and soil health indicators long after manure and compost application ceased. Experimental plots under conventional tillage systems were treated with annual synthetic N-fertilizer (FRT), annual and biennial manure (MN1 and MN2, respectively) and compost (CP1 and CP2, respectively) from 1992 to 1995. After 1995, only the FRT plots received N-fertilizer in the spring 1999. The control (CON) plots received no N input. In 1999, the emissions of CO2-C were similar between the CON and other treatments. Fluxes of CH4-C and N2O-N were nearly zero. No detectable change in soil total C and N in the CON and FRT plots due to soil CO2-C emission and N uptake. The residual effects of compost and manure treatments resulted in 20 to 40 % higher microbial biomass C, 42 to 74% higher potentially-mineralizable N, and 0.5 unit higher pH compared to the FRT treatment. In addition to the minimal residual effects of manure and compost on CO2-C, N2O-N and CH4-C emissions, their residual effects on soil heath is better than that of N-fertilizer.

Technical Abstract: Understanding soil C and N inputs, soil C and N gas emission, and soil health long after termination of manure and compost application is crucial for alleviation of their undesirable residual effects. Our objective is to evaluate the emission of soil C and N gases, C and N inputs, and soil health indicators long after manure and compost application ceased. Experimental plots under conventional tillage systems were treated with annual synthetic N-fertilizer (FRT), annual and biennial manure (MN1 and MN2, respectively) and compost (CP1 and CP2, respectively) from 1992 to 1995. After 1995, only the FRT plots received N-fertilizer in the spring 1999. The control (CON) plots received no N input. In 1999, the emissions of CO2-C were similar between the CON and other treatments. Fluxes of CH4-C and N2O-N were nearly zero. No detectable change in soil total C and N in the CON and FRT plots due to soil CO2-C emission and N uptake. The residual effects of compost and manure treatments resulted in 20 to 40 % higher microbial biomass C, 42 to 74% higher potentially-mineralizable N, and 0.5 unit higher pH compared to the FRT treatment. In addition to the minimal residual effects of manure and compost on CO2-C, N2O-N and CH4-C emissions, their residual effects on soil heath is better than that of N-fertilizer.