Author
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SIKORA, LAWRENCE |
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PUEUSCH, PEGGY - UMD, COLLEGE PARK, MD |
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Submitted to: Southeast Regional Society of Toxicology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal Publication Acceptance Date: 7/1/2003 Publication Date: N/A Citation: N/A Interpretive Summary: Farmers are under mandatory or volunteer programs to manage the nutrients appied or generated on their farms. Currently, the greatest concern is the amount and type of phosphorus applied to land. Pollution of waterways by phosphorus has be attributed to non point sources which include farms. Therefore, farmers are attempting to control the phosphorus application to fields. The fraction of manure phosphorus that is particularly troublesome is the water soluble P fraction. Composting of manures will reduce this fraction so that when compost is applied to land as opposed to manure, less phosphorus will runoff the field during a rain event. The cost and methods used for composting is size specific, by literature is available to farmers to make decisions on technique to best use for their operation. A great amount of literature is available Technical Abstract: Best management practice for reducing the water soluble P loss from manure application is composting manure before application. The method of composting depends on the amount of manure to compost but several management options are available. Usually solids are composted, but liquids also can be composted if sufficient bulking agent is available. Composting reduces water soluble P, but no difference is seen in Mehlich 3 acid extractable P fraction. The cost of composting is again related to the size of the operation. The NCREES has literature available listing composting methods and necessary equipment for farmers. Because P runoff is critical to today's farm management, composting is a simple but effective way to reduce water soluble P content of manures. |
