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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 #204885
Title: Effects of broiler litter application on cotton growth, yield, and residual soil N in ultra narrow row and conventional row spacing systems

Author
item Adeli, Ardeshir
item SHANKLE, M - MISSISSIPPI STATE UNIV
item Rowe, Dennis

Submitted to: National Cotton Council Beltwide Cotton Conference
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/9/2007
Publication Date: 4/27/2007
Citation: Adeli, A., Shankle, M.W., Rowe, D.E. 2007. Effects of broiler litter application on cotton growth, yield, and residual soil N in ultra-narrow row and conventional row spacing systems. Proceedings National Cotton Council Beltwide Cotton Conference. p. 525.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Using animal manure as fertilizer in row crop production has been encouraged. Substantial studies have been conducted to determine the effects of broiler litter application on cotton growth and yield under different soil and manure management systems. However, the response of cotton to broiler litter and its nutrient use efficiency under ultra-narrow row spacing is not well documented. The objective of this study was to determine the yield potential, nutrient uptake and quality of cotton in response to broiler litter application to a no-till cotton system under ultra narrow row and conventional row spacing. Research was conducted on an Atwood silt loam (fine-silty, mixed, thermic Typic Paleudalfs) soil at the Pontotoc Ridge-Flatwoods Branch Experiment Station of Mississippi State University. The experiment design for the study is a split-plot. The main plots are broiler litter at the rates of 0, 4.5, 9.0 and 13.5 Mg ha-1. The split plots are row spacing of 19, 38, and 95 cm. Chemical fertilizer also was used at the recommended rate for comparison purposes. These were established using a grain drill, blocking appropriate seed drop tubes to achieve the wider spacings. Before broiler litter application, soil samples were taken at the 0-15 cm depth for determination of soil physical and chemical characteristics. Broiler litter was surface applied in spring before planting cotton. Cotton was planted on 11 May. Plots were hand harvested. Plant population was greatest in 19 and least in 95-cm row spacing. Averaged across broiler litter rate, plant height and leaf area index were significantly increased with increasing row spacing. However, chlorophyll content of the leaves were greater under ultra-narrow than conventional row spacing. Cotton above ground biomass N uptake was greater in the ultra narrow row than conventional row spacing. Regardless of row spacing, cotton plant height and lint yield significantly increased with increasing broiler litter applications. No significant difference in cotton lint yield was obtained between ultra narrow row and conventional row spacing but lint percentage was increased with reduction in row spacing. Post-harvest residual soil NO3-N in the soil profile was lower under ultra narrow row than conventional row spacings.