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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 #227635
Title: Evaluating carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide flux from N- and P-based broiler litter fertilization of bermudagrass

Author
item Miles, Dana
item Adeli, Ardeshir
item Brooks, John

Submitted to: Agronomy Abstracts
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/3/2008
Publication Date: 10/5/2008
Citation: Miles, D.M., Adeli, A., Brooks, J.P. 2008. Evaluating carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide flux from N- and P-based broiler litter fertilization of bermudagrass [abstract]. Agronomy Abstracts. Paper No. 68-15.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Escalating costs of commercial fertilizers have resulted in a renewed interest in the use of broiler litter and other manure nutrient sources for crops and forages. In recent years, research has been conducted using different application rates of broiler litter, particularly nitrogen (N) based or phosphorus (P) based. Applying litter based on plant N needs can result in an overabundance of P that may be subject to runoff. The current study addresses not only soil and water dynamics (presented elsewhere), but assessed carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), and nitrous oxide (N2O) flux from bermudagrass plots receiving N- and P-based broiler litter application. Using a photoacoustic multigas analyzer and an inverted flux box, CO2, CH4, and N2O flux were assessed prior to application (background), at litter application, and after 3, 18, and 24 hours (h). With this method, background fluxes were estimated at 1493 mg m-2 hr-1 CO2, 94.4 mg m-2 hr-1 CH4, and 0.39 mg m-2 hr-1 N2O. Carbon dioxide and CH4 showed an initial increase at the time of application, a decrease at 3 and 18 h, then increased again at 24 h. However, the decrease for CO2 was slight, remaining above the background flux, but the CH4 dropped well below the background level to approximately 5 mg m-2 hr-1 at 18 h. Nitrous oxide demonstrated an increase through 3 h, and then leveled off to 1.09 - 2.36 mg m-2 hr-1. Only the CO2 showed a difference based on application rate at 24 h, where the CO2 flux for the N-based fertilizer rate was greatest at 2234 mg m-2 hr-1. The study demonstrates that these gas fluxes vary with time after litter application and follow dissimilar trends, thus complicating comprehensive strategies for sustaining water, land, and air resources.