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ARS Home » Plains Area » Temple, Texas » Grassland Soil and Water Research Laboratory » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #362195
Research Project: Resilient Management Systems and Decision Support Tools to Optimize Agricultural Production and Watershed Responses from Field to National Scale

Location: Grassland Soil and Water Research Laboratory

Title: Miscanthus production on a coastal plain soil nitrogen fertilization and poultry litter

Author
item GASTON, LEWIS - Louisiana State University
item BEASLEY, J - Louisiana State University
item BLAZIER, M - Louisiana State University Agcenter
item DODLA, S - Louisiana State University Agcenter
item FELICIEN, W - Louisiana State University
item Kiniry, James

Submitted to: Soil Science
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/30/2019
Publication Date: 11/29/2019
Citation: Gaston, L., Beasley, J., Blazier, M., Dodla, S., Felicien, W., Kiniry, J.R. 2019. Miscanthus production on a coastal plain soil nitrogen fertilization and poultry litter. Soil Science. 184(3):69-77. https://doi.org/10.1097/SS.0000000000000257.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1097/SS.0000000000000257

Interpretive Summary: There has been limited study on the performance of giant miscanthus (Miscanthus x giganteus) on Coastal Plain soils in the Mid-South, and use of poultry litter with giant miscanthus. This study examined the response of giant miscanthus to N and to poultry litter on a low-fertility soil. We also studied the effect of poultry litter on water quality. We compared five fertilizer treatments – 0, 80 and 160 kg N per hectare per year as urea or poultry litter. These were applied 2010 through 2013. We measured yields, tissue nutrients and runoff, and organic carbon in the soil. Yields exhibited a three-year lag before a maximum of 18 Mg per hectare in 2014 and were not increased by nitrogen fertilization. Nutrient removal was low, leading to increased phosphorus with poultry litter in 0 – 15 cm soil but no evidence of phosphorus leaching below 30 cm. Runoff phosphorus was increased by poultry litter at the higher rate. Although use of poultry litter alone to replenish nutrients would lead to high phosphorus loss, supplementing a reduced poultry litter rate with non-phosphorus fertilizer might be sustainable. Miscanthus did not increase soil organic carbon.

Technical Abstract: There has been limited study on the performance of miscanthus (Miscanthus x giganteus) on Coastal Plain soils in the Mid-South, and use of poultry litter (PL) withmiscanthus. This study examined the response of miscanthus to N and use of PL with miscanthus on a low-fertility soil, including effects of PL on water quality. A randomized complete block experiment on Ruston soil compared five fertilizer treatments – 0, 80 and 160 kg N ha-1 y-1 as urea or PL-- applied 2010 through 2013, and native vegetation (NV). Data included yields, tissue nutrients and runoff (subplots of NV, 0 and PL), 2010 to 2014; fertility parameters in surface (0 – 15 cm) soil, 2009 to 2015; organic C (OC) and oxalate extractable Al, Fe and P with depth, 2010; and fertility parameters (including OC, total N, and total, inorganic and organic P) with depth, 2015. Yields exhibited a three-year lag before a maximum of 18 Mg ha-1 in 2014 and were not increased by N fertilization. Nutrient removal was low, leading to increased P with PL in 0 – 15 cm soil but no evidence of P leaching below 30 cm. Runoff P was increased by PL at the higher rate (0.40 kg P ha-1 y-1 greater load compared to no PL). Although use of PL alone to replenish nutrients would lead to high P loss, supplementing a reduced PL rate with non-P fertilizer might be sustainable. Miscanthus did not increase soil OC or affect water quality compared to NV.