Poultry litter application to agricultural soils as a fertilizer for crop production, is a common practice in areas of intensive poultry production in Alabama. Therefore, this study was initiated on Decatur silt loam soil (clay, kaolinitic, thermic, Rhodic, Paleudult) to investigate trace metal content and fractions in the soil. The experimental design used in this study was a completely randomized block with three rates of poultry litter (0, 1800, and 3600 kg/ha), replicated three times. Soil samples collected at different depths (0-5, 5-15, 15-30, 30-60, and 60-90 cm) were processed and analyzed for trace metals (Zn, Cu, Pb, and Cd) and fractions including exchangeable, sesquioxide bound, organically bound, and residual. Data obtained on fractions were assessed relative to their vertical mobility in the soil.

Keywords: Poultry litter, trace metal, vertical mobility