Tuesday, November 6, 2007 - 1:30 PM
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Phosphorus Availability and Corn Growth Response in Soil Amended With Turkey Manure Incinerator Ash.

Paulo H. Pagliari, Jeffrey Strock, and Carl Rosen. Soil, Water and Climate, University of Minnesota, 1991 UPPER BUFORD CIRCLE, SAINT PAUL, MN 55108

Incinerating turkey manure is an alternative option to generate renewable energy and also to eliminate environmental problems associated with manure stockpiling. An ash (TMash) byproduct containing a large amount of nutrients is generated from the incineration process. Chemical analysis of the ash has shown a fertilizer value of 7.7% P (17.7% P2O5) and 11.2% K (13.4% K2O). To evaluate corn growth response to soil amended with TMash, a greenhouse pot-study was conducted using a low P and medium K soil with a pH of 7.0. A control and five rates based on P2O5 (27.5, 55, 82.5, 110, 165 kg ha-1) and respective K2O contents in the TMash were compared with equivalent triple-superphosphate and potassium chloride rates (fertilizer). Plant height and stalk thickness for the first 30 days were highest with the fertilizer while at harvest (52 days after planting) no significant differences were found. Corn dry biomass was higher with fertilizer treatments compared with respective rates of TMash. Regardless of nutrient source, plant biomass increased as P rate increased. Potassium did not limit plant growth. Plant tissue P concentration was highest with the highest rate of TMash and concentrations with fertilizer were not different from the control. Plant P and K uptake increased as the rates increased. Tissue trace element concentrations (B, Ba, Cu, Fe, Mn, Mo, and Zn) were highest for the control. At equivalent rates of P application, soil P concentrations measured at harvest with the Bray P-1 extractant in ash amended soil were higher than those in fertilizer amended soil. In contrast, soil P concentrations measured at harvest with the Olsen extractant in TMash were the same as those in fertilizer amended soil. These results suggest that in TMash amended soils, the Olsen extractant provides a better estimate of plant available P than the Bray P-1 extractant.