Tuesday, November 6, 2007 - 10:45 AM
144-6

Utilizing Processed Swine Manure as a Soil Amendment for Row Crop Production.

Kenneth Smiciklas, Paul Walker, and Tim Kelley. Illinois State University, 5020 Agriculture, Normal, IL 61790-5020

This project is designed to compare the use of raw, liquid swine manure, separated liquid swine effluent collected from a solid-liquid separator, two rates of compost made from separated solids from liquid swine manure, and traditional inorganic fertilizer as soil amendments for corn and soybean production. The field site (University Farm at Lexington, IL) has uniform soil (Parr-Libson-Drummer Association), with 1 to 2% slope, good drainage, soil pH of 6, organic matter content of 4 to 5%, and good fertility. Soybean was grown at the site in 2003 and 2005, and corn was grown in 2004 and 2006. Each plot consisted of sixteen 76 cm crop rows by 24 m in length. Four replicates are used in a randomized complete block design. Each replicate is separated by an 18 m grass strip. Within each replicate, each plot is separated by a 3 m grass strip. Six treatments were evaluated; processed liquid swine effluent, raw liquid swine manure, inorganic fertilizer nitrogen, two rates of compost made from separated solids of liquid swine manure, and zero rate control. In general, the zero rate control plot was the least productive treatment for corn, in contrast to the other treatments. For soybean, all six treatments responded in a similar fashion. After four years of annual soil application, the processed liquid swine effluent and raw, liquid swine manure treatments were similar for most soil parameters. The separated solid compost typically contained the greatest elemental concentrations of most measured soil parameters. These results need to be verified over a number of years to assess seasonal variability patterns.