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TECHNICAL REPORTS

Waste Management

Field Evaluation of Nitrogen Availability from Fresh and Composted Manure

^a Dep. of Soil Science, Univ. of Wisconsin-Madison, 1525 Observatory Dr., Madison, WI 53706
^b formerly TVA Environmental Research Ctr., Muscle Shoals, AL

^* Corresponding author (kkelling{at}wisc.edu).

Received for publication May 3, 2007. Prediction of manure nitrogen availability to crops is key to ensuring adequate production while minimizing potential adverse environmental impacts. This field study estimated first-year and residual N availability from several manures subjected to various levels of processing, and evaluated the applicability of the presidedress soil N test (PSNT) in fields receiving the different manures using corn (Zea mays L.) as the test crop. Plots received several rates of fresh (FP), dried (DP), or composted (CP) poultry (Gallus gallus domesticus) manure, composted cow (Bos taurus) (CC) manure, ammonium nitrate (AN), or no N. Crop yields and N uptake from plots where CC was applied were undistinguishable from controls in most years, whereas poultry manures significantly increased corn production. Average apparent first-year N availability, as measured by fertilizer equivalence, was 57, 53, 14, and 4% for FP, DP, CP, and CC respectively. Apparent second-year N availability, as measured by relative effectiveness, was 18, 19, 12, and 7% for FP, DP, CP, and CC; however, for CC both first- and second-year estimates of apparent N recovery (ANR) could statistically not be separated from the controls. Apparent nitrogen avail-ability was greater for less processed manures and for CP compared to CC, emphasizing that producers should know the source and level of compost stability when these materials are used as a primary nutrient source. The PSNT successfully (87% correct) identified sites with a critical value of 24 mg kg^–1 that were N sufficient across a variety of N amendments from those that would have benefitted from additional N input.

Abbreviations: AN, ammonium nitrate • ANOVA, analysis of variance • ANR, apparent N recovery • CC, composted cow manure • CP, composted poultry manure • DP, dried poultry manure • FE, fertilizer equivalence • FP, fresh poultry manure • GY, grain yield • PSNT, presidedress soil N test • RCBD, randomized complete block design • RelGY, relative grain yield • WPNU, whole-plant N uptake • WPY, whole-plant yield