ISU Researchers
Find Poultry Manure
Boosts Yields, Protects Water
AMES, Iowa, September 28, 2004.
Research at Iowa State University shows the manure generated by
an increasing number of Iowa poultry operations is an effective,
environmentally friendly fertilizer.
A six-year study was initiated to determine
the impact of poultry manure applications on nutrient uptake by
crops, and on surface and groundwater quality. Three nitrogen
treatments are being investigated - both 150 and 300 pounds per
acre of nitrogen from poultry manure, and 150 pounds per acre
from a commercial fertilizer of urea-ammonium nitrate.
The research involves nine, one-acre field
plots at an ISU research farm west of Ames. All nitrogen
applications are made in the spring. Both subsurface and surface
water samples are collected and tested for nitrates, phosphates
and bacteria.
After five years of data collection,
researchers say they have some important answers. "The key
finding is that poultry manure applied at the 150 pound per acre
rate resulted in lower nitrate, phosphate and bacteria
concentrations in subsurface drainage water when compared with
equivalent application rates of commercial nitrogen fertilizer,"
said Ramesh Kanwar, chair of the ISU agricultural and biosystems
engineering department and lead researcher on this project. "In
addition, we've found relatively higher crop yields with poultry
manure when compared with the commercial fertilizer at the same
rate."
Kanwar said the research also shows that
when poultry manure is applied at a much higher rate than is
needed to meet the nitrogen-uptake needs of a crop, such as the
application of poultry manure at the 300 pound rate, the impact
on water quality is greater and crop yields don't increase
significantly. "This demonstrates that responsible application
of poultry manure is just as important as it is with commercial
fertilizer," Kanwar said.
This project, funded by the Iowa Egg Council
and the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture, will
continue for one more year.
For further information:
Ramesh Kanwar, Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering,
515.294.1434,
rskanwar@iastate.edu
Susan Thompson, Communications Service, 515.294.0705,
sander@iastate.edu
Iowa State University
College of Agriculture Communications Service
304 Curtiss Hall
Ames, IA 50011-1050
(515) 294-5616
FAX: (515) 294-8662
Web:
http://www.ag.iastate.edu
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