Silvopasture Switchgrass Fertilized with Poultry Litter: Nutrient Removal, Soil Fertility, and Runoff Water Quality

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

4-28-2019

Abstract

Alternative use of poultry litter (PL) for forest rather than pasture fertilization would improve forest soil fertility and reduce nutrient build-up in pasture. Yield and nutrient uptake of Alamo switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) in a loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) silvopasture annually fertilized with PL or urea at 80 and 160 kg N ha−1 for four years, and without fertilization were compared. Treatment effects on soil fertility and effect of PL on runoff water quality were also determined. Fertilization with N increased yields 120% to an average of 3.8 Mg ha−1 yr−1. Since nutrient removal was small, P, base cations and pH increased in the ≤30 cm depth soil with PL. Total P in edge-of-plot runoff was increased by 0.31 kg ha−1 y−1 at the higher PL rate. Two applications at this rate per tree rotation might be justified based on increased soil fertility and infrequently increased P load.

Publication Source (Journal or Book title)

Communications in Soil Science and Plant Analysis

First Page

948

Last Page

958

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