Greenhouse and field studies on hay harvest to remediate high phosphorus soil

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

1-1-2003

Abstract

Runoff from soil with high levels of phosphorus (P) may induce eutrophic conditions in downstream water bodies. Land-application of poultry litter rich in P has resulted in build-up of excessive P in many soils. The studies reported in this paper examined the potential of hay harvest to reduce the level of P in a Louisiana Coastal Plain soil. Five warm-season and five cool-season forages were evaluated in a greenhouse study for P uptake (= biomass yield x tissue concentration) from a Ruston soil (fine-loamy, siliceous, thermic Typic Paleudult) with elevated P concentration. Common bermudagrass [Cynodon dactylon(L.) Pers.] yield and P uptake as affected by fertilization rate with poultry litter and level of soil P were also examined in a field study on Ruston soil. Under optimum growth conditions in the greenhouse, alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) and crabgrass [Digitaria sanguinalis (L.) Scop.] removed more P than other summer forages, and annual ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum Lam.) removed more P than other winter forages. Uptake by alfalfa, crabgrass, and ryegrass was 80 mg P kgsoil-1 in five harvests (average) over six months of growth. During the five-year course of the field study, maximum P uptake by bermudagrass was only about half that obtained in the greenhouse (6 mg P kgsoil-1 per harvest compared with 12.5 mg P kgsoil-1 per harvest). Phosphorus uptake in the field depended on poultry litter application rate, but not level of soil P (Bray 2, Mehlich 3, total inorganic or total P). Assuming four harvests per season and P uptake by annual ryegrass half that obtained in the greenhouse, combined summer bermudagrass and winter annual ryegrass hay harvest may lower soil total P by about 50 mg kgsoil-1.

Publication Source (Journal or Book title)

Communications in Soil Science and Plant Analysis

First Page

2085

Last Page

2097

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