Portal de Periódicos da CAPES

Poultry Litter Band Placement Affects Accessibility and Conservation of Nutrients and Cotton Yield

2018; Wiley; Volume: 110; Issue: 2 Linguagem: Inglês

10.2134/agronj2017.07.0387

1435-0645

Haile Tewolde, Mark W. Shankle, Thomas R. Way, Daniel H. Pote, K. R. Sistani, Zhongqi He,

Soil erosion and sediment transport

Core Ideas Applying manures in subsurface bands is more efficient than surface broadcasting. Applying litter in single “thick” subsurface band per row leads to greater nutrient conservation than splitting the litter into multiple “thinner” bands. Litter band accessibility to young cotton plants is greater with multiple rather than single bands per row. Subsurface banding is more effective than surface banding for cotton yield. Subsurface manure band placement relative to the plant row may affect crop growth and yield by affecting nutrient accessibility and conservation. The objective of this study was to determine whether poultry litter band placement affects cotton yield by affecting nutrient accessibility and conservation. Fresh broiler chicken litter (6.1 Mg ha −1 yr −1 ) applied in subsurface bands spaced 1.02 m apart (wide) (SSw) was compared against the same litter rate applied in subsurface (SSn) or surface (SFn) bands spaced 0.30 m apart (narrow). An unfertilized control (UFC) and a standard treatment fertilized with synthetic fertilizers (Std) were also included. No‐till cotton was planted parallel to the litter bands at 1.02‐m row spacing. The SSw treatment resulted in 14% more lint yield than the SSn treatment 2 yr after stopping litter applications. The SSw treatment also increased wheat cover crop biomass by ≥20% relative to the SSn treatment. The SSw treatment did not increase lint yield in the same season litter was applied (2010–2012), because the 6.1 Mg ha −1 litter (163 kg ha −1 total N) applied in subsurface bands spaced at 1.02 m exceeded the optimum. Higher tissue N and K concentrations and greater biomass in young (1 mo) cotton plants suggested that litter band accessibility in the early stages is greater with multiple rather than single bands per row. The results overall suggest applying litter in single “thick” subsurface band per row leads to greater conservation of the litter and its nutrients than splitting the litter into multiple “thinner” subsurface bands.