A Method for Subsurface-Banding Poultry Litter in Plots Not Accessible with Conventional Field Equipment

Abstract

<abstract> <b><sc>Abstract. </sc></b>Subsurface band application of poultry litter has been shown to be effective in reducing nutrients in runoff and leachate, relative to surface broadcast application of litter. Some field plot arrangements, such as plots having adjacent pits in the soil, prevent the use of conventional field equipment because the equipment cannot traverse the pits. A small trencher and a method using a forklift were developed for making trenches in soil for subsurface band application of poultry litter in plots where conventional field equipment such as a tractor and trailing implement cannot be used. A cantilever beam was mounted to the forklift and the trencher was attached to the end of the beam. The forklift was upslope or downslope from the plots and the forklift traveled parallel to the lengths of the trenches that were formed, so it was not necessary for a vehicle to traverse the pits. The method was used for subsurface band application of broiler litter in rainfall simulation plots which had a pit on each side of each plot. The pits enabled installation of wick and zero-tension pan lysimeters beneath the plots. The method worked well for making trenches in plots in this field experiment. Broiler litter was applied in the trenches and the experiment investigated phosphorus and nitrogen in runoff and leachate during rainfall simulation.