Effect of seeding distance from subsurface banded poultry litter on corn yield and leaf greenness

Abstract

AbstractPoultry litter is a nutrient‐rich soil amendment and is generated in large quantities throughout the southeastern United States where row crop production, such as corn (Zea mays L.) occurs. However, extensive surface poultry litter applications have resulted in nutrient losses to atmosphere and water systems. Research objectives were to determine optimum corn planting distance from subsurface‐applied poultry litter bands for maximizing plant N uptake and productivity under rainfed and irrigated conditions in a conservation tillage system. This experiment was conducted as a split‐block at two locations in Alabama and one in Arkansas during 2016. Irrigation was the whole block and soil amendments the split‐block, which included planting corn 13, 25, and 38 cm to the side of subsurface banded poultry litter, surface‐applied poultry litter, inorganic N (all received total N; 168 kg ha−1), and 0 kg N ha−1 (control). Chlorophyll readings indicated inorganic fertilizers and the 25 cm resulted in greatest leaf greenness, which was not different from the 13‐cm litter band distance. Banding distance had no impact on rainfed forage yields; however, yields were not different from inorganic fertilizer applications. The 13‐cm band distance resulted in the greatest grain yield, which was not different from the inorganic‐N treatment. Grain neutral detergent fiber, crude fiber, and P and K fractions were all favorable for the 13‐cm band distance treatment. Yield and quality results suggest subsurface banding poultry litter 13 cm from corn rows may be a viable replacement for inorganic fertilizers in fodder and grain systems, particularly in organic production systems.