Leaching and uptake of nitrogen and phosphorus from cow slurry and fox manure in a lysimeter trial

Erkki Kemppainen

doi:10.23986/afsci.72614

Abstract

The effects of soil type, spreading time and use of a nitrification inhibitor (Didin) on the leaching and uptake of nitrogen and phosphorus from cow slurry and fox manure were studied in a lysimeter trial during 1989-1992. The runoff volume and leaching of total nitrogen in peat soil were double those in fine sand soil. There was no essential difference in the leaching of nitrate nitrogen, but the amount of ammonium nitrogen leached from peat soil was 50-fold and that of organic nitrogen about 3-fold the amounts leached from fine sand soil. The amount of total phosphorus leached from peat soil was 23-fold and that of soluble phosphorus 39-fold the amounts leached from fine sand soil. There were only minor differences between cow slurry and fox manure in the leaching of nitrogen. The least nitrogen was leached after manure application in May. Didin did not have any significant effect. In peat soil, significantly more phosphorus leached from fox manure than from cow slurry. Spreading time had no effect on phosphorus leaching. Considerably higher barley grain yields were harvested from peat soil than from fine sand soil. Fox manure proved to be a much more effective fertilizer than cow slurry. In the first experimental year, December spreading resulted in a lower yield than other spreading times. Of the total nitrogen applied in manure, 24-41% was recovered in barley yield (grain+straw) and 4-21% in runoff; the figures for phosphorus were 6-51% and 0-2,6%, respectively.

Highlights

The leaching ofnutrients from livestock manures has been studied rather little in Finland
Less water percolated through lysimeter soils fertilized with fox manure than through those fertilized with cow slurry
Runoff from control treatments was of the same order as from lysimeters fertilized with livestock manure

Summary

Introduction

The leaching ofnutrients from livestock manures has been studied rather little in Finland. Results published by Melanen et al (1985) and Niinioja (1993) indicate that the use oflivestock manure can result in considerable nutrient leaching. The same has been suggested in many reports published elsewhere (e.g. Brink et al, 1979, Vetter and Steffens 1981, Brink and Jernlås 1982, Herrmann et al 1983). Many farms produce excessive amounts of livestock manure in relation to their field area. Another reason for excessive manuring may be that farmers do not know the fertilizer value of Kemppainen, E.: Leaching and uptake ofnitrogen and phosphorus. Owing to insufficient storage capacity, about one-third of the manure produced in Finland has to be spread in autumn and some in winter

Methods

Results

Conclusion