SWINE EFFLUENT COMPARED TO INORGANIC FERTILIZERS FORTOMATO PRODUCTION

Abstract

Five fertilizer treatments, three of whichincluded swine effluent, were evaluated for plasticultureproduction of tomato, cv. Mountain Spring, grown on raised bedswith black polyethylene mulch and drip irrigation at twolocations in northern Mississippi in 1999. Treatments differedin the relative portion of total nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P),and potassium (K) supplied by effluent, inorganic preplant, orinorganic soluble sources. Yields averaged 51,300 and52,200 kg ha−1 at the Verona and Pontotoc locations, respectively, and weremostly extra-large fruit. Treatments that received swineeffluent produced marketable yields and relative number ofmarketable fruit equal to treatments that received fertilizersfrom inorganic preplant or soluble sources. These results showthat swine effluent was an effective source of nutrientscompared to conventional sources for production of tomato.Differences in the predominate nitrogen form, that is, nitratenitrogen(NO3 − N)and ammonium nitrogen(NH4 + N)from inorganic fertilizers compared to mostlyNH4 + Nfrom effluent, did not affect yield or quality. In addition,swine effluent was easily applied through a typical dripirrigation system using common management practices. Dripirrigation, in combination with plastic mulch, may provideincreased application efficiency and reduced odor and nutrientrunoff during the growing season compared to current methods ofeffluent application to other crops.