Poultry Manure Amended Soils Research Articles

Occurrence of veterinary antibiotics in poultry manure from two farms in Ibadan, Nigeria: Ecotoxicological implications in manure-amended soil.

Veterinary antibiotics are commonly used in poultry farming for preventing diseases and promoting growth. As a result of their incomplete metabolism in poultry birds, veterinary antibiotics are usually excreted and are frequently detected in poultry manures. Veterinary antibiotics in poultry manure applied onto soil may pose serious ecological effect to the terrestrial and aquatic environment. In the present work, the occurrence of three veterinary antibiotics (sulfamethoxazole, sulfadimidine and trimethoprim), categorized as veterinary antimicrobial agents of critical importance, was investigated in poultry manure from two poultry farms in Nigeria. The potential ecotoxicological risk of target veterinary antibiotics in poultry manure-amended soil was also assessed. A modified quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged and safe (QuEChERS) extraction was adopted for the extraction of target veterinary antibiotics and instrumental analysis was achieved by high performance liquid chromatography. Sulfamethoxazole, sulfadimidine and trimethoprim were quantified in poultry manures from the poultry farms up to 12.7 μg g-1, 16.1 μg g-1 and 33.8 μg g-1, respectively. Sulfamethoxazole and trimethoprim in poultry manure-amended soil presented low risk to Eisenia fetida (earthworm). The ecological effect of sulfamethoxazole for the root length of rice was high in Farm B and medium in Farm A. Sulfamethoxazole presented high risk to aquatic organisms while sulfadimidine and trimethoprim posed medium risk and low risk, respectively to aquatic organisms. The results indicated that residual veterinary antibiotics in poultry manures could have adverse effects on crops after application to agricultural soil. There is a need for effective enlightenment programs for poultry farmers in Nigeria to bring about awareness on the environmental and toxicological impact of the excessive and uncontrolled use of veterinary antibiotics in poultry farming and the adverse ecological implications of poultry manure application on farmlands.

Potential of Biochar for Minesoil Amendment and Floristic Diversity Enhancement at the Yongwa Quarry Site in the Eastern Region of Ghana

Background: Reclamation of degraded and mined lands has become paramount due to exploitation of our resources. The study sought to explore the potential of biochar for amending degraded mined soil and stockpiled topsoil and its ability to enhance plant diversity at the Yongwa quarry site in the eastern region of Ghana. Method: Two separate experiments were conducted using a randomized complete block design (RCBD). Four treatments were allotted randomly within each block for stockpiled topsoil and amended degraded mined soil experiments and replicated three times. Biochar and poultry manure were applied at 0.002 tons per every 2 m x 2 m plot. However, when applied in combination (biochar and poultry manure), they were applied at 0.001 tons of biochar and 0.001 tons of poultry manure per every 2 m x 2 m plot. Result: The results of the study revealed a generally higher nutrient status and species diversity on the plots with amended soils compared to the control. The highest Shannon index (2.04) was recorded on the combined biochar and poultry manure-amended plots while the lowest was recorded on the control plot (1.08). A similar trend was observed on the degraded mined soil amended plots with the combined biochar and poultry manure-amended soil recording the highest Shannon index (2.32) and effective number of species values (10.15) compared to the other amendment plots.

Drainage, animal manures and fungicides reduce Phytophthora wilt (caused by Phytophthora capsici) of chilli (Capsicum annuum L.) in Bhutan

Phytophthora wilt, caused by Phytophthora capsici Leon., is the most devastating disease of chilli in Bhutan. In this study, effects of bed heights to improve soil drainage, animal manures and fungicides on Phytophthora wilt on chilli were evaluated on naturally infested plots at the wet lowlands site of Bhur and in a farmer’s field at a drier, higher altitude site at Darachu in Bhutan. The experimental design was a split-plot arrangement of a randomised complete block. Bed height (flat or raised) was the main plot with amendments (poultry manure, cattle manure) or fungicide drenches (metalaxyl or potassium phosphonate) as subplot treatments. Aged manures (28,000 kg DW/ha) were applied to the field one week before planting. Chilli seedlings in the nursery bed were drenched with 1 g a.i./L potassium phosphonate or 10 mg a.i./L metalaxyl 24 hours prior to transplanting. Plant survival was significantly higher on raised beds than flat beds at Bhur (p = 0.0105), but not Darachu, although marketable yields were significantly higher on raised beds at both sites. At Darachu, poultry manure significantly improved plant survival (50%), as did cattle manure (41%) compared to unamended control plots (25%). Similar results were found at Bhur, with survival on poultry manure amended soils (40%) and cattle manure (34%), both significantly higher than on unamended soils (20%). Both fungicides significantly improved plant survival (p < 0.0001) and marketable yield (p < 0.0001) at both sites. Yields at the high-altitude, drier site at Darachu were generally higher than at the wet lowlands site at Bhur. Marketable yields on phosphonate-treated plots at both Bhur and Darachu, (16.8 and 19.1 tonnes/ha, respectively) and metalaxyl-treated plots (15.4 and 17.5 tonnes/ha) were significantly higher than on untreated plots (6.0 and 7.5 tonnes/ha). A highly significant (p = 0.0007) benefit of combining raised beds planting with manure and fungicide treatments on yield was observed at the wet lowlands site, but not at the drier site. Integrating raised bed planting with the application of poultry manure and fungicides is likely to significantly reduce yield losses of chilli due to Phytophthora wilt in different regions of Bhutan.

Effect of soil type and temperature on survival of Salmonella enterica in poultry manure-amended soils.

The effects of soil type and temperature on the survival of a cocktail of five Salmonella enterica serotypes (Enteritidis, Infantis, Montevideo, Typhimurium and Zanzibar) in manure-amended soils under controlled laboratory conditions was assessed. Containers of clay loam or sandy soil, unaltered or amended with 2% (w/w) poultry manure, were inoculated with S. enterica (~5 log10 CFU per gram) and held at 5, 21 or 37°C for 6weeks. Statistical analysis of the persistence of S. enterica identified a significant three-way interaction between soil type, manure amendment and temperature. Clay loam soils and lower temperatures tended to support S. enterica persistence over 6weeks with only 1- and 2-log reductions respectively. In contrast, sand and higher temperatures resulted in a 4-log and either 3- to 4-log reductions respectively. Manure amendment had an overarching effect of reducing die-off of S. enterica in comparison with unamended soils. This study highlights that a large component of variation of the rate of S. enterica reduction in soils may be attributed to combinations of environmental factors, in particular, soil type and temperature. It further underscores the importance of risk management strategies and industry guidelines based on local data and that reflect the diversity of prevailing horticultural production environments. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: The persistence of Salmonella enterica in soil environments was shown to be significantly influenced by a range of individual and interacting environmental effects, including temperature, soil type and amendment addition. This indicates that current horticultural food safety management systems which employ a uniform prescribed exclusion period between application of manure and time of harvest may be unfit for purpose under certain conditions by either underestimating or overestimating pathogen die-off. These findings support exclusion periods that account for a range of environmental factors including temperature, soil type and growing region that may be more appropriate to manage microbiological risks associated with soil which has been amended with manure.

Growth and yield of mungbean [Vigna radiata (L.) Wilczek] in response to oil palm bunch ash- and poultry manure-amended soil in the tropical rainforest agroecology of south-eastern Nigeria

Growth and yield of mungbean [Vigna radiata (L.) Wilczek] in response to oil palm bunch ash- and poultry manure-amended soil in the tropical rainforest agroecology of south-eastern Nigeria

Phosphorus accumulation characteristics in Polygonum hydropiper and rhizosphere properties affected by poultry manure application

Land-applied poultry manure threatens to water environments, particularly because of its high concentration of phosphorus (P). Polygonum hydropiper is efficient in extracting soil excess P, thereby reducing the risk of P runoff and leaching. Rather, little is understood about the effects of poultry manure on soil properties and the P-accumulating characteristics of this plant species. Two pot experiments were conducted to investigate P accumulation and rhizosphere properties in a mining ecotype (ME) of P. hydropiper from Shifang phosphate-mining area and the contrasting non-mining ecotype (NME), with the first experiment at different poultry manure application rates (0, 25, 50, 75, 100 g kg−1 dry soil) and the second experiment under the optimum poultry manure concentration (75 g kg−1) over three growth periods. The ME’s shoot biomass and P accumulation increased with poultry manure application rates up to 75 g kg−1 and increased with increasing growth periods. Shoot biomass and P accumulation of the ME were significantly greater than those of the NME at 75 g kg−1 in both experiments. At the optimum poultry manure rate (75 g kg−1), H2O-Pi (Pi, inorganic P), H2O–, NaHCO3− and NaOH-Po (Po, organic P) were more depleted in ME rhizosphere than NME rhizosphere whereas NaHCO3− and NaOH-Pi increased more in ME rhizosphere than NME rhizosphere, irrespective of growth periods. Soil acid and alkaline phosphatases, phosphodiesterase and phytase activities of the ME significantly increased with manure rates up to 75 g kg−1. Higher enzymatic activities were observed in poultry manure soil than the control and in the rhizospheric soil than bulk soil. The ME showed significantly greater activities of rhizospheric acid phosphatase and phytase than the NME in poultry manure soil at 8 weeks, when its P accumulation showed the largest increase. Therefore, the ME can extract much greater P than the NME from poultry manure-amended soil, probably through the changes in its rhizosphere properties.

Kinetics of potassium release and fixation in some soils of Ogun State, Southwestern, Nigeria as influenced by organic manure

PurposeThe study investigated the effects of poultry and goat manures on the kinetics of potassium fixation and release in some sandy loam and loamy soils of Ogun State, Nigeria.MethodsThe treatments consisted of poultry and goat manures applied at 25 g and 100 g/5 kg soil set in completely randomized design with three replicates. Potassium fixation and release kinetics were computed from the analytical data.ResultsExperimental soils was sandy, slightly acidic, low in nutrients with 80% fixed potassium. However, manure application resulted in 74% reduction of the amount of K fixed by the soils. Elovich and power functions had the best fit for K released in soils treated with goat manure. The K release pattern in poultry manure-amended soil is best described by the parabolic diffusion, Elovich, and power functions, while the first-order equation described K release in soils treated with cattle manure. The potassium release rate constant correlated positively with K uptake.ConclusionThe ability of the studied soils to fixed K was reduced with the application of organic manures. Potassium fixation decreased with increase in organic manure rates, 100 g/5 kg soil tends to be the optimum rate, and poultry manure had greater effect on the fixing and releasing power of K.

Yield, nutrient and heavy metal uptake of leafy vegetables grown in sewage sludge and poultry manure amended soils

Urban farmers in Harare grow vegetables in soils fertilised with poultry manure (PM) and sewage sludge (SS). Feed and storage management influence nutrient supply of these organic amendments. Nitrogen mineralisation of PM and SS were determined in a non-leaching and aerobic incubation experiment. Effects of these amendments on yield, nitrogen (N) and heavy metal uptake by vegetables grown in soils treated with 150 kg N ha−1 from compound mineral fertiliser (7 N:14 P2O5:7 K2O), PM (2.26% N) and SS (3.26% N) were studied. Phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) were added at rates of 50 kg P ha−1 and 60 kg K ha−1, respectively. A second crop was grown without adding amendments. Poultry manure mineralised faster than SS. Yield was significantly higher (p < 0.05) in mineral fertiliser amended soil for the first crop whilst organic amendments resulted in significantly higher yield in the second crop. First-crop nitrogen uptake increased by 53% and 100% (Brassica napus), 92% and 158% (Brassica juncea) over the control for SS and PM, respectively. Zinc, copper, cadmium and nickel uptake was higher with SS than in the other treatments and their concentrations were lower than European Union permissible limits. Poultry manure can be used in place of mineral fertiliser, whilst SS requires early or supplementary application of mineral N for early plant growth.

Heavy Metal Content in Soils and Vegetables Grown in an Inland Valley of Terengganu and a River Delta of Kelantan, Malaysia

Heavy metal concentration in vegetables grown in an inland valley of Terengganu and a deltaic area of Kelantan are compared. The presence of heavy metals as indicated by speciation of Fe, Mn, Pb, Cr, Cu, Zn and Cd are discussed. Vegetable farm soils in Terengganu and Kelantan are acidic, sandy and contain a fair amount of organic carbon. Most of the soil Fe is highly concentrated in the RR fraction in the form of mottles of iron oxide and coatings on the sediment surface. Manganese is highly concentrated in the AR fraction, followed by its occurrence in the OO fraction. The study showed the presence of precipitates of Mn-oxyhydroxides and the association of Mn with soil organic carbon. The rest of the heavy metals (Pb, Cr, Cu, Zn and Cd) studied were significantly concentrated in the OO fraction suggesting the great affinity of these metals to the organic carbon in the soils. The fair amount of organic carbon present in the study area might possibly be attributed to litter constituting plant materials and poultry manure-amended soils in the vegetable farms. Despite the low concentration of Pb in the available form (ELFE fraction), its accumulation in the plants could have occurred because of the Pb-organic complexes in the soil. The accumulation of Cd in the soils could be attributed to the presence of available Cd (ELFE fraction) in the soils.

Evaluation of Coconut Wastes as an Amendment to Acidic Soils in Low-Input Agricultural System

The effectiveness of plantation wastes along with locally available organic materials in ameliorating acidic soil was studied by conducting an experiment with coconut husk, poultry manure, vermicompost, and compared with limestone. Application of organic amendments significantly increased the soil pH, and it was greatest in poultry manure–amended soils followed by vermicompost and coconut husk + poultry manure treatments. The relative liming efficiency was greatest for poultry manure through out the observation period of 180 days. The coconut husk alone showed the least liming effect and its liming efficiency had increased when applied in combination with poultry manure and or vermicompost. This increase in soil pH was mirrored by significant reductions in exchange acidity, exchangeable aluminum (Al3+), diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (DTPA)–extractable iron (Fe2+), and manganese (Mn2+) and increases in cation exchange capacity, exchangeable bases, especially calcium (Ca), and Olsen-extractable phosphorus (P) by addition of organic amendments and lime. This study indicated the potential of using coconut husk along with poultry manure for managing acidic soils in low-input agricultural systems, especially in tropical islands.

Differential responses of Duo grass (Lolium Festuca), a phosphorus hyperaccumulator to high phosphorus and poultry manure treatments

Use of suitable plants to extract and concentrate excess phosphorus (P) from contaminated soil serves as an attractive method of phyto-remediation. Plant species vary considerably in their potential to assimilate different organic and inorganic P substrates. Duo grass (a hybrid of Lolium × Festuca ) seedlings were grown in liquid nutrient media supplemented with various concentrations of potassium dihydrogen phosphate (KH2PO4) and phytate to study their P-accumulation potential. Plants that received extra P showed significantly greater plant biomass and accumulated more shoot P compared to the plants that were supplied with normal P. Duo was also grown in poultry manure amended soil and liquid media to evaluate their ability to grow and accumulate biomass in poultry manure impacted soils. Thus this grass species may be utilized as a P hyper-accumulator for phyto-extraction of excess P into their biomass from soils. Duo grass can utilize both organic (phytate), as well as, inorganic P from the growth medium as evidenced in the results. Keywords: Duo grass, phosphorus, phosphorus substrates, phytate, phosphorus accumulation, phytoremediation African Journal of Biotechnology Vol. 12(21), pp. 3191-3195

Risk mitigation strategies and policy implications for carbon dioxide (CO2) emission in organically- amended soils in Nigeria

Global food security has been a challenge, especially in Africa. This has attracted the adoption of strategies to improve soil productivity and crop yield. One of such strategies is the use of solid wastes as soil organic matter amendments. An investigation of the effects of soil amendment using poultry manure, sawdust and their mixtures on carbon dioxide (CO2) emission, maize (Zea mays L.) growth and dry matter yield were assessed under laboratory and greenhouse conditions. Top soil obtained from unfertilized plots at the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching and Research farm, Ile-Ife, Nigeria was used for the experiments. The organic amendments were added at the rate of 10 g/kg, treatments were in triplicates and treatment means were separated using Duncan’s Multiple Range Test at 95% level of significance. Results obtained revealed that CO2 emission decreased while maize heights and dry matter yields significantly (P > 0.05) increased with increasing ratios of poultry manure in the poultry manure-sawdust mixtures. The CO2 emission from poultry manure amended soil was about 61% that from sawdust amended soil while the mean height and dry matter yield in sawdust-amended soils were 84% and 52% respectively those obtained in poultry manure amended soil. This paper concludes that it is essential to design and implement policies that will guide and encourage the use of organic amendments at ratios that can enhance crop yield and mitigate CO2 emission to the environment. Key words: Food security, solid waste, carbon dioxide emission, organic amendments, environment and policy

Biogenic phosphate minerals in manure: implications for phosphorus loss to surface waters.

Phosphorus (P) is present in waterways throughout the United States at concentrations that impair water quality. Agriculture, particularly livestock production, has been identified as a major cause of this impairment Excess manure P applied to croplands has increased P losses in runoff, leading to surface water eutrophication. We conducted a long-term (36-week) incubation with poultry and dairy manures applied to a silt loam soil to elucidate mechanisms controlling manure P loss to water. Manures were applied to supply the same total P rate to soils with different antecedent plant-available P concentrations (soil test P). There was a strong synergistic effect between dairy manure and soil test P on water extractable P, while soil test P did not affect P loss from poultry manure-amended soils. Using scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, we found that poultry manure contained sparingly soluble calcium and magnesium phosphate minerals that controlled soil solution P concentrations, while dairy manure did not These minerals resemble other biogenic phosphate minerals. Our findings refute current assumptions that all manure P behaves similarly in soils and that organic forms control manure-soil P loss to water.

Monitoring phosphorus mineralization from poultry manure using phosphatase assays and phosphorus-31 nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy

Phosphatase enzymes are responsible for mineralization of organic-phosphorus (P) compounds in soil where they hydrolyze the organic phosphate esters to inorganic phosphate. One way to monitor the mineralization process in soils receiving poultry manure is by assessing the activity of phosphatase in a soil amended with poultry manure relative to a soil that is not amended. In a laboratory incubation, soil phosphomonoesterase activity and soil phosphodiesterase activity were measured 0, 1, 2, 4, 8, 12, 16, and 20 weeks after soil incorporation of poultry litter. Two soils, both Fine-loamy siliceous, thermic Typic Kandiudults, were used in the study. Both soils differed in their previous management. The first soil was from a conventionally tilled field that received annual poultry litter applications for 18 consecutive years. The second soil was from an adjacent recently cleared woodland that had no history of manure application. In the previously non-manured soil, soil phosphodiesterase activity following poultry litter addition increased from 4 to 66 μg p-nitrophenol g soil−1 hour−1 by the second week. However, in the same soil, after 8 weeks, phosphodiesterase activity resulting from poultry litter applications was not evident. There was a net increase in phosphomonoesterase activity from week 0 to 20 in the previously manured and previously non-manured soils that were amended with poultry litter. A simultaneous study was conducted to measure the relative concentration of organic P forms during the mineralization process using 31P nuclear magnetic resonance. Subsamples from the poultry manure-amended soil were extracted with 0.25 M NaOH+0.05 M EDTA following 0, 1, 2, 4, 8, 12, 16, and 20 weeks after manure addition and incorporation. The concentration of organic P compounds decreased from the time of poultry litter incorporation until week 20 whereas orthophosphate concentration increased during this period.

Sulfur mineralization in two soils amended with organic manures, crop residues, and green manures

The mineralization of sulfur (S) was investigated in a Vertisol and an Inceptisol amended with organic manures, green manures, and crop residues. Field-moist soils amended with 10 g kg—1 of organic materials were mixed with glass beads, placed in pyrex leaching tubes, leached with 0.01 M CaCl2 to remove the mineral S and incubated at 30 °C. The leachates were collected every fortnight for 16 weeks and analyzed for SO4-S. The amount of S mineralized in control and in manure-amended soils was highest in the first week and decreased steadily thereafter. The total S mineralized in amended soils varied considerably depending on the type of organic materials incorporated and soil used. The cumulative amounts of S mineralized in amended soils ranged from 6.98 mg S (kg soil)—1 in Inceptisol amended with wheat straw to 34.38 mg S (kg soil)—1 in Vertisol amended with farmyard manure (FYM). Expressed as a percentage of the S added to soils, the S mineralized was higher in FYM treated soils (63.5 to 67.3 %) as compared to poultry manure amended soils (60.5 to 62.3 %). Similarly the percentage of S mineralization from subabul (Leucaena leucocephala) loppings was higher (53.6 to 55.5 %) than that from gliricidia (Gliricidia sepium) loppings (50.3 to 51.1 %). Regression analysis clearly indicated the dependence of S mineralization on the C : S ratio of the organic materials added to soil. The addition of organic amendments resulted in net immobilization of S when the C : S ratio was above 290:1 in Vertisol and 349:1 in Inceptisol. The mineralizable S pool (So) and first-order rate constant (k) varied considerably among the different types of organic materials added and soil. The So values of FYM treated soils were higher than in subabul, gliricidia, and poultry manure treated soils.

Ammonia volatilization from poultry manure-amended soil

Poultry manure (PM) is commonly applied to cropland as a fertilizer, usually at rates determined by the nitrogen content of the manure. Limited information is available, however, on the volatilization of ammonia from poultry manure-amended soils, despite the effect these losses may have on the fertilizer value of the manure. This study was initiated to determine the influence of incorporation and residue cover on NH3 losses from PM-amended soils. In the first experiment, a dynamic flow technique was used to measure NH3 losses from 18 manures applied to a bare soil surface at a rate of 12 Mg ha-1. In the second experiment, 3 of the 18 manures were incorporated either immediately, 24 h or 72 h after application. The third experiment compared the same three manures applied to a bare soil surface or to corn or soybean residues. Surface application of the manures resulted in the loss of from 4 to 31% of the total N applied in the manures. Incorporation of the PM with soil significantly reduced NH3 loss with the greatest decrease following immediate incorporation. Crop residues either had no effect or slightly reduced NH3 volatilization losses relative to PM application to a bare soil surface. Ammonia volatilization was not well correlated with individual manure properties, but a multiple regression approach using manure pH and total N content offered some promise as a means to segregate manures of the basis of volatilization potential.

Nitrogen Transformations in a Poultry Manure Amended Soil: Temperature and Moisture Effects

AbstractEfficient agronomic management of poultry manure requires information on its contribution to the N budget of the soil‐crop system. Of primary importance in this regard is the timing of N mineralization from the organic fraction of the manure. As manure applications are frequently made year round, it is also essential to understand how environmental variations will alter the rate and extent of N mineralization. Consequently, a laboratory study was conducted for 150 d to measure the effects of temperature and moisture on net N mineralization from three poultry manures. Each manure sample was incorporated with an Evesboro loamy sand (mesic, coated typic Quartzipsamments) and changes in soil inorganic N (NH+4‐N and NO−3‐N) and pH were determined at 30, 90, and 150 d. Although variations were noted between manure types, most of the net mineralization (Nm) observed at 25 °C and 40 °C occurred within the first 90 d. Mineralization was reduced at 0 °C but, by the conclusion of the study, considerable accumulations of inorganic N (18–76 mg/kg) were detected at this temperature. Thirty to 60% of the organic N added to the soil in manures 1 and 3 was mineralized, when moisture was not limiting. Inconsistent mineralization patterns obtained with manure 2 were attributed to microbial immobilization of N. Accumulations of NH+4‐N under cold or dry conditions resulted in elevated soil pH levels. Conversely, considerable soil acidification occurred under warm, moist conditions due to rapid nitrification of NH+4‐N added in the manures.