Types Of Animal Manure Research Articles

Produção e estrutura de pastos de capim-massai adubado com dejetos da produção animal

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of organic and mineral fertilizers on the structure and production of Panicum maximum cv. Massai forage. The experiment was conducted at the teaching farm of Instituto Federal de Educacao, Ciencia e Tecnologia do Rio Grande do Norte, Apodi Campus. The treatments evaluated were organic sources of nitrogen (wastes of pig, poultry and sheep farming) and a mineral source (urea), set at 150 kg N/ha. Forage production, morphological components, pasture height, light interception, leaf area index, and chlorophyll content were evaluated in samples obtained at intervals of 60 days. Canopy height was affected by the type of fertilizer applied and the greatest height was observed for pasture fertilized with urea (50.97 cm). The highest light interception by the canopy was observed for pastures receiving urea, but 95% light interception was not reached. The leaf area index was higher for pastures fertilized with urea compared to the other treatments and the values obtained for pastures receiving organic fertilizers were considered very low. Forage, leaf blade, stem and dead material mass was affected by the type of fertilizer and was higher for pastures receiving urea. The total chlorophyll content of leaf blades did not differ between the types of fertilizer evaluated. Forage structure or production in massai grass pastures is not affected by the type of animal manure used as nitrogen source. The efficiency of these organic fertilizers as a nitrogen source is lower than that of mineral fertilization. The animal manures evaluated can be used as nitrogen sources for massai grass pastures to reduce costs and environmental impacts.

Compositional characteristics and energy potential of Chinese animal manure by type and as a whole

In this study, 838 representative animal manure samples were collected from 552 sites across China. Chemical analyses of 19 parameters, including the proximate analysis, ultimate analysis, heating values and some essential mineral elements, were conducted on the samples. The energy potential of animal manure in China was quantified based on the chemical analysis. The results showed that the chemical characteristics of the different types of animal manure were highly variable. Principal component analysis results demonstrated that the closest compositional characteristics were between dairy manure and beef manure. Several strong and important associations, namely phosphorus–magnesium, phosphorus–copper, phosphorus–zinc, copper–zinc, calcium–potassium, fixed carbon–calcium, volatile matter–iron and ash–volatile matter–fixed carbon–carbon–hydrogen–higher heating value–lower heating value, were identified. The calculated outputs of total potential annual thermal energy, syngas and methane yields from the five types of animal manure in China were 4400.63TJ, 983.40×109m3 and 188.89×109m3, respectively. The air gasifier energy conversion efficiency (t=850°C, equivalence ratio (ER)=0.3) for different animal manures was in the range of 66.80–83.22%.

Characteristics of pollutant gas releases from swine, dairy, beef, and layer manure, and municipal wastewater

Knowledge about characteristics of gas releases from various types of organic wastes can assist in developing gas pollution reduction technologies and establishing environmental regulations. Five different organic wastes, i.e., four types of animal manure (swine, beef, dairy, and layer hen) and municipal wastewater, were studied for their characteristics of ammonia (NH3), carbon dioxide (CO2), hydrogen sulfide (H2S), and sulfur dioxide (SO2) releases for 38 or 43 days in reactors under laboratory conditions. Weekly waste additions and continuous reactor headspace ventilation were supplied to simulate waste storage conditions. Results demonstrated that among the five waste types, layer hen manure and municipal wastewater had the highest and lowest NH3 release potentials, respectively. Layer manure had the highest and dairy manure had the lowest CO2 release potentials. Dairy manure and layer manure had the highest and lowest H2S release potentials, respectively. Beef manure and layer manure had the highest and lowest SO2 releases, respectively. The physicochemical characteristics of the different types of wastes, especially the total nitrogen, total ammoniacal nitrogen, dry matter, and pH, had strong influence on the releases of the four gases. Even for the same type of waste, the variation in physicochemical characteristics affected the gas releases remarkably.

Manure Source and Age Affect Survival of Zoonotic Pathogens during Aerobic Composting at Sublethal Temperatures

Heat is the primary mechanism by which aerobic composting inactivates zoonotic bacterial pathogens residing within animal manures, but at sublethal temperatures, the time necessary to hold the compost materials to ensure pathogen inactivation is uncertain. To determine the influence of the type of nitrogen amendment on inactivation of Salmonella, Listeria monocytogenes, and Escherichia coli O157:H7 in compost mixtures stored at sublethal temperatures, specific variables investigated in these studies included the animal source of the manure, the initial carbon/nitrogen (C:N) ratio of the compost mixture, and the age of the manure. Salmonella and L. monocytogenes were both inactivated more rapidly in chicken and swine compost mixtures stored at 20°C when formulated to an initial C:N ratio of 20:1 compared with 40:1, whereas a C:N ratio did not have an effect on inactivation of these pathogens in cow compost mixtures. Pathogen inactivation was related to the elevated pH of the samples that likely arises from ammonia produced by the indigenous microflora in the compost mixtures. Indigenous microbial activity was reduced when compost mixtures were stored at 30°C and drier conditions (<10% moisture level) were prevalent. Furthermore, under these drier conditions, Salmonella persisted to a greater extent than L. monocytogenes, and the desiccation resistance of Salmonella appeared to convey cross-protection to ammonia. Salmonella persisted longer in compost mixtures prepared with aged chicken litter compared with fresh chicken litter, whereas E. coli O157:H7 survived to similar extents in compost mixtures prepared with either fresh or aged cow manure. The different responses observed when different sources of manure were used in compost mixtures reveal that guidelines with times required for pathogen inactivation in compost mixtures stored at sublethal temperatures should be dependent on the source of nitrogen, i.e., type of animal manure, present.

Produtividade de alface com doses de esterco de frango, bovino e ovino em cultivos sucessivos

Com o objetivo de avaliar o uso de três tipos de esterco animal: de frango, de bovino e de ovino na produção de alface, um experimento de campo foi conduzido em um Latossolo Vermelho-Amarelo Eutrófico, no Instituto Federal de Educação Ciência e Tecnologia campus Crato, CE. O delineamento experimental foi o de blocos casualizados, com arranjo fatorial [(3x5) + 2], ou seja, três estercos e cinco doses, com dois tratamentos adicionais, só fertilizante mineral e o controle (sem fertilização), com quatro repetições. Foram avaliadas as variáveis: matéria fresca e matéria seca por planta, produtividade e número de folhas por planta. O esterco de frango proporcionou maiores produtividades de alface no primeiro cultivo; contudo, a partir do segundo cultivo foi superado pelos estercos bovino e ovino. As maiores doses dos estercos proporcionaram boas produtividades até o terceiro cultivo sendo necessária nova aplicação dos mesmos para a manutenção de bons resultados. O fertilizante mineral promoveu boas produtividades até o segundo cultivo tornando-se conveniente nova aplicação a partir do terceiro cultivo.

Species-Specific Effects of Epigeic Earthworms on Microbial Community Structure during First Stages of Decomposition of Organic Matter

BackgroundEpigeic earthworms are key organisms in organic matter decomposition because of the interactions they establish with microorganisms. The earthworm species and the quality and/or substrate availability are expected to be major factors influencing the outcome of these interactions. Here we tested whether and to what extent the epigeic earthworms Eisenia andrei, Eisenia fetida and Perionyx excavatus, widely used in vermicomposting, are capable of altering the microbiological properties of fresh organic matter in the short-term. We also questioned if the earthworm-induced modifications to the microbial communities are dependent on the type of substrate ingested.Methodology/Principal FindingsTo address these questions we determined the microbial community structure (phospholipid fatty acid profiles) and microbial activity (basal respiration and microbial growth rates) of three types of animal manure (cow, horse and rabbit) that differed in microbial composition, after being processed by each species of earthworm for one month. No differences were found between earthworm-worked samples with regards to microbial community structure, irrespective of type of manure, which suggests the existence of a bottleneck effect of worm digestion on microbial populations of the original material consumed. Moreover, in mesocosms containing cow manure the presence of E. andrei resulted not only in a decrease in bacterial and fungal biomass, but also in a reduced bacterial growth rate and total microbial activity, while no such reduction was found with E. fetida and P. excavatus.Conclusions/SignificanceOur results point to the species of earthworm with its associated gut microbiota as a strong determinant of the process shaping the structure of microbial communities in the short-term. This must nonetheless be weighed against the fact that further knowledge is necessary to evaluate whether the changes in the composition of microbiota in response to the earthworm species is accompanied by a change in the microbial community diversity and/or function.

Effect of Salt Stress on Decomposition of Organic Matter and Nitrogen Mineralization in Animal Manure Amended Soils

As it is believed that soil salinity can alter the organic matter turnover process, the present study discussed the influence of soil salinity on the decomposition of organic matter and nitrogen mineralization in animal manure amended soils. A factorial combination of two soil types (saline and non-saline soils) with three types of animal manure (i.e. poultry manure, goat manure and cow dung) was used to assess the C and N mineralization. The amount of CO2-C released from both soils was not significant (P ≤ 0.05) until day 2 of incubation. However, as incubation progressed, the amount of CO2-C released from manure amended soils was found to be significantly (P ≤ 0.05) higher than that of the control. However in the case of cow dung amended soils, release of CO2-C was not much influenced by the salinity stress. The NH4+ -N content of both soils was found to be reached to the peak at day 14, followed by gradual reductions in all treatments. However, saline soil showed significantly (P ≤ 0.05) low NH4+ -N content compared to the non-saline soil. Though, the nutritional composition of applied manures was different, no significant (P ≤ 0.05) differences were found among the treatments in terms of N mineralization. Furthermore, no distinct pattern of treatment behavior could be observed for NO2- -N contents also. However, the content of NO3- -N was found to be dominated in non-saline soil throughout the incubation. Results could be concluded that the response pattern of C and N mineralization to salinity stress depended on the type of animal manure incorporate to the soil and duration of incubation. Key words: salinity stress; animal manure; decomposition of organic matter; nitrogen mineralization DOI: 10.4038/jas.v5i1.2319 Journal of Agricultural Sciences Vol.5(1) 2010 pp.9-18

Characterization of animal manure and cornstalk ashes as affected by incineration temperature

Incineration has been proposed as an alternative technology to reuse animal manure by producing energy and ash fertilizers. The objective of this study was to assess the impact of incineration temperature on the physical (ash yield) and chemical (nutrient) properties of ashes for different types of animal manure and cornstalk. The source materials were incinerated in a temperature-controlled muffle furnace at the temperature of 400, 500, 600, 700, 800 or 900 °C and the properties of the resultant ashes were determined following the procedures set by China National Standards. The results indicated that ash yield (AY, %), total nitrogen (TN) recovery and total potassium (K 2O) recovery all decreased with increasing incineration temperature. The ranges of AY, ash TN and K 2O recovery were, respectively, 43.6–30.2%, 6.9–0.6%, and 80–61% for laying-hen manure; 34.3–32.1%, 18.8–15.4%, and 95–56% for cattle manure; 25.3–20.7%, 14–0%, and 78–57% for swine manure; and 8.4–7.5%, 2.1–1.4%, and 37–19% for cornstalk. However, total phosphorus (P 2O 5) content of the ashes increased with incineration temperature, being 20.7–24.0% for swine manure, 4.5–7.5% for layer manure, and 2.7–3.4% for cornstalk. Animal manures have greater TN and P 2O 5 volatilization but less K 2O and total sodium (Na 2O) volatilization as compared to the cornstalk. The results provide a basis for incineration as an alternative means to reuse animal manures and cornstalk and suitability of the resultant ash co-product for different applications.

Survival of Murine Norovirus and Hepatitis A Virus in Different Types of Manure and Biosolids

Noroviruses and hepatitis A virus (HAV) are common causes of foodborne disease. They are usually shed in feces and have been found in sewage water, biosolids, and animal manures. With the wide application of manure and biosolids on agricultural lands, there is an increasing interest in investigating virus survival in manure and biosolids. In this study, Murine norovirus-1 (MNV) and HAV were inoculated into different types of animal manure and three types of differently treated biosolids at 20 degrees C and 4 degrees C for up to 60 days. Both HAV and MNV viral genomes degraded immediately in high pH biosolids type 2 and 3 at time zero. For other types of manure and biosolids, HAV RNA was significantly reduced in biosolids type 1 and in liquid dairy manure (DM) after 60 days stored at 20 degrees C, but was stable in all types of manure and biosolids type 1 at 4 degrees C. MNV RNA was unstable in pelletized poultry litter and biosolids type 1 at 20 degrees C, and less stable in liquid DM at both temperatures. For MNV infectivity, there was no significant difference among pelletized poultry litter, alum-treated poultry litter, raw poultry litter, and swine manure at either 20 degrees C or 4 degrees C after 60 days of storage. However, HAV stored in swine manure and raw poultry litter had significantly higher infectivity levels than HAV stored in alum-treated poultry litter at both 20 degrees C and 4 degrees C. Overall, both viruses were inactivated rapidly in alkaline pH biosolids and unstable in liquid DM, but alum added in poultry litter had different effects on the two viruses: alum inactivated some HAV at both temperatures but had no effect on MNV.

Evaluation of Ultrasonic Pretreatment on Anaerobic Digestion of Different Animal Manures

This article addresses the effect of ultrasonication as a pretreatment to anaerobic digestion of four types of animal manure, including swine slurry, beef feedlot manure, dairy manure slurry, and separated dairy manure effluent. The effect of ultrasonication on soluble chemical oxygen demand (SCOD) and biochemical methane potential (BMP) were determined, and the energy efficiency of ultrasonic pretreatment was evaluated. Ultrasonic pretreatment was applied at two amplitudes (80 and 160 µmpp) and at two time settings (15 and 30 s) to each of the four manure types. The SCOD of each manure sample was determined before and after ultrasonic pretreatment. In addition, BMP trials were run on each waste with and without ultrasonic pretreatment. As part of the BMP, biogas production was measured and analyzed for methane content and cumulative methane production. Ultrasonic pretreatment of swine slurry, beef feedlot manure, dairy manure slurry, and separated dairy manure effluent increased the average SCOD up to 23%, 92%, 59%, and 33%, respectively, and the average methane yield up to 56%, 43%, 62%, and 20%, respectively. Increasing the ultrasonic amplitude and treatment time resulted in an increase in manure SCOD and methane production; the greatest methane production was obtained using the ultrasonic pretreatment at the highest power and longest treatment time. The observed greatest methane production from swine slurry, beef feedlot manure, dairy manure slurry, and separated dairy manure effluent were 394, 230, 226, and 340 mL CH4 g-1 VS, respectively. In contrast, the greatest energy efficiency was obtained with the lowest ultrasonic amplitude combined with the shortest treatment time.

Animal Manure Impact on the Quality of Percolated Water in a Semi-Arid Region-Jordan

The aim of this research was to evaluate the impact of different types of animal manure applied to calcareous soil on percolated water quality. Thirty-six soil columns were used to collect the leached water. Three rates (2%, 5%, and 10%) from four sources of animal manure (cow, chicken, sheep, and camel) were applied to determine the effect of types, and rates of applied manure on groundwater quality in terms of major ionic composition (HCO3, Br-, F-, Cl-, NO3- NH4+, SO4-2, Ca+2, Mg+2, Na+, K+, and PO4+4) and heavy metals (Cd, Cu, Ni, and Zn) in addition to total organic carbon (TOC) through the different intervals of irrigation. The results showed significant variation in ionic compositions and heavy metals of the percolated water with the different types and amount of animal manure applied. For ammonium, nitrate, and P the highest concentrations were found when chicken manure was applied and the minimum when camel manure was applied. This finding can be attributed to the rate of degradation of different types of manure. Organic content of the drained water was independent of the type of manure but it was proportional to the amount of manure applied. Only a small portion of organic matter was drained from the different manures indicating that a high portion of organic matter was held in the soil.

Yield and flour quality of spring wheat as affected by soil tillage and animal manure

AbstractBACKGROUND: Yield and quality of organic bread wheat may be improved by adjusting tillage and type of manure. We tested two different tillage strategies (rotovation plus ploughing or ploughing only) before sowing spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) on a coarse loamy sand. The tillage strategies were combined with four nitrogen (N) rates of animal manure supplied in either slurry or liquid manure.RESULTS: Rotovation before ploughing had only a negligible influence on soil inorganic N content in the spring and on wheat biomass development. Liquid manure gave a higher protein and gluten content than slurry, probably due to its higher proportion of inorganic N. At low N rates, gluten from wheat supplied with slurry was softer than from wheat given liquid manure and responded differently to baking tests than expected from their gluten and protein content. At higher N rates, loaf volume corresponded well with the gluten and protein content.CONCLUSION: Soil tillage intensity did not have a major influence on soil N mineralisation patterns and manure N availability. Except at low N rates, the response of wheat flour to different types of animal manure is mainly determined by the amount of inorganic N supplied. Copyright © 2008 Society of Chemical Industry

House Fly (Musca domestica L.) (Diptera Muscidae) Development in Different Types of Manure

A B S T R A C T Animal production units with different management systems can be found along the Huasco Valley, Region of Atacama, Chile. These constitute sources of house flies (Musca domestica L.) and other vector fly species that cause damage to animals and nuisance problems in urban areas. In order to asses the importance of fly breeding sources, an experiment was carried out under laboratory conditions to evaluate different types of animal manure and composted swine manure. Time of larval development, larva mortality, pupa size, and weight and time of development to the adult stage were assessed. Results show that swine, poultry and calf manure produced a significantly higher number of adult flies, shorter life cycles and larger and heavier pupae. Cow, dog, goat and horse manure follow in effectiveness for fly production. Composted swine manure was totally ineffective for domestic fly development.

The effect of animal manures on susceptibility of cowpea Var. moussa local to infection by root-knot nematode; Meloidogyne javanica Treub.

The effect of three different types of animal manures namely; poultry, goat and cow dung on the susceptibility of cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp) Var moussa local to root-knot nematode infection caused by Meloidogyne javanica was tested in a replicated pot experiment. Manured plants were inoculated with 2000 eggs of M. javanica while uninoculated manured plants served as control for each manure type and unmanured but inoculated plants as general control. The result showed that unmanured and inoculated plants were susceptible to M. javanica to varying degrees. Plants applied with poultry manure were more resistant to root-knot nematode infection followed by those applied with cow dung and goat dropping in that order. The most susceptible plants were those inoculated but not applied with manure. Gall index and resistance rating showed that plants fertilized with poultry manure, cow dung and goat droppings were resistant, moderately resistant and susceptible, respectively.

Residual nitrogen effect of a dairy crop rotation as influenced by grass-clover ley management, manure type and age

Abstract Forecasting crop nitrogen (N) demand is important for maximizing productivity and minimizing losses to the environment, and includes taking into account residual effects. The residual N effect was estimated in a dairy crop rotation (spring barley undersown with grass-clover, first and second year ley, spring barleylpeas undersown with ryegrass, oats undersown with ryegrass and fodder beet) with different management (grazed or cut) and manure type (slurry or deep litter) by anaerobic incubation and plant N-uptake in a pot experiment and in the field. For comparison a 10-year-old grass-clover ley was included. Type of animal manure did not affect the residual N effect. Crop rotations with grazed grassland had a residual N effect that on average was 13% higher than the same rotation without grazing. Ploughing of grassland clearly increased residual N effects for several years, but age of grassland at ploughing was of little importance. Thus, the residual N effect of 10-year-old grass-clover ley only marginally exceeded that of undersown grass-clover, despite considerable difference in estimated N-surplus. The results indicate that organic N is easier to mineralize the more recently it has been formed. Good correlations existed between soil inorganic N in the spring, N released during anaerobic incubation, and plant-available N. However, chemical analyses may be difficult to implement in practical farming due to difficulty of achieving representative samples in systems characterized by huge spatial variability.

경사도와 분뇨의 처리 형태가 옥수수 생산성과 양분의 유실에 미치는 영향

본 연구는 가축분뇨의 양분 유실량을 조사하기 위하여 옥수수 재배시 비료의 종류(화학비료, 돈분퇴비 및 우분액비)와 경사도(<TEX>$0\%\;9\%\;18\%$</TEX>)를 달리 했을 때 옥수수의 생산성과 유실수중의 N과 P의 함량을 조사한 결과는 다음과 같다. 옥수수의 건물수량은 경사도와 비례하여 감소하였고, 비료의 종류에 따라서는 우분액비, 화학비료, 돈분퇴비의 순으로 높았으며, N 함량은 화학비료, 우분액비, 돈분퇴비의 순으로 증가되었지만, 경사도에 영향은 나타나지 않았다. 옥수수에 의한 N 생산량은 경사도의 증가와 비례하여 감소하였고 우분액비가 돈분퇴비 시용시보다 2배 이상 많았다. 또한, 가축분뇨의 종류와 경사도별 유실수중의 년중 평균 무기태 N 함량은 서로간에 유의적인 차이를 보이지 않았고, <TEX>$NO_3$</TEX> -N 함량의 변화는 경사도와 비례하여 높게 나타났으며, <TEX>$NO_3$</TEX>-N의 함량은 결코 8ppm <TEX>$NH_4$</TEX>-N과 <TEX>$PO_4$</TEX>-P의 함량은 1 ppm을 초과하지 않았다. This study carried out to investigate the effects of the types of animal manure and the dogies of the slope on productivity of com and the runoff of nitrogen and phosphorus in corn cultivation soil. Main plots were consisted of the degrees of slope, such as <TEX>$0\%\;9\%$</TEX> and <TEX>$18\%$</TEX> and the subplots on consisted of the types of animal manure, such as chemical fertilizer (CF), compost of swine manure fermented with sawdust (CSMFS), and cattle slurry (CS). Erosion was constructed with 0.33 m width, 3 m length and 0.4 m height. The results obtained were summarized as follows; 1. Dry matter(DM) yield of corn decreased by an enhancement of the degrees of slope DM yield reveals that there is an increase in order CS > CF > CSMFS. 2. Nitrogen contents of the whole corn reveals that there is an increase in order CF>CS>CSMFS. However, nitrogen content was not affected by the degrees of slope. 3. Nitrogen yields (NY) of com decreased by an enhancement of the degrees of slope. NY of CS increased more than 2.0 fold as compared CSMFS. 4. Mineral nitrogen content in the runoff during the experiment was hardly influenced by both the degrees of slope and the types of animal manure. 5. <TEX>$NO_3$</TEX> - N in the runoff during the experiment increased by an enhancement of the degrees of slope. 6. In the degrees of slope used in this experiment, <TEX>$NH_4$</TEX>-N and <TEX>$PO_4$</TEX>-P content in runoff was lower than 8 ug / ul and 1 ug/ul, respectively.

Characterisation of the organic matter pool in manures

In this research, different types of animal manure were evaluated with respect to organic matter (OM), total organic carbon (C ot), total N (N t), C ot/N t ratio, water-soluble organic carbon (C w), organic N (N org), carbohydrates, C w/N org ratio, humic acid-like carbon (C ha), fulvic acid-like carbon (C fa), humification index ((C ha/C ot) × 100) (HI) and the C ha/C fa and NH 4 +-N/NO 3 −-N ratios. In comparison with the limits set by the Spanish legislation for organic fertilisers, most of the manures had high OM contents, moderate N org concentrations (except in the case of the chicken and pig manures where this parameter was high) and C ot/N t ratios above the value stated in the legislation. The study of the different fractions of organic matter showed that the horse, pig and rabbit manures had the greatest content of C ot. However, the fraction of easily-biodegradable organic compounds (C w) was significantly higher in the horse, goat and chicken manures. The study also showed that, in most cases, the percentage of fulvic acid-like C was greater than that of the humic acid-like C, indicating that the organic matter of these wastes is not completely humified. Values of HI ((C ha/C ot) × 100) and C ha/C fa ratio in the studied manures were not significantly different. Regarding the parameters related to the organic matter stability such as C w, carbohydrates and the C ot/N t, C w/N org and NH 4 +-N/NO 3 −-N ratios, it has been determined that the organic matter of these materials was not completely stabilised. The heterogeneity in OM composition of the studied manures did not allow the formulation of simple equations for evaluation of the composition of these wastes from easily-determined parameters.

NEAR-INFRARED SENSING OF MANURE NUTRIENTS

The effectiveness of near-infrared (NIR) technology for quickly analyzing the nutrient content of three types of animal manure was evaluated. Swine lagoon effluent, liquid swine pit manure, and solid beef feedlot manure were tested. An NIRSystems 6500 scanning monochromator unit was calibrated against wet chemistry data. Total solids (TS), total Kjeldahl nitrogen (TKN), ammonia nitrogen (NH3-N), total phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) were measured. Correlation coefficients (r) ranged from 0.688 to 0.976, Ratios of data range:standard error of prediction (SEP) varied from 7.0 to 13.6 for the various chemical constituents and manure sources. Based on the individual ratios we conclude that NIR techniques will allow us to predict TS, TKN, NH3-N, and K in all three manure types. Further work will be required before P is predictable.

Fertilization with Manures and Legume Intercrops and their Influence on Brassica and Tomato Growth, and on Tissue and Soil Copper, Manganese and Zinc

ABSTRACT Field experiments were conducted for up to three years on two different Nova Scotia soils. Tomatoes and cabbage or cauliflower were grown in rotation on the same plots. Crops were amended with either inorganic fertilizer or two sources of three different types of animal manures. Red clover, sweet clover or common vetch were seeded as intercrops with the vegetables. Tomato and brassica yields and plant tissue were analysed for Cu, Mn and Zn; DTPA extractable soil Cu, Mn, and Zn were assessed concurrently. Legume intercrops were analyzed for yield and nutrient content. The three intercrops had a variable effect on crop yield, depending on the seeding rate, type of legume and vegetable crop, and soil fertility. All intercrops grew well, absorbing significant quantities of nutrients for subsequent mineralization. The three manures contributed to micronutrient levels in soils and crops; the pig manure significantly affected Zn and Mn. Chicken and dairy manure increased soil pH, thus reducing availabil...

Extensification of dairy farming and floristic richness of peat grassland.

A comparative study of floristic richness of 125 permanent peat grasslands was made in 1983-84 across Zuid-Holland and Utrecht provinces. Three different parameters of floristic richness were used: the number of species, the number of those species that contribute to the conservational value (quality indicating species) and a 'nature value' index that combines species richness with rarity of species. N supply (0-600 kg N/ha per year) was the most important factor determining number of quality-indicating species. Additional factors were peat mud dressing and soil type. Utilization of grassland (whether frequently cut or continuously grazed), ground water table level, pH, P and K contents of the topsoil and type of animal manure had no effect on floristic richness. At levels below 200 kg N/ha per year, a considerable number of species of conservational value (e.g. Lychnis flos-cuculi and Carex nigra) became abundant. The significance of the results for nature conservation with regard to current agricultural practice is discussed. (Abstract retrieved from CAB Abstracts by CABI’s permission)