Corn and Cotton Response to Biosolids and Poultry Manure in Two Precision Leveled Fields.

Precision land leveling of agricultural fields is a common practice in Arkansas that increases irrigation efficiency and, hence, facilitates long-term crop production. However, following land leveling, soil productivity may be reduced by the extensive soil manipulation, which often requires that organic amendments be applied to aid in restoring soil productivity. Our objective was to evaluate corn (Zea mays L.) and cotton (Gossypium hirsutumn L.) response to the application of fresh poultry litter (FPL), pelleted poultry litter (PPL), and a heat-dried and pelleted biosolids sold under the trade name of TopChoice Organic (TCO). The experimental design for corn study was a randomized complete block with a factorial arrangement of FPL, PPL, and TCO each applied at 500, 1,000, and 2,000 lb/acre plus 100 lb N/acre as urea. A treatment of 100 lb N/acre as urea and a no N control were included. Cotton experiment was designed similarly. However, FPL, PPL, and TCO were each applied to cotton at 1,000 and 2,000 lb/acre and the urea rate was reduced to 50 lb N/acre. The average grain yield of non-fertilized corn (control) was 42 bu/acre and yield of corn fertilized with 100 lb N/acre (as urea) was 121 bu/acre. Grain yield of corn receiving any of the organic amendments plus 100 lb urea-N/acre varied from 129-178 bu/acre. All amendments significantly (P<0.0001) increased grain N uptake as compared to the control. Yields of cotton fertilized with organic amendments plus urea were significantly (P<0.0001) greater than those of cotton receiving organic amendment. Average seedcotton yield in N amended plots ranged from 2,668 to 3,829 lb/acre and in the control plots was 829 lb/acre. Among the amended treatments, urea (50 lb N/acre) plus 2,000 lb/acre of TCO produced the highest seedcotton yield. Information on corn ear-leaf and cotton leaf-blade N concentrations will be presented and discussed.