Yield Response of Winter Canola to Poultry Litter Fertilization.

Canola has the potential for being used in a double-cropping system as a winter crop in the Southeastern US, but little information is known about its fertility requirements when grown in this region. Increasing fertilizer costs have also resulted in the interest of using poultry litter (PL) as an alternative nutrient source for crops in the Southeast. However, the effectiveness of using PL as a fertilizer source for winter crops is not well understood. Thus, a field study was conducted to evaluate yield response of canola [Brassica napins (L.)] to PL application when compared to inorganic N fertilizer at two locations (Shorter, AL - Compass loamy sand; and Prattville, AL - Lucedale fine sandy loam). The experimental design was a randomized complete block with four replications. Fertility treatments consisted of an unfertilized control, inorganic N fertilizer (urea, 180 kg N ha^-1), PL at 68 kg N ha^-1 plus 112 kg N ha^-1 urea, PL at 112 kg N ha^-1 plus 68 kg N ha^-1 urea, and PL at 180 kg N ha^-1. Overall, the combination of PL and urea application significantly increased canola growth and greater seed yield compared to a single PL application or the control. The PL at 68 kg N ha^-1 plus 112 kg N ha^-1 urea treatment resulted in an equivalent or slightly greater aboveground biomass, seed yield, and N uptake compared to the recommended urea treatment. This study suggests that a combination of PL and inorganic N fertilizer could potentially provide sustainable canola yield production.