2008 Joint Annual Meeting (5-9 Oct. 2008): Predicting Ammonia Loss from Surface Applied Manure.
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693-8 Predicting Ammonia Loss from Surface Applied Manure.



Tuesday, 7 October 2008
George R. Brown Convention Center, Exhibit Hall E
Erin Smith, PO Box 550 20 Tower Road, Nova Scotia, Dept. of Agr. & Mktg., Nova Scotia Agricultural College, Department of Agriculture & Marketing, Truro, NS B2N 5E3, CANADA, Robert J. Gordon, NSAC, Truro, NS B2N 5E3, Canada, Charles Bourque, Forestry and Environmental Management, University of New Brunswick, P.O. Box 4440, Fredericton, NB E3B 5A3, Canada, Allan J. Campbell, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, 440 University Avenue, Charlottetown, PE C1A 4N6, Canada and Dr. Sophie Genermont, INRA-AgroParisTech Joint Research Unit for the Environment and Arable Crops, 147 rue de l'université, Paris Cedex 07, Paris, 75338, France
The land application of manure is the largest source of ammonia (NH3) emissions from farms.  A need exists to minimize these NH3 losses to enhance crop yields and reduce environmental degradation.  Few management strategies however, are available to reduce these losses.  Due to the complexity of the NH3 volatilization process these possible strategies can not be extended across a wide range of conditions.  A well tested and accurate simulation model however, can overcome this challenge. 

The Volt’Air simulation model was utilized to estimate NH3 volatilization from manure spreading for various manure spreading considerations under a range of atmospheric conditions typically encountered in Eastern Canada.  Considerations included: (i) soil liming, (ii) time of day of manure spreading, (iii) rainfall (timing and amount) and (iv) manure incorporation (timing, depth and manure coverage area).

Results demonstrated that liming to increase pH by increments of 0.1 (up to a 1.5 total increase) resulted in enhanced NH3 emissions by 3.3 kg ha-1.  Delaying manure spreading by 1 h reduced NH3 losses by 1.5 kg ha-1.  Rainfall (10 mm) at least 20 h after manure application reduced losses, with increased reductions at higher rainfall amounts.  Incorporation soon (1 h) after application is best for NH3 mitigation.  Increasing the depth of incorporation by 5 cm reduced NH3 emissions by 4.4 kg ha-1.  Increasing the area of manure covered by 10% reduced losses by ~2 kg ha-1.

See more of: Nutrient Availability and Environmental Risk from Land Application (Posters)
See more of: S08 Nutrient Management & Soil & Plant Analysis