Effects of Poultry Litter Injection on Corn and Orchardgrass Hay Yield and Quality.

Poultry litter is typically surface applied or incorporated through tillage to agricultural soils because it contains nutrients valuable for crop production. However, over application of manure in sensitive watersheds has increased the occurrence of eutrophication in many aquatic systems. Due to the increased regulation of producers of manures, new technologies are needed to help farmers manage manures in a way that protects environmental quality and maintains profitability for farmers. Poultry litter injection using the Subsurfer incorporates poultry litter with minimal soil disturbance. Manure injection can decrease nutrient losses from agricultural fields through reductions in ammonia volatilization and nutrients in runoff. It was hypothesized that injection of poultry litter would increase capture of nutrients and reduce runoff of nitrogen and phosphorus when compared to surface application, thereby increasing yield and quality of crops. Corn and orchardgrass were grown with surface applied or injected poultry litter, and yields and quality were measured in 2012 and 2013.  The results of these experiments comparing surface applied to injected poultry litter will be discussed. If poultry litter injection increases nutrients available for crop uptake, it could be a valuable tool to reduce nutrient losses to the environment while benefiting farmers’ profitability.