101061 Residual Effects of Pelletized Poultry Litter on Cotton Leaf Area Index and Nitrogen Uptake.

Poster Number 165-1530

See more from this Division: C03 Crop Ecology, Management and Quality
See more from this Session: Crop Ecology, Management and Quality Poster

Monday, November 7, 2016
Phoenix Convention Center North, Exhibit Hall CDE

John J. Read1, Ardeshir Adeli2, Jack C. McCarty Jr.3 and Jeffrey Willers3, (1)810 Hwy 12 East, PO Box 5367, USDA-ARS, Mississippi State, MS
(2)Genetics and Precision Agriculture Research Unit, USDA-ARS, Mississippi State, MS
(3)USDA-ARS, Mississippi State, MS
Poster Presentation
  • JJR_ASA2016_CottonLAI-Nuptake.pdf (2.1 MB)
  • Abstract:
    Pelletized poultry litter (PPL), with a slower rate of N release than inorganic fertilizer, may provide long-lasting plant growth benefits after applications cease. Additionally, using PPL to meet some of the N requirements of cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) can reduce fertilizer costs and risks of NO3-N leaching into groundwater. Field studies were conducted in 2014 and 2015 to determine residual (carry-over) effects of 6.7 Mg ha-1 PPL (220 kg N ha-1 yr-1) applied as a sub-surface band in 2010-2013 growing seasons on cotton leaf area index (LAI) and N uptake. Fertility treatments consisted of residual PPL, residual PPL with 84 kg N ha-1 (as urea-ammonium nitrate) at squaring stage, N fertilization with 56 kg ha-1 at planting plus 84 kg ha-1 at squaring stage, and no N fertilization (control). Treatments were replicated four times and each strip-plot experimental unit was 28 m long with six, 0.97-m wide rows. Two central rows were sampled for LAI in July – August and for plant N uptake at open-boll stage in mid-September. Residual PPL with additional 84 kg N ha-1 resulted in LAI values of 3.2 and 4.1 in August 2014 and 2015, respectively, which were significantly greater than LAI of 2.7 and 3.4 achieved with standard N fertilization of 140 kg ha-1. At these times, LAI was approximately 1.5 in residual PPL only treatment. Averaged across years, N uptake in vegetative biomass did not differ between residual PPL with 84 kg N ha-1 and the 140 kg inorganic N ha-1 treatments (112 vs. 116 kg N ha-1), and was considerably less with residual PPL only (40 kg N ha-1). Lint yield was greater (P<0.01) in PPL with 84 kg N ha-1 than standard fertilization treatment by approximately 10% in 2014 (1795 vs. 1633 kg ha-1) and 5% in 2015 (1898 vs. 1809 kg ha-1), suggesting residual PPL enhanced N-use efficiency (kg lint per kg applied N). Beneficial effects on cotton LAI, N uptake and lint yield were evident in two growing seasons after PPL applications ceased, and applying 84 kg N ha-1 at squaring stage in residual PPL plots significantly boosted LAI during the boll-filling period.

    See more from this Division: C03 Crop Ecology, Management and Quality
    See more from this Session: Crop Ecology, Management and Quality Poster