Fertilizing with Organic Biosolids

Fertilizing with Organic Biosolids

livestock manure

We used to call it manure.  One of my clients had saved a field for manure spreading.  He will till the field to incorporate the manure and then plant soybeans.  Manure Spreading Video The fertilizer is organic, but he uses pesticides and fungicides.

Nitrogen or Phosphorous Based Manure Management.

Nitrogen or Phosphorous Based Manure Management.

manure Nutrient Management

I read a research article on using phosphorous to determine manure rate instead of maxing out the nitrogen.  The Cornell researchers did some in field research and found that they were short on nitrogen if they based the application on phosphorous.  This is not really surprising. You could do the math.  The advantage of applying manure based on phosphorous need is that it will help you keep disolved phosphorous out of our water.  In addition, if you make a small application of fertilizer nitroen, it will speed up the mineralization of the manure nitrogen.  It might save you a little on fertilizer too. 

Illinois Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy

Illinois Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy

manure Nitrogen management Nitrogen Testing Nutrient Management

Illinois is implementing a voluntary nutrient loss reduction strategy.  The strategy was developed by the Illinois Department of Agriculture, the University of Illinois, The fertilizer industry, and commodity groups active in Illinois.  The purpose of the strategy is to reduce nitrogen and phosphorous entering the hypoxia zone in the Gulf of Mexico. You can help to implement the strategy by applying phosphorous and potassium according to soil test indications.  You should consider applying nitrogen according to the Nrate calculator.  In season nitrogen tests and chlorophyll sensors are practices that might be useful to make in season corrections.

Another key to reducing nutrient loss is reducing soil loss on your farm.  High residue levels and no-till are very effective in soil loss reduction.  Sediment basins, grassed waterways, and filter strips can also be useful in keeping nutrients on the farm.  Safe manure handling is also part of the strategy.  It is time for farmers to get serious about the strategy to avoid further regulation.  A lot of environmentalists are saying it can't be done.  We all need to work together to prove them wrong.  

Can Manure be Incorporated in No-Till Sytems

Can Manure be Incorporated in No-Till Sytems

cover crops manure No-till

I am catching up on some very old reading material today.  May-June 2011  edition of Crops and Soils magazine has an article on Using Incorporation in No-Till Farming Systems.  There are compelling reasons to incorporate manure.  One is to reduce nutrient volitilization.  Another is to prevent nutrient and coliform runoff.  Those reasons seem to be compelling, but what if you are using No-Till to control soil erosion? The authors discuss some of the innovations that people are experimenting with to incorporate manure with minimal disturbance.  I have no problems with the ideas presented in the article as far as they go.  They seem to be a little shallow on understanding the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE2).  Erosion control is not synonymous with No-Till with RUSLE2.  There is a lot of tweeking available in the equation for different incorporation tools and also for the manure application itself that might allow for some disturbance without creating an erosion problem.  Another alternative is to quickly establish cover crops after manure application.  The added benefit would be that the cover crops would help absorb some of the nutrients and make them less subject to losses.