Short-term legacy effects of feedlot manure amendments on irrigated barley yield and soil macronutrient supply.
Miller, J., Beasley, B. W., Bremer, E., Drury, C. F., Larney, F. J., Hao, X., & Chanasyk, D. . 2019.
Abstract
Limited research exists on short-term legacy effects of land application of different feedlot manures on
barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) yield and soil macronutrient (NO3-N, PO4 -P, K, and SO4 -S) supply. In a study conducted in
southern Alberta, feedlot manures with straw (ST) or wood-chip (WD) bedding were either stockpiled or composted
and applied annually to a clay loam soil at 13, 39, and 77 Mg ha-1 dry wt. for 17 yr. Control treatments without any
amendments or with inorganic fertilizer were included. In the second and third year (2016-2017) after discontinuing
manure applications in 2014, barley silage yield and soil nutrient supply measured in situ with plant root simulator
(PRS®) probes were determined. No significant (P > 0.05) treatment effects occurred on barley yield. Significant treat-
ment effects occurred on soil nutrient supply, but these depended on date and interaction with other treatment fac-
tors. Manure rate generally increased soil nutrient supply. Soil NO3 -N and PO4 -P supply were 40-59% lower for
composted manure with ST than the other three manure type-bedding treatments, and they were 26%-53% greater
for stockpiled than composted manure. This indicated variable manure type effects at different dates. At the two
highest rates, soil K supply was 60%-106% greater for ST than WD bedding, and the reverse trend occurred where
SO4 -S supply was 40%-174% greater for WD than ST bedding. Overall, short-term legacy effects of feedlot manure type
and bedding were more persistent on soil macronutrient supply than barley silage yield.
Key Words
feedlot manure type, bedding material, nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, sulfur
