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Pelletizing and Soil Water Effects on Gaseous Emissions from Surface-Applied Poultry Litter

Dep. of Crop and Soil Sciences/Inst. of Ecology

W. C. Merka

Extension Poultry Science

S. A. Thompson

Agricultural and Biological Engineering Dep., Univ. of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602

S. C. Chiang

Taiwan Banana Research Inst., Chiuju, Pingtung, Taiwan 90403

O. C. Pancorbo

Massachusetts Dep. of Environmental Protection, Lawrence, MA 01843

*Corresponding author. (mcabrera{at}uga.cc.uga.edu).

ABSTRACT

Several studies have shown that the application of animal manures to soil can increase N₂O and CO₂ emissions. Little information is available, however, on the effect that physical characteristics of the manure can have on these emissions. The objective of this work was to evaluate the effects of physical characteristics of poultry litter (fine particles or pellets) and soil water-filled porosity (WFP, 58 or 90%) on rates and total amounts of N₂O and CO₂ emissions from surface applications of poultry litter to soil. Poultry litter at 30.7 g N m^–2 was surface applied to samples of Cecil loamy sand (clayey, kaolinitic, thermic, Typic Kanhapludult) that were packed in acrylic plastic cylinders. Each cylinder was placed inside a jar that was closed with a screw-cap lid fitted with a rubber septum, and all jars were placed in an incubator at 25°C for 28d. Periodic air samplings were conducted for N₂O and CO₂ analyses. Maximum rates of N₂O and CO₂ emission occurred within the first 4 d and were highest for fine-particle litter at 90% WFP. Cumulative CO₂ emission did not differ between treatments, but cumulative N₂O emission was significantly lower for fine-particle litter at 58% WFP than for the other treatments. Expressed as a percentage of the applied N, the N₂O lost represented 0.2% for fine-particle litter at 58% WFP, and an average of 2.8% for the other treatments. These results suggest that for surface applications under the conditions of this study, pelletized litter may produce similar CO₂ emission as fine-particle litter, and may cause equal or larger emissions of N₂O than fine-particle litter.

Received for publication June 9, 1993.