Relationship of solid cattle manure placement method to nitrogen and phosphorus movement in a Black Chernozem

Non-Peer Reviewe

Impact of manure placement on nitrogen and phosphorus in simulated snowmelt runoff from a soil in east-central Saskatchewan

Non-Peer Reviewe

Effect of solid cattle manure injection on oat crop production in east-central Saskatchewan

Non-Peer Reviewe

Response of soybean and lentil to a seed-row placed nitrogen- phosphorus fertilizer blend in a Brown Chernozem in south-central Saskatchewan

Non-Peer ReviewedPulse crops are able to supply their nitrogen requirement through fixation in symbiosis with rhizobia bacteria, but a small amount of nitrogen may be desirable to carry the crop until the fixation process establishes. Guidelines exist for the maximum safe rates of phosphorus fertilizers alone and in combination with potash for common pulse crops such as peas, however, there is little or no information on the tolerance of pulse crops to a seed-placed fertilizer blend that contains monoammonium phosphate (MAP) plus a high analysis N product like urea. This presentation covers the results of a field trial to investigate the response of soybean and lentil to different rates of a 50:50 blend of MAP and urea on emergence, grain and straw yield, N and P uptake, and nitrogen fixation by the crop

Response of crops and soils to solid manure injection

Non-Peer Reviewe

Impact of grazing native prairie on soil and plant nutrients in southwestern Saskatchewan

Non-Peer ReviewedA reduction in the sage grouse population could be a result of the export of nutrients from the long term grazing management that has been in place in grassland ecosystems such as southwestern Saskatchewan for the past century. The objective of this study was to measure the supply rates of nitrogen and phosphorus in the soils and their content in the sage plants and determine what impact grazing has had on nutrient availability. Plant and soil samples were taken from five side-by-side normally grazed and ungrazed for ~20 years, native grassland sites in southwestern Saskatchewan and analyzed for nitrogen, phosphorus and selected micronutrients. PRS™-probes were buried in situ for 21 days to measure soil supply rates of nitrogen and phosphorus. Sage plants and grasses were collected and analyzed for nutrient content. At four (Butte Creek Upland and Low Sage; Frenchman Mid and Low slope) of the five sites, grazing had relatively minor, non-statistically significant effects on soil and plant nutrients. At the Consul site, a site that may be considered a drier site of poorer inherent fertility, grazing significantly reduced soil and plant P. Introduction of beef cattle into the pasture in the spring significantly increased supply rates of available N, likely due to fresh addition of N as fecal material and urine. Plant analysis revealed that calcium levels were significantly higher in the ungrazed Butte Creek low-sage and potassium levels were significantly higher in the ungrazed sage at Frenchman low slope and Consul sites. Overall, well managed grazed pastures located on good quality soils do not appear to be at risk of nutrient depletion. Cessation of grazing for ~20 years did not cause major differences in nutrient amounts and supplies compared to normally grazed pastures

Effect of repeated additions of liquid swine manure and solid cattle manure on soil organic carbon

Non-Peer ReviewedThe agronomic effects of liquid swine manure and solid cattle manure application on soil nitrogen (N) and crop yield in Saskatchewan soils has been well documented (Mooleki et al. 2002b, Mooleki et al. 2004). However, the effect of manure addition on soil organic carbon and light fraction carbon has not been explored in detail. The objective of this study was to assess the differences in total soil organic carbon (SOC) and light fraction organic carbon (LFOC) forms and amounts as related to the field application of different rates of liquid swine manure and solid cattle manure at four sites (Dixon, Melfort, Plenty and Riverhurst) located in Saskatchewan. Application of solid cattle manure directly adds to the soil organic matter (OM) and increases both soil organic carbon (SOC) and light fraction carbon. Injection of liquid swine manure adds OM indirectly by way of stimulating increased plant growth and, as such, the effect of liquid swine manure on SOC and LFOC is not as large and the effects were more variable than for solid cattle manure. After five to eight years of swine manure applications only one of the four sites (Regina Association at Plenty, SK.) showed a significant (p≤0.10) increase in SOC (0-15 cm depth) with manure additions. Cattle manure addition at the Dixon site produced the largest increases in LFOC, reflecting large amounts of organic inputs as straw and solids added directly in this manure application

Response of black bean, lentil and chick pea to starter nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizers

Non-Peer ReviewedNitrogen (N) is an important plant nutrient, and it is the primary constituent of plant nucleotides and proteins, but it is usually the most limiting nutrient in the soil. Improving N use efficiency in agricultural crops has become an important goal in sustainable agriculture. Accordingly, understanding enzymes involved in N reactions is increasingly critical as they are important in controlling N in the environment. The objective of this study is to determine N transformation after varying rates of urea fertilizer is applied to a field; and how N transformation may differ between diverse Brassica napus L. (canola) lines. Two diverse B. napus parent lines and two hybrid lines were grown on Dark Brown Chernozemic soil in Saskatchewan, Canada. Root-associated soils were collected from each line at bolting and flowering, and analyzed for urease and ammonium oxidation enzymes, as well, soil nitrate and ammonium content was de termined. Both urease and ammonium oxidation enzyme results showed significant differences between B. napus growth stages (bolting and flowering), and N fertilizer rate after mixed effect models were used to analyze the results. We predict that both nitrate-N and ammonium-N will have significant differences between the canola lines and N rate application. Mixed effect analyses will be used to analyze soil nitrate-N and ammonium-N, with regards to canola line differences, and growth stage differences, and N fertilizer rate differences. By characterizing soil N transformations, this research will advance our knowledge in improving N availability for B. napus lines

The effect of seed-row placed controlled-release P (CRP) fertilizer on crop emergence under controlled environment conditions

Non-Peer Reviewe

Effect of soil amendment with dry and wet distillers grains on growth of canola and soil properties

Non-Peer ReviewedControlled environment experiments were set up to evaluate the effect of applying distillers grains to soil as organic amendments to increase soil fertility, crop growth and soil organic matter. The two distiller grains were applied at different rates in comparison with urea fertilizer. Canola was grown as the test crop in amended pots, and plant yield, composition and soil properties were measured after five weeks. Both distiller grains were found to be effective soil amendments for increasing canola biomass yield. Per unit of nitrogen added, yields were less than that of urea, due to only a portion of the nitrogen in the amendment becoming available over the five-week period. However, when nutrients other than nitrogen were limiting, canola dry matter yields with organic amendment approached or exceeded that of urea, due to the ability of the amendments to supply other nutrients in addition to nitrogen