Experiment Station. Biosolids Application to No-Till Dryland Rotations: 2004 Results. Technical Report TR06-07 March 2006

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1 Technical Report TR-7 March Ag ricultural Experiment Station College of Agricultural Sciences Department of Soil and Crop Sciences Cooperative Extension Biosolids Application to No-Till Dryland Rotations: Results

2 K.A. Barbarick, J.A. Ippolito, and N.C. Hansen Professor, Assistant Professor, and Associate Professor Department of Soil and Crop Sciences, respectively. Biosolids Application to No-Till Dryland Crop Rotations: Results The Cities of Littleton and Englewood, Colorado and the Colorado Agricultural Experiment Station (project number 15-91) funded this project. **Mention of a trademark or proprietary product does not constitute endorsement by the Colorado Agricultural Experiment Station.** Colorado State University is an equal opportunity/affirmative action institution and complies with all Federal and Colorado State laws, regulations, and executive orders regarding affirmative action requirements in all programs. The Office of Equal Opportunity is located in 11 Student Services. In order to assist Colorado State University in meeting its affirmative action responsibilities, ethnic minorities, women, and other protected class members are encouraged to apply and to so identify themselves. 1

3 INTRODUCTION Biosolids recycling on dryland winter wheat (Triticum aestivum, L.) can supply a reliable, slow-release source of nitrogen (N) and organic material (Barbarick et al., 199). Barbarick and Ippolito () found that continuous application of biosolids from the Littleton/Englewood, CO wastewater treatment plant to dryland winter wheat-fallow rotation provides 1 lbs N per dry ton. This research involved tilling the biosolids into the top inches of soil. A new question related to soil management in a biosolids beneficial-use program is: How much N would be available if the biosolids were surfaceapplied in a no-till dryland agroecosystem with several crop rotations? Our objective was to compare agronomic rates of commercial N fertilizer to an equivalent rate of biosolids in combination with winter wheat-fallow (WF), winter wheatcorn (Zea mays, L.)-fallow (WCF), and winter wheat-winter wheat-corn-sunflowers (Helianthus annuus, L.)-fallow (WWCSF) crop rotations. Our hypotheses are that biosolids addition compared to N fertilizer: 1. Will produce similar crop yields.. Will not differ in grain P, Zn, and Cu levels (Ippolito and Barbarick, ) or soil P, Zn, and Cu AB-DTPA extractable concentrations, a measure of plant availability (Barbarick and Workman, 197). 3. Will not affect soil salinity (electrical conductivity of saturated soil-paste extract, EC) or soil accumulation of nitrate-n (NO 3 -N). MATERIALS AND METHODS We established our research on land owned by the Cities of Littleton and Englewood (L/E) in eastern Adams County, approximately 5 miles east of Byers, CO. The Linnebur family manages the farming operations for L/E. Soils belong to the Adena- Colby association where the Adena soil is classified as an Ustollic Paleargid and Colby is classified as an Ustic Torriorthent. No-till management is used in conjunction with crop rotations of WF, WCF, and WWCSF. We installed a Campbell Scientific weather station at the site in April (see Tables 1 and for mean temperature and precipitation data, and growing season precipitation, respectively). With biosolids application in August 1999, we initiated the study. Wheat planting occurred in early October 1999 (see Table 3). We designed the experiment so that every phase of each rotation is present during each year (1 plots total /replication). We used two replications of each rotation ( plots total) and we completely randomized each replicated block. Each plot was 1 feet wide by approximately.5 mile long. The width was split so that one 5-foot section received commercial N fertilizer (applied with the seed and sidedressed after plant establishment; Table 3) and the second 5-foot section received biosolids (applied by L/E with manure spreader). We randomly selected which strip in each rotation received N fertilizer or biosolids. We provide the characteristics of the L/E biosolids in Table. We based the N fertilizer and biosolids

4 applications on soil test recommendations determined on each plot before planting each crop. The Cities of L/E completed biosolids application for the summer crops in March, 1,, 3, and. We planted the first corn crop in May and the first sunflower crop in June. We also established wheat rotations in September, 1,, and 3, corn rotations in May 1,, 3, and, and sunflower plantings in June 1,, and 3. Soil moisture was inadequate in June to plant sunflowers (see Table 1). We completed wheat harvests in July, 1,, 3, and and corn and sunflowers in October and 1 and sunflowers in December 3. We experienced corn and sunflower crop failures in and a corn failure in 3 due to lack and proper timing of precipitation (Table 1). For each harvest, we cut grain from four areas of 5 feet by approximately 1 feet. We determined the yield for each area and then took a subsample from each cutting for subsequent grain analyses for protein or N, P, Zn, and Cu content (Ippolito and Barbarick, ). Following each harvest, we collected soil samples using a Giddings hydraulic probe. For AB-DTPA extractable P, Zn, and Cu (Barbarick and Workman, 197) and EC, we sampled to one foot and separated the samples into -, -, -, and -1 inch depth increments. For soil NO 3 -N analyses, we sampled to feet and separated the samples into -, -, -, -1, 1-, -3, 3-, -, and -7 inch depth increments. We were not able to collect samples from the WCSFW (wheat-cornsunflowers-fallow-wheat) rotation due to crop failure. For the wheat and corn rotations, the experimental design was a split-plot design where type of rotation was the main plot and type of nutrient addition (commercial N fertilizer versus L/E biosolids) was the subplot. For crop yields and soil-sample analyses, main plot effects, subplot effects, and interactions were tested for significance using least significant difference (LSD) at the.1 probability level. Since we only had one sunflower rotation, we could only compare the commercial N versus L/E biosolids using a t test at the.1 probability level. Precipitation Data RESULTS AND DISCUSSION Table 1 presents the monthly precipitation records since we established the weather station at the Byers research site. The plots received more than 11 inches of total annual rainfall in and 1, only 5 inches in, about 1 inches in 3, and 1 inches in. The critical precipitation months for corn are July and August (Nielsen et al., 199). The Byers site received., 3., 1.3,., and 3.5 inches of precipitation in July and August, 1,, 3, and, respectively. A problem we experienced in was the timing of precipitation. Even though we received 3.5 inches in July-August, only.11 inches of rain fell from June th through July 3 rd, leading to the corn-crop failure. 3

5 Wheat Grain Data The biosolids-amended WF rotation produced significantly greater wheat yields than all other rotations, while the WWCSF rotation had the lowest yields (Figure 1). No treatment or rotation affected grain protein (Figure ). Biosolids addition produced greater wheat-grain P, Zn, and Cu (Figures 3,, 5). The highest grain concentrations of these three nutrients were found in the WWCSF rotation (Figures 3,, 5). Lower yields in this rotation (Figure 1) probably lead to a concentrating effect. Typically, when plant yields are limited, higher elemental or nutrient concentrations result since less biomass is produced. Due to lack of July-August precipitation (Table 1), we experienced a corn crop failure in. Soil Data As shown in Figure through, biosolids addition produced the greatest surface AB-DTPA-extractable P, Zn, and Cu. This accumulation in the top inches occurred since the biosolids were not incorporated and since crop production over the last three growing seasons has not allowed for significant removal of these elements in the harvested grain. The residual P levels in the top inches of the biosolids plots indicate potential limitations on future biosolids or fertilizer applications as indicated by risk analysis using the Colorado Phosphorus Index (Sharkoff et al., 5). The WWCSF rotation had greater soil-extractable concentrations of these three nutrients since it has received more biosolids applications (Table 3) than the WF or WCF rotations. Biosolids addition actually resulted in elevated EC (salt content) in the - and - inch soil depths (Figure 9) and the WWCSF rotation had the highest EC values in the top three soil depths. Greater NO 3 -N concentrations in the biosolids treatments than those found in the commercial N fertilizer plots were observed in the top three soil depths (Figure 1), and the WWCSF rotation had the largest NO 3 -N levels at - inches. The residual NO 3 -N also indicates that future biosolids and fertilizer applications should be ceased until the soil levels are reduced to 15 mg kg -1 (ppm). Nitrogen additions to winter wheat are needed when soil NO 3 -N concentrations are less than 15 mg kg -1 (ppm) in the top foot (Davis et al., 5). For the corn rotations, biosolids application resulted in greater AB-DTPAextractable P, Zn, and Cu concentrations in the soil surface (Figures 11, 1, 13). Type of rotation or nutrient source did not affect the EC (Figure 1). We did not observe consistent trends in the changes in soil NO 3 -N (Figure 15). Again, lack of crop production over the last 3 years has reduced P and N removal from the soil. Biosolids and fertilizer applications will not be reapplied until the residual levels of these nutrients

6 reaches a point where fertilizer applications would be recommended (15 mg kg -1 (ppm) NO 3 -N and 7 mg kg -1 (ppm) AB-DTPA P in the top foot; Davis et al., 5). As shown in Table 5, we found greater ABDTPA-extractable P from -1 inches and NO 3 -N at -3 inches in the sunflower plots that had previously received commercial N fertilizer as compared to the biosolids plots. We are not sure what created these differences. CONCLUSIONS Relative to our three hypotheses listed on page, we have found the following trends: 1. Application of biosolids has produced the same wheat yields as those of commercial N fertilizer per lb of available N.. In the wheat plots, we observed increasing concentrations of P, Zn, and Cu in wheat grain and surface-soil levels following biosolids application. These accumulations will restrict future biosolids application until the nutrients are depleted to a level where fertilizer additions would be recommended. 3. We found that biosolids increased soil salinity (EC) or the soil accumulation of NO 3 -N in the surface inches of soil of the wheat plots. REFERENCES Barbarick, K.A., and J.A. Ippolito.. Nitrogen fertilizer equivalency of sewage biosolids applied to dryland winter wheat. J. Environ. Qual. 9: Barbarick, K.A., R.N. Lerch, J.M. Utschig, D.G. Westfall, R.H. Follett, J. Ippolito, R. Jepson, and T. McBride Eight years of sewage sludge addition to dryland winter wheat. Colo. Agric. Exp. Stn. Bulletin. TB9-1. Barbarick, K. A., and S. M. Workman. l97. NH HCO 3 -DTPA and DTPA extractions of sludge-amended soils. J. Environ. Qual. l:l5-l3. Davis, J.G., D.G. Westfall, J.J. Mortvedt, and J.F. Shanahan. 5. Fertilizing winter wheat. Colorado State University Cooperative Extension Fact Sheet no..5. Ippolito, J.A., and K.A. Barbarick.. Modified nitric acid plant tissue digest method. Comm. Soil Sci. Plant Anal. 31:73-. Nielsen, D., G. Peterson, R. Anderson, V. Ferreira, W. Shawcroft, K. Remington Estimating corn yields from precipitation records. Conservation Tillage Fact Sheet #-9. USDA-ARS, USDA-NRCS, and Colorado Conservation Tillage Association. 5

7 Sharkoff, J.L., R.M. Waskom, and J.G. Davis. 5. Colorado Phosphorus Index risk assessment. Agronomy Technical Note No. 95 (revised). United States Department of Agriculture-Natural Resources Conservation Service and State of Colorado.

8 Table 1. Monthly mean maximum (Max) and minimum (Min) temperatures and precipitation (Precip) in inches at the Byers research site, -. (Weather station was installed in April, ). Month 1 3 Max F Min F Precip inches Max F Min o F Precip inches Max F Min F Precip inches Max F Min F Precip inches Max F Min F Precip inches January February March April May June July August September October November December Total We installed the weather station in mid-april,. 7

9 Table. Growing season precipitation. Stage Dates Precipitation, inches Wheat vegetative September - March Wheat reproductive April 1 - June 1.3 Corn/Sunflowers preplant July April Corn/Sunflowers growing season May 1 October 1 9. Wheat vegetative September 1 - March.1 Wheat reproductive April - June. Corn/Sunflowers preplant July 1 April.1 Corn/Sunflowers growing season May October 3.9 Wheat vegetative September - March Wheat reproductive April 3 - June Corn/Sunflowers preplant July April 3 3. Corn/Sunflowers growing season May 3 October 3 9. Wheat vegetative September 3 - March.3 Wheat reproductive April - June.3 Corn/Sunflowers preplant July 3 April 3. Corn/Sunflowers growing season May October.

10 Table 3. Biosolids and fertilizer applications and crop varieties used at the Byers research site, Biosolids Treatment Nitrogen Fertilizer Treatment Year Date Crop Variety Biosolids Bio/N N N Total N P O 5 Zn Planted Planted tons/acre equiv. lbs lbs/acre lbs/acre lbs/acre lbs/acre lbs/acre with seed after planting 1999 Early Oct. Wheat Halt May Corn Pioneer June Sunflowers Triumph 75, (confection type) 9/5/ Wheat Prairie Red 1 5/11/1 Corn DK93 Round Ready //1 Sunflowers Triumph 75C /17/1 Wheat Prairie Red Variable Variable 5 Variable Variable Corn Pioneer 37M1 Variable Variable 5 Variable Variable 15 5 Sunflowers Triumph 55A Wheat Stanton Variable Variable 5 Variable Variable 3 5/1/3 Corn Pioneer K 3 //3 Sunflowers Unknown 3 Wheat Stanton Variable Variable 5 Variable Variable Corn Triumph 9 Roundup Ready Variable Variable 5 Variable Variable 15 5 Sunflowers Triumph 75 (confection type)

11 Table. Littleton/Englewood biosolids used at the Byers Research site, Parameter 1999 Corn, 1 Corn, 1 3 Corn, 3 5 Avg. Range Wheat Sunflowers Sunflowers Wheat sunflowers Wheat Wheat Corn Solids, g kg ph EC, ds m Org. N, g kg NH -N, g kg NO 3 -N, g kg K, g kg P, g kg Al, g kg Fe, g kg Cu, mg kg Zn, mg kg Ni, mg kg Mo, mg kg Cd, mg kg Cr, mg kg Pb, mg kg As, mg kg Se, mg kg Hg, mg kg Ag, mg kg Ba, mg kg Be, mg kg <.1.5 <.1-.5 Mn, mg kg

12 Table 5. Soil characteristics for the sunflower rotation (SFWWC) at the Byers research site for. Highlighted parameters are significant at the 1% probability level. Parameter, units Nitrogen Biosolids Probability level AB-DTPA P, mg kg AB-DTPA Zn, mg kg AB-DTPA Cu, mg kg ECe, ds m NO 3 -N, mg kg

13 Figure 1. Wheat grain yields for dryland-wheat-rotation harvests comparing Littleton/Englewood biosolids to commercial fertilizer. In the statistical summary, represents the least significant difference at the 1% probability level and NS indicates non-significant differences. Grain yields bushels/acre 5 Biosolids N fertilizer 3 Statistical summary Rotation.3 Nutrient source NS Rot. by Nut. source NS 1 WF WCF WWCSF 1

14 Figure. Wheat grain protein concentrations for dryland-wheat-rotation harvests comparing Littleton/Englewood biosolids to commercial fertilizer. In the statistical summary, represents the least significant difference at the 1% probability level and NS indicates non-significant differences. Grain protein, % Biosolids N fertilizer Statistical summary Rotation NS Nutrient source NS Rot. by Nut. source NS 5 WF WCF WWCSF 13

15 Figure 3. Wheat grain P concentrations for dryland-wheat-rotation harvests comparing Littleton/Englewood biosolids to commercial fertilizer. In the statistical summary, represents the least significant difference at the 1% probability level and NS indicates non-significant differences. Grain P, mg kg -1 Biosolids N fertilizer Statistical summary Rotation. Nutrient source.5 Rot. by Nut. source NS WF WCF WWCSF 1

16 Figure. Wheat grain Zn concentrations for dryland-wheat-rotation harvests comparing Littleton/Englewood biosolids to commercial fertilizer. In the statistical summary, represents the least significant difference at the 1% probability level and NS indicates non-significant differences. Grain Zn, mg kg Biosolids N fertilizer Statistical summary Rotation Nutrient source 5 Rot. by Nut. source NS 1 WF WCF WWCSF 15

17 Figure 5. Wheat grain Cu concentrations for dryland-wheat-rotation harvests comparing Littleton/Englewood biosolids to commercial fertilizer. In the statistical summary, represents the least significant difference at the 1% probability level and NS indicates non-significant differences. Grain Cu, mg kg -1 1 Biosolids N fertilizer Statistical summary Rotation.3 Nutrient source.7 Rot. by Nut. source NS WF WCF WWCSF 1

18 Figure. Soil AB-DTPA-extractable P concentration following dryland-wheat-rotation harvests comparing Littleton/Englewood biosolids to commercial N fertilizer. In the statistical summary, represents the least significant difference at the 1% probability level and NS indicates non-significant differences. ABDTPA P, mg kg ABDTPA P, mg kg -1 ABDTPA P, mg kg Biosolids Nitrogen fertilizer 1 Corn- 1 Corn- Sunflowers- 1 - inches Rotations 17 Treatment 5 1 Statistical summary by soil depth: - inches - inches 1-1 inches 17

19 Figure 7. Soil AB-DTPA-extractable Zn concentration following dryland-wheat-rotation harvests comparing Littleton/Englewood biosolids to commercial N fertilizer. In the statistical summary, represents the least significant difference at the 1% probability level and NS indicates non-significant differences. ABDTPA Zn, mg kg -1 1 ABDTPA Zn, mg kg -1 ABDTPA Zn, mg kg Biosolids Nitrogen fertilizer 1 Corn- 1 Corn- Sunflowers- 1 - inches Rotations 1.9 Treatment 1. Rot. X Treat.. 1 Statistical summary by soil depth: - inches - inches 1-1 inches 1

20 Figure. Soil AB-DTPA-extractable Cu concentration following dryland-wheat-rotation harvests comparing Littleton/Englewood biosolids to commercial N fertilizer. In the statistical summary, represents the least significant difference at the 1% probability level and NS indicates non-significant differences. ABDTPA Cu, mg kg ABDTPA Cu, mg kg -1 ABDTPA Cu, mg kg Biosolids Nitrogen fertilizer 1 Corn- 1 Corn- Sunflowers- 1 - inches Rotations 3.3 Treatment. Rot. X Treat Statistical summary by soil depth: - inches - inches Rotations 1. Treatment inches Rotations. 19

21 Figure 9. Soil saturated paste extract electrical conductivity (EC) following dryland-wheat-rotation harvests comparing Littleton/Englewood biosolids to commercial N fertilizer. In the statistical summary, represents the least significant difference at the 1% probability level and NS indicates non-significant differences. EC (salt content) ds m EC (salt content) ds m -1 EC (salt content) ds m Biosolids Nitrogen fertilizer 1 Corn- 1 Corn- Sunflowers- 1 - inches Rotations.5 Treatment.9 1 Statistical summary by soil depth: - inches Treatment 1. - inches Rotations. Treatment. 1-1 inches

22 Figure 1. Soil NO 3 -N following dryland-wheat-rotation harvests comparing Littleton/Englewood biosolids to commercial N fertilizer. In the statistical summary, represents the least significant difference at the 1% probability level and NS indicates non-significant differences. NO 3 -N, mg kg NO 3 -N, mg kg -1 NO 3 -N, mg kg Biosolids Nitrogen fertilizer Corn- Corn- Sunflowers- - inches Treatment inches Statistical summary by soil depth: - inches Treatment inches - inches Rotations 9.1 Treatment 1. Rot. X Treat inches -1 inches -7 inches 1- inches 1

23 Figure 11. Soil AB-DTPA-extractable P concentration following dryland-corn-rotation harvests comparing Littleton/Englewood biosolids to commercial N fertilizer. In the statistical summary, represents the least significant difference at the 1% probability level and NS indicates non-significant differences. AB-DTPA soil P, mg kg -1 AB-DTPA soil P, mg kg Corn-wheat-fallow Corn-sunflowersfallow-wheat-wheat Biosolids Nitrogen fertilizer - inches Treatment 1 Statistical summary by soil depth: - inches - inches -1 inches

24 Figure 1. Soil AB-DTPA-extractable Zn concentration following dryland-corn-rotation harvests comparing Littleton/Englewood biosolids to commercial N fertilizer. In the statistical summary, represents the least significant difference at the 1% probability level and NS indicates non-significant differences. AB-DTPA soil Zn, mg kg -1 AB-DTPA soil Zn, mg kg Corn-wheat-fallow Corn-sunflowersfallow-wheat-wheat Biosolids Nitrogen fertilizer - inches Treatment 5. Statistical summary by soil depth: - inches 3 - inches -1 inches

25 Figure 13. Soil AB-DTPA-extractable Cu concentration following dryland-corn-rotation harvests comparing Littleton/Englewood biosolids to commercial N fertilizer. In the statistical summary, represents the least significant difference at the 1% probability level and NS indicates non-significant differences. AB-DTPA soil Cu, mg kg -1 AB-DTPA soil Cu, mg kg Corn-wheat-fallow Corn-sunflowersfallow-wheat-wheat Biosolids Nitrogen fertilizer - inches Treatment 1.3 Statistical summary by soil depth: - inches - inches -1 inches

26 Figure 1. Soil saturated paste extract electrical conductivity (EC) following dryland-corn-rotation harvests comparing Littleton/Englewood biosolids to commercial N fertilizer. In the statistical summary, represents the least significant difference at the 1% probability level and NS indicates non-significant differences. EC, ds m EC, ds m Corn-wheat-fallow Corn-sunflowersfallow-wheat-wheat Biosolids Nitrogen fertilizer - inches Statistical summary by soil depth: - inches 5 - inches -1 inches

27 Figure 15. Soil NO 3 - following dryland-corn-rotation harvests comparing Littleton/Englewood biosolids to commercial N fertilizer. In the statistical summary, represents the least significant difference at the 1% probability level and NS indicates non-significant differences. NO 3 -N, mg kg -1 NO 3 -N, mg kg Corn- Corn-Sunflowers- -Wheat Biosolids Nitrogen fertilizer - inches Rotations inches Rotations 1. Statistical summary by soil depth: - inches Treatment inches - inches - inches -1 inches Treatment. Rot. X Treat inches 1- inches Rotations.