Ammonia Emissions from Land Applications of Manures

Transcription

1 Ammonia Emissions from Land Applications of Manures John (Jack) Meisinger, Soil Scientist, USDA ARS, Beltsville, MD and Adjunct Assoc. Prof. UMCP, College Park, MD Trish Steinhilber, Nutrient Management Specialist, UMCP, College Park, MD Heather Hutchinson, Nutrient Management Specialist, UMCP, College Park, MD Josh McGrath, Assist. Professor, UMCP, College Pk., MD

2 Problems from Ammonia Volatilization Economic losses to the producer Fertilizer $ needed to replace lost ammonia Lowers N:P ratio in manures: accelerates P buildup in soils using N based manure management system high soil P hastens the shift to a P based manure management system Department of Environmental Science and Technology

3 Problems from Ammonia Volatilization Environmental Impact to natural systems Re deposition of ammonia contributes to: acidification of natural ecosystems from NH 4 +1 NO 3 1 species shifts due to additional N, e.g. more grasses NH 3 aerosols form fine particulates, PM 2.5 leads to poor air quality, e.g. regional haze can produce lung damage, respiratory ailments Department of Environmental Science and Technology

4 Ammonia Volatilization Challenges Estimates of ammonia loss needed to: improve estimates of remaining NH 4 N for crop use improve estimates for supplemental fertilizer N improve crop N use efficiency from manure & fertilizer Department of Environmental Science and Technology

5 Completing this Module will allow the student to: Identify where ammonia losses occur Understand the new NH 3 conservation values Identify practices to minimize ammonia losses Reduce N losses to the environment Reduce purchases of supplemental fertilizer N Improve manure N use efficiency of crops Department of Environmental Science and Technology

6 Estimated Ammonia Emission Sources for Chesapeake Bay Watershed (Per. Comm. Battye et al, 2000 NH 3 in Airsheds & Watersheds Workshop) Note: 72% of emissions are agriculture related Department of Environmental Science and Technology

7 NH 3 Emissions from UK Cattle (Pain et al., 1998) Department of Environmental Science and Technology

8 NH 3 Emissions from UK Poultry (Pain et al., 1998) Department of Environmental Science and Technology

9 Short Summary of Previous Material & Questions We ll Answer Ahead Agriculture, particularly animal agriculture, is a major contributor to NH 3 emissions Main avenue for NH 3 loss is volatilization Q. How much of the ammonia N in manure or litter is subject to volatilization? Q. How quickly is ammonia lost? Q. How can volatilization be minimized? Department of Environmental Science and Technology

10 Maryland s Ammonium Conservation Factors Through 2009 Days Incorporated Conservation Factor Injected Department of Environmental Science and Technology

11 Old Ammonium Conservation Values Values were based on 1970 research technology: plastic mesh placed on soil surface, manure spread on mesh samples taken weekly & analyzed for NH 4 N over several weeks NH 3 loss was estimated from NH 4 N loss from manure Assumed all NH 4 N losses due to volatilization ignored potential NH +1 4 uptake by microbes during manure decomposition conversion of NH 4 +1 to NO 3 1 Research conducted only on solid dairy manure (liquid manure not common in 1970 s) No comparison of manure type, e.g. dairy vs. broiler Department of Environmental Science and Technology

12 New Ammonium Conservation Factors Based on direct measurements that revealed: Old factors overestimated total volatilization losses Old factors underestimated losses from liquid manure Old factors overestimated losses from poultry litter Tillage intensity included in new values: Conservation vs. conventional tillage separated Department of Environmental Science and Technology

13 New Ammonium Conservation Values, Liquid Manures Liquid manures (<10% dry matter, >90% moisture) Time to Incorporation Conventional Tillage Conservation Tillage No till or Tillage > 3 Days Inject < 1 hour hours hours hours hours days days > 3 days (no till) 0.45 Department of Environmental Science and Technology

14 New Ammonium Conservation Values, Solid Manures Solid manures (>10 dry matter, <90% moisture) Time to Incorporation Conventional Tillage Conservation Tillage < 1 hour hours hours hours hours days days No till or Tillage > 3 Days > 3 days (no till) 0.35 Department of Environmental Science and Technology

15 Poultry litter Time to Incorporation New Ammonium Conservation Values, Poultry Litter Conventional Tillage Conservation Tillage <1 day days days days days days days No till or Tillage > 14 Days > 14 days (no till) 0.72 Department of Environmental Science and Technology

16 Cumulative NH 3 -N Loss, % of NH 4 -N Cumulative NH 3 Loss from Old vs New Loss Estimates Time after surface application, hrs. Dairy Slurry Measured Losses Poultry Litter Measured Losses Previous MD Estimated Losses

17 What are the main differences in the ammonium conservation values? Volatilization has been measured directly over several hours, rather than indirectly over several days Ammonium nitrogen is not totally lost after 6 days There are differences among manure types, especially liquid dairy vs. poultry litter There are differences due to timeliness of tillage operations and aggressiveness of tillage Department of Environmental Science and Technology

18 The Following Slides Detail the Research Methods for the New NH 3 Loss Values Micro meteorology studies best real world measurements, but few treatments Wind Tunnel studies best for comparing management practices Ground Cover Effects for Tillage Implements for indirect comparison of many implements Department of Environmental Science and Technology

19 Ammonia volatilization micro meteorological layout Dairy slurry spread in circular pattern

20 Micro meteorological ammonia sampling mast in center of manure circle Ammonia samplers Edge of slurry circle

21 Micro-meteorological ammonia setup for poultry litter Ammonia sampling mast in circle Poultry litter spread in circular pattern Vacuum pumps & lines to mast Weather station

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23 Rate NH 3 loss (gn ha 1 hr 1 ) NH 3 Loss Rate from Cattle Slurry Applied in April (Thompson & Meisinger, 2001a) Rate 38 m 3 ha 1 Micro meteorological, IHF Total 8 day loss = 71% of NH 4+ N Air temp Department of Environmental Science and Technology

24 Question #1: What percent of slurry NH 4 N was lost to NH 3 volatilization in the previous slide? a) 0 20% b) 20 40% c) 40 60% d) 60 80% e) % f) none of the above Department of Environmental Science and Technology

25 NH 3 Losses per Day from Manure Types or UAN Fertilizer over Time (Thompson & Meisinger, 2000; Meisinger et al. 1999; McInnes et al. 1986) NH3-N Lost, % of NH4-N Dairy Slurry, 70% NH4-N Loss Poultry Litter, 27% NH4-N Loss UAN Surface, 10% NH4-N Loss Days after Application Department of Environmental Science and Technology

26 Cumulative NH3 Loss from Surface Applied Manures in Maryland Cum NH3-N Loss, % of manure NH4-N CV ~ 30% Time after surface application, hrs. Dairy Slurry Poultry Litter

27 Factors Affecting NH 3 Volatilization (Meisinger & Jokela, 2000) Environmental Conditions Rainfall rain > 0.3 in. slows ammonia losses Temperature rate approx. doubles if 18 F warmer, but temp. is inconsistent (other factors impact too) Wind high winds increase losses due to > air exchange Humidity low humidity increase losses Solar Radiation high radiation increases temp. & drying Generally : > water evaporation = > NH 3 loss Department of Environmental Science and Technology

28 Cumulative NH 3 Loss from Dairy Slurry NH3 Loss, % TAN Time after Application, hr Dohler Van der Molen Menzi

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30 Cumulative NH 3 Loss from Broiler Litter NH3 Loss, % TAN Time after Application, days MD Broiler L. Marshall Chambers

31 Ammonia Wind Tunnels

32 Wind Tunnel for Ammonia Research X Section Sampler Pump and Flow meters 20 inches Acid Scrubbers

33 Tillage Effects on NH 3 Loss Dairy Slurry, Wind Tunnels, 7d (Thompson & Meisinger, 2001b) % NH4-N Lost Surface Chisel Pl. Disc Mold. Pl. Tillage Department of Environmental Science and Technology

34 Injected Manure Application (80 95% reduction in NH 3 loss with injection equipment)

35 No Till Injector

36 Dairy Slurry Application with AerWay Sub Sfc Dep (50 80% reduction in NH 3 loss with shallow soil applicators )

37 Ammonia Loss from Band vs. Surface (Jokela et al., 1996) NH3 Loss, % of Applied Brdcst High Band High Hours After Spreading

38 Question: What about vertical tillage or high residue tillage implements? Department of Environmental Science and Technology

39 Blowing on Straw for Consistent Residue Before Dye Application

40 Spraying Red Dye on Straw

41 General Layout of Replicated Dyed Straw Strips

42 General Layout with Phoenix Harrow Crossing Dyed Straw Strip

43 Phoenix Harrow Close Up

44 Turbo Till Crossing Un dyed Straw

45 Turbo Till Crossing Close Up

46 AerWay Crossing Dyed Straw Strip

47 AerWay Spiked Tooth

48 Dyed Straw after Passage of Several Implements AerWay Max. Turbo-Till 3 Tandom Disk Chisel Plow Phoenix Harrow Phoenix Harrow Border Offset Disk

49 Measuring Percent Ground Cover by Point Intersect Method

50 Measuring Percent Ground Cover by Point Intersect Method

51 Chisel Pl. Str. Shank Tandom Disk Not Tilled Aerway Str. Angle Aerway Med. Angle Aerway Max. Angle Phoenix Harr., 5 mph Phoenix Harr., 10 mph Turbo Till, mild (level) Turbo Till, aggressive Percent Ground Cover Results Tillage Treatment % Ground Cover % Red % Surface Cover

52 Summary Ammonia volatilization rates depend on type of manure: dairy manures lose NH 3 fast, 35 60% of NH 4 N the 1 st day poultry litters lose NH 3 slowly, 3 10% of NH 4 N the 1 st day Total NH 3 losses are less than previous values: ammonia conserved from unincorporated dairy manures: 30 60% of NH 4 N ammonia conserved from unincorporated poultry litters: 55 90% of NH 4 N Timeliness of tillage and type of tillage affects losses: incorporate ASAP, especially for dairy manure high manure soil contact (chisel plow, tandom disk) conserves NH 3, but reduces residues which can encourages erosion high residue tillage (AerWay, shallow Turbo Till ) conserves residues, but conserve less ammonia need to balance NH 3 conservation and surface residue conservation. subsurface injection of manure can conserve NH 3 and residues Department of Environmental Science and Technology

53 Summary (cont.) Use other proven manure management BMPs: estimate crop N needs, realistic yields, legume credits, etc. manure sampling and analysis, calibrate spreader monitor w/ PSNT checks N sufficiency and NH 3 loss estimates follow up w/ corn stalk nitrate test (CSNT) to check for excess N Other manure BMPs under development: real-time sensors (GreenSeeker, Crop Circle ) offer opportunities for precision N application of supplemental sidedress fertilizer N improved manure applicators, e.g. poultry litter injector Department of Environmental Science and Technology

54 References Cited