The Agronomics of Land Application. Jim Friedericks Outreach and Education

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1 The Agronomics of Land Application Jim Friedericks Outreach and Education

2 Land application of Sewage Sludge Agronomist s Perspective What is the value of sludge as a nutrient source? What are the concerns from using sludge in crop production? Is Water Treatment Sludge effective as lime?

3 Land application of Sewage Sludge Regulated by US EPA and South Dakota DENR US EPA 40 CFR Part 503 Additional information from: Process Design Manual EPA/625/R-95/001

4 The Basics: Soil Variability What factors soil variability Geographic variations Seasonal and regional variations Knowing soil variability What soil resources are available? Leads to different management decisions.

5 Sample collection begins the process Soil Sampling

6 Zone Sampling Soil Sampling Procedures Divide Fields into Uniform Areas Group by Crop History, Soil Type, Topography, Soil Color, Degree of Erosion, or Other Obvious Factors Utilize an Organized Pattern that Best Represents the Area Being Tested

7 Grid sample results are converted into colored maps Grid Sampling Potassium Map ph Map Phosphorus Map

8 Soil Basics and Soil Testing Soil ph and Buffer ph Water ph measures the active acidity of the soil measurement on a 1:1 soil:water ratio. 5 g soil + 5 ml water or 10 g soil + 10 ml water Buffer ph measures the lime requirement of the soil also called Buffer Code or Buffer Index measurement with a ph buffered solution.

9 Soil ph Soil ph affects nutrient availability and toxicity At ph < 5.0 aluminum and manganese become toxic. So do heavy metals.

10 Soil Texture Comes from combinations of sand, silt, and clay.

11 Role of OM: Soil Organic Matter Supplies plant nutrients Retains nutrients and heavy metals Sludge is a source of nutrients and Organic Matter

12 Nitrogen Management Nitrogen Management considerations for growers: Yield goals and Crop Requirements Nitrogen available in the soil Nitrogen loss from the soil Timing of application Economic return on N fertilizer Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy

13 Sludge application limited by N Cannot apply above the agronomic nitrogen requirement for the crop.

14 Nitrogen Requirement Crop Yield N Uptake Corn 200 bu 240 Lb N/Acre Soybeans 70 bu 370 Lb N/Acre Alfalfa 7 Ton 400 Lb N/Acre Wheat 60 bu 150 Lb N/acre

15 Calculating Nitrogen in Sludge What forms should be tested? Nitrate N Ammonium N Total Organic N (TKN minus ammonium N)

16 Calculating Nitrogen in Sludge How much is available for the crop? Nitrate N - 100% (if it doesn t leach away) Ammonium N - Depends on how it is applied Injected is 100% available Incorporated within 6 hours is 95% avaialble Surface applied, not incorporated is 75% available Total Organic N (TKN minus ammonium N)

17 Calculating Nitrogen in Sludge How much is available for the crop? Total Organic N (TKN minus ammonium N) Because of the high organic fraction of the sludge First year availability is 40% Second year availability is 10% Third year availability is 5%

18 Calculating Nitrogen in Sludge How much is available for the crop? Plant Available Nitrogen (PAN) = NO3 N + (volatilization factor*nh4 N) + (mineralization factor*organic N)

19 Making Recommendations Nitrogen Fertilizer recommendations Decisions: Crop Yield goal Crop and Yield goal Corn 180 bu N lbs/bu Crop requirement

20 Nitrogen losses Immobilization, from crop residue 0-10 Leaching 0 Denitification 0 Volatilization (injected or incorporated) varies Nitrogen credits Fixation Soybeans Alfalfa Legume-grass Mineralization (from sludge) Residual Nitrogen Spring soil sample? 0-30

21 Making Recommendations Nitrogen recommendations, lbs per acre (Yield Goal * Crop Requirement) + (Losses) (Gains) (180 bu*1.2 lbs/bu) + (0) - (40 lbs credit from soybeans) - (5% * 200 lbs/ac) N lbs/ac = N lbs/ac = 166

22 Making Recommendations How much sludge is required to provide the recommended 166 lbs/acre? Analysis results: Nitrate N < 5 mg/kg Ammonium N 680 mg/kg Organic N mg/kg Total Solids 5.9%

23 Making Recommendations Sludge Analysis Conversions and Application Calculations To convert Reported Dry concentration, mg/kg, to As Received (wet) Concentration, mg/l Reported Nutrient Conc., mg/kg X Total Solids % / 100 = Wet Nutrient Conc., mg/l Ammonium N 680 mg/kg NH4 N X 5.9 % Total Solids / 100 = mg/l wet basis

24 Making Recommendations Sludge Analysis Conversions and Application Calculations To convert Reported Dry concentration, mg/kg, to As Received (wet) Concentration, mg/l Reported Nutrient Conc., mg/kg X Total Solids % / 100 = Wet Nutrient Conc., mg/l Organic N mg/kg Org N X 5.9 % Total Solids / 100 = mg/l wet basis

25 Making Recommendations Sludge Analysis Conversions and Application Calculations To convert to lbs per 1000 gallons (as applied) Wet Nutrient Conc., mg/l X = lbs nutrient/1000 gal Ammonium N mg/l * = lbs/1000 gal Organic N mg/l * = lbs/1000 gal

26 Making Recommendations Plant Available Nitrogen = NO3 N + (volatilization factor*nh4 N) + (mineralization factor*organic N) Ammonium N 0.95 * lbs/1000 gal = 0.317lbs N/1000 gal Organic N 0.40 * lbs/1000 gal = 9.18 lbs N/1000 gal PAN = = lbs N/1000 gal

27 Making Recommendations Nitrogen Recommendation 166 lbs N/acre Plant Available Nitrogen (PAN) = lbs N/1000 gal Sludge required to supply N to the crop? (166 lbs N/acre) / (9.5 lbs/1000 gal) = 17.5 (1000 gal)/acre or 17,500 gal/acre

28 Cumulative Pollutant Loading Rate Amount of Sludge applied for Nitrogen Recommendation of 166 lbs N/acre? 17.5 (1000 gal)/acre or 17,500 gal/acre Convert total application of wet sludge, gallons/acre to dry tons/acre 17,500 gal/ac * lbs/gal = 145,792 lbs/ac lbs/ac / 2000 = tons wet /acre

29 Cumulative Pollutant Loading Rate 17,500 gal/ac * lbs/gal = 145,792 lbs/ac Lbs wet/ac / 2000 = tons wet /acre 145,792/2000 = 72.9 tons/ac Tons wet X TS% /100 = dry tons/ac 72.9 * 5.9 / 100 = 4.3 dry tons/ac

30 Cumulative Pollutant Loading Rate 72.9 * 5.9 / 100 = 4.3 dry tons/ac Loading rate = sludge rate, dry tons/ac X X pollutant mg/kg 4.3 X X 780 mg Cu/kg = 6.7 lbs Cu/acre from 17,500 gal/ac and Cu level of 780 mg/kg

31 Other Limitations to Land Application Some of the limits to Class II sludge are: ph of the land must be 6.0 or higher Suitable soil to depth of 5 feet Less than 9% slope and below erosion limit Not prone to flooding At least 35 ft to a waterway or must be injected or incorporated.

32 Land suitability information

33 Utilizing Manure Nutrients For crop growth Economic return Without causing harm

34 Making Recommendations P and K fertilizer recommendation are targeted to build and maintain soil fertility. Build how much below the Optimum level is the soil test? What is required to maintain the soil s fertility at that level?

35 Seizing Manure Nutrients Analysis holds the key to managing the manure s nutrients.

36 Seizing Manure Nutrients Application rates need to supply crop nutrient requirements (by law and BMP) but are facing variability from Manure quality considerations From site to site Within a stored volume Manure application Timing and incorporation

37 Manure Book Values Wisconsin Conservation Planning Technical Note 1 Nutrient Management Source % Dry Matter N P205 K20 Pounds per 1000 gallons Dairy, liquid Beef, liquid Swine, liquid indoor pit Swine, liquid outdoor pit Pounds per ton Dairy, solid Beef, solid Chicken, solid Turkey, solid

38 Manure Book Values Compiled from Extension bulletins of MN, IA, MO, Arkansas, NC, SC, Alberta Manure Source Dry Matter % Nitrogen % P 2 O 5 % K 2 O % Dairy, liquid storage Beef, liquid storage Swine, indoor pit Swine, outdoor pit Dairy, solid Beef, solid Chicken, layer, caged Turkey, litter

39 Manure Testing Manure analysis typically includes: Dry Matter/Moisture % Nitrogen Total N, NH4, NO3 Phosphorus, Potassium, Sulfur Calcium, Magnesium, Sodium Copper, Iron, Manganese, Zinc EC (Soluble Salts) and ph

40 Manure Sampling Schedule your sampling early Sample in the season you will be applying the manure Fall or spring - before you begin field work. Allow for time to sample, ship and receive test results Manure in a pit or stockpile is fairly stable over time Samples can be frozen for storage

41 Manure Testing Collect a representative sample Composite several subsamples 15 to increase certainty to >80% Different locations in a stack Different loads and/or different points in each load Agitate a pit for 2 4 hours before sampling Collect from several points and depths Profile sample a non-agitated pit or lagoon Mix several profile samples in a bucket

42 Manure Testing Sample handling is critical The sample is biologically active and will change in the sample bottle Cool the sample as quickly as possible (or freeze) Deliver unfrozen samples to the testing lab within one day if possible DO NOT USE GLASS OR PLASTIC SODA BOTTLES

43 Outreach & Education Jim Friedericks AgSource Laboratories 1701 Detroit Street Ellsworth, IA 50075

44 Thank You

NUTRIENTS. Nitrogen (N) 15,000 Potassium (K) 10,000 Calcium (Ca) 5,000 Magnesium (Mg) 2,000 Phosphorus (P) 2,000 Sulfur (S) 1,000

NUTRIENTS. Nitrogen (N) 15,000 Potassium (K) 10,000 Calcium (Ca) 5,000 Magnesium (Mg) 2,000 Phosphorus (P) 2,000 Sulfur (S) 1,000 NITROGEN ISSUES NUTRIENTS Macro-nutrients mg/kg* Nitrogen (N) 15,000 Potassium (K) 10,000 Calcium (Ca) 5,000 Magnesium (Mg) 2,000 Phosphorus (P) 2,000 Sulfur (S) 1,000 * Based on Dry Weight of plant tissue