EVALUATION OF BASE LINERS TO REDUCE NITROGEN AND SALT LEACHING FROM POULTRY LITTER STORAGE STOCKPILES TO THE UNDERLYING SOIL - A FIELD COLUMN STUDY

Abstract

Agriculture has been linked to the eutrophication of the Chesapeake Bay. The Delmarva Peninsula is an intensive poultry producing region, where poultry litter (PL, mix of manure and bedding material) is often stored in outdoor stockpiles. Continued development of management practices is required to achieve environmentally sound PL storage. This study evaluates base liners placed between the bottom of the pile and the soil to reduce nitrogen (N), potassium (K) and sodium (Na) movement from PL stockpiles after 15 and 91 days of storage. Six conically shaped stockpiles were established with five PVC pipe columns placed in the soil under each pile. The soil surface in each column was covered with one of five treatments: alum, gypsum, lime, plastic, or control (no material). Nitrogen, K and Na concentrations increased between 15 and 91 days of storage. Ammonium losses under alum and lime treatment were not different from the control. Alum created adverse conditions by dropping the pH to 3.8. After 91 days of storage, the surface 10 cm of the soil was severely salt affected: under alum, gypsum, lime and control the conditions became moderately to strongly saline. Plastic was most effective in preventing N, K and Na leaching to the soil.