Biosolids application to no-till dryland agroecosystems
2012
Barbarick, K.A. | Ippolito, J.A. | McDaniel, J. | Hansen, N.C. | Peterson, G.A.
Dryland agroecosystems are generally ideal environments for recycling biosolids. However, what is the efficacy of biosolids addition to a no-till dryland management agroecosystem? From 2000 to 2010, we studied application of biosolids from the Littleton/Englewood, CO Wastewater Treatment Plant versus commercial N fertilizer in dryland no-till wheat (Triticum aestivum, L.)–fallow (WF) and wheat–corn (Zea mays, L.)–fallow (WCF) rotations at a site approximately 40km east of Byers, CO. We tested if biosolids would produce the same yields and grain P, Zn, and Ba concentrations as an equivalent rate of N fertilizer, that biosolids-borne P, Zn, and Ba would not migrate below the 10cm soil depth, and that biosolids application would result in the same quantity of residual NO₃–N as the equivalent N fertilizer rate. Biosolids and N fertilizer produced similar wheat and corn yields; but, biosolids application resulted in smaller wheat grain Ba due to the soil formation of BaSO₄. Biosolids application produced greater NO₃–N concentrations than N fertilizer in the 30–60 and 60–90cm depths for the WF rotation and all but the 5–10 and 120–150cm depths for the WCF rotation. We concluded that biosolids application in a no-till managed dryland agroecosystem is an efficacious method of recycling this nutrient source.
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