Abstract
Abstract Many dairy farmers apply manure predominately to land cropped to corn ( Zea mays L.), often in excess of crop N requirements, resulting in potential groundwater contamination. Our research objective was to study the impact of dairy manure applications to established alfalfa ( Medicago sativa L.) on crop response and on soil and soil water NO ‐ 3 ‐N concentrations. Field experiments were initiated in 1990 on an Occum fine sandy loam variant soil (coarse‐loamy, mixed, mesic Fluventic Dystrochrepts) at South Deerfield and on an Agawam fine sandy loam soil (coarse‐loamy over sandy or sandy‐skeletal, mixed, mesic Typic Dystrochrepts) at Sunderland in western Massachusetts. Treatments consisted of zero N, low manure N (112 kg N ha −1 yr −1 ), high manure (336 kg N ha −1 yr −1 ), low N fertilizer (112 kg N ha −1 yr −1 from NH 4 NO 3 ), and high N fertilizer (336 kg N −1 yr −1 from NH 4 NO 3 ). Liquid dairy manure or NH 4 NO 3 was spread on the surface immediately after the first cutting in June 1990 and again in June 1991. Porous ceramic cup suction samplers were placed at the 30‐, 60‐, 90‐, and 120‐cm depths. Soil water was monitored throughout the year except in winter, when the topsoil was frozen. Movement of NO ‐ 3 ‐N was observed to be more rapid in the sandier Agawam soil than the Occum soil. Nitrate‐N concentrations in water collected under alfalfa during summer and fall were significantly higher than in the spring. High concentrations of NO ‐ 3 ‐N coupled with increased soil saturation during the fall make this period critical for monitoring NO ‐ 3 ‐N movement. High manure application to alfalfa resulted in high soil water NO ‐ 3 ‐N levels in the fall of 1991 on the Occum soil at the South Deerfield site. Application of N fertilizer at the high rate resulted in significantly increased NO ‐ 3 ‐N concentrations. Low manure application to alfalfa did not increase NO ‐ 3 ‐N concentrations in soil water compared with alfalfa receiving no N fertilization. Application of manure to alfalfa at the low rate had no significant effect on dry matter (DM) yields, N accumulation in herbage, and soil NO ‐ 3 ‐N at the 0‐ to 25‐cm, 25‐ to 50‐cm, and 50‐ to 100‐cm depths. Dry matter yields were significantly lower at the South Deerfield site in 1991–1992 than in 1990–1991 for the high manure application. At the Sunderland site, no significant difference in yield was observed. Dairy manure can be applied to established alfalfa at the low rate of 112 kg N ha −1 without any adverse impact on herbage production or nitrates in soil water.
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Claims 10
Claim · model-written summary
Nitrate moved faster in Agawam than Occum soil.
- Taxon
- Alfalfa
Medicago sativat0 - Outcome
- Movement of NO ‐ 3 ‐Ne0
- Direction
- more rapide0
- Comparator
- Occum soile0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Movement of NO ‐ 3 ‐N was observed to be more rapid in the sandier Agawam soil than the Occum soil.”
t0“Alfalfa”
Claim · model-written summary
Soil-water nitrate under alfalfa was higher in summer and fall than spring.
- Taxon
- alfalfaMedicago sativae0
- Outcome
- Nitrate‐N concentrations in watere0
- Direction
- highere0
- Comparator
- springe0
- Setting
- summer and falle0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Nitrate‐N concentrations in water collected under alfalfa during summer and fall were significantly higher than in the spring.”
Claim · model-written summary
High manure raised soil-water nitrate in fall 1991 on Occum soil.
- Taxon
- alfalfaMedicago sativae0
- Treatment
- High manure applicatione0
- Outcome
- soil water NO ‐ 3 ‐N levelse0
- Direction
- highe0
- Setting
- South Deerfield sitee0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“High manure application to alfalfa resulted in high soil water NO ‐ 3 ‐N levels in the fall of 1991 on the Occum soil at the South Deerfield site.”
Claim · model-written summary
High fertilizer N increased soil-water nitrate.
- Taxon
- AlfalfaMedicago sativat0
- Treatment
- N fertilizer at the high ratee0
- Outcome
- NO ‐ 3 ‐N concentrationse0
- Direction
- increasede0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Application of N fertilizer at the high rate resulted in significantly increased NO ‐ 3 ‐N concentrations.”
t0“Alfalfa”
Claim · model-written summary
Low manure did not increase soil-water nitrate versus no N.
- Taxon
- alfalfaMedicago sativae0
- Treatment
- Low manure applicatione0
- Outcome
- NO ‐ 3 ‐N concentrations in soil watere0
- Direction
- did not increasee0
- Comparator
- alfalfa receiving no N fertilizatione0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Low manure application to alfalfa did not increase NO ‐ 3 ‐N concentrations in soil water compared with alfalfa receiving no N fertilization.”
Claim · model-written summary
Low manure had no significant effect on herbage dry matter yield or N accumulation.
- Taxon
- alfalfaMedicago sativae0
- Treatment
- manure to alfalfa at the low ratee0
- Outcome
- dry matter (DM) yields, N accumulation in herbagee0
- Direction
- no significant effecte0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Application of manure to alfalfa at the low rate had no significant effect on dry matter (DM) yields, N accumulation in herbage, and soil NO ‐ 3 ‐N at the 0‐ to 25‐cm, 25‐ to 50‐cm, and 50‐ to 100‐cm depths.”
Claim · model-written summary
Low manure had no significant effect on soil nitrate across three depths.
- Taxon
- alfalfaMedicago sativae0
- Treatment
- manure to alfalfa at the low ratee0
- Outcome
- soil NO ‐ 3 ‐Ne0
- Direction
- no significant effecte0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Application of manure to alfalfa at the low rate had no significant effect on dry matter (DM) yields, N accumulation in herbage, and soil NO ‐ 3 ‐N at the 0‐ to 25‐cm, 25‐ to 50‐cm, and 50‐ to 100‐cm depths.”
Claim · model-written summary
High-manure dry matter yield at South Deerfield was lower in 1991–1992.
- Taxon
- AlfalfaMedicago sativat0
- Treatment
- high manure applicatione0
- Outcome
- Dry matter yieldse0
- Direction
- lowere0
- Comparator
- 1990–1991e0
- Setting
- South Deerfield sitee0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Dry matter yields were significantly lower at the South Deerfield site in 1991–1992 than in 1990–1991 for the high manure application.”
t0“Alfalfa”
Claim · model-written summary
At Sunderland, yield did not differ significantly.
- Taxon
- AlfalfaMedicago sativat0
- Outcome
- yielde0
- Direction
- no significant differencee0
- Setting
- Sunderland sitee0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“At the Sunderland site, no significant difference in yield was observed.”
t0“Alfalfa”
Claim · model-written summary
The authors recommend low-rate dairy manure for established alfalfa.
- Taxon
- alfalfaMedicago sativae0
- Outcome
- Dairy manure can be applied to established alfalfa at the low rate of 112 kg N ha −1e0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Dairy manure can be applied to established alfalfa at the low rate of 112 kg N ha −1 without any adverse impact on herbage production or nitrates in soil water.”
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