Project Number: 6406-12630-004-00
Start Date: Jun 14, 2005
End Date: Jun 08, 2010
Determine spatial variation of manure nutrients and emission of ammonia and other gases in the poultry house as a function of management, age of bird, diet, flocks of birds on same litter, and ambient humidity and temperatures. Develop a system for measuring fungicidal effects of animal manure on an array of important plant pathogens. Develop a system for isolating nutrient effects of animal manure from phyto-hormonal effects. Measure water quantity and quality in runoff from nine watersheds as a function of presence or absence of grazing and presence or absence of poultry litter fertilization. Over time in the watersheds, measure changes in soil quality, botanical composition, shallow well water quality, and the quantity and quality of runoff water. Determine manure nutrient’s fate in soil and changes in soil quality, and changes in soil nutrient concentrations for long term fertilization with poultry litter or swine effluent. Test effects and efficacy of manure nutrient extraction with surface application or incorporation for different crop species and soil types. Develop best management procedures for the 12-month management system. Determine the presence of bacterial pathogens in swine and poultry manure environments and the fate and transport of manure-borne bacterial pathogens after manure land application. Determine the potential off-site transport of pathogens via rain runoff and impacts on crop bacterial contamination. Use traditional cultural and molecular microbiological techniques in field and controlled growth chamber studies to determine the microbiology of manure, manure application, and potential future impacts of land application. Develop best management practices for manure pre-application and application phases, to minimize bacterial contamination of manure at the production level and during land application for food and forage crops.