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<p class="MsoNormal">All – we have been asked to share the results of recent research into applying poultry litter to fields using a new tractor implement. Please see below for more information.
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>* * *<o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><o:p> </o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>Novel Nutrient Management Method: Applying Poultry Litter in Subsurface Bands<o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">August 10, 2021<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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</v:shapetype><v:shape id="Picture_x0020_6" o:spid="_x0000_s1027" type="#_x0000_t75" alt="Novel Nutrient Management Method: Applying Poultry Litter in Subsurface Bands" href="https://www.ncat.org/novel-nutrient-management-method-applying-poultry-litter-in-subsurface-bands/" style='position:absolute;margin-left:213.55pt;margin-top:67.4pt;width:264.75pt;height:198.75pt;z-index:-251658240;visibility:visible;mso-wrap-style:square;mso-wrap-distance-left:9pt;mso-wrap-distance-top:0;mso-wrap-distance-right:9pt;mso-wrap-distance-bottom:0;mso-position-horizontal:right;mso-position-horizontal-relative:text;mso-position-vertical:absolute;mso-position-vertical-relative:text' o:button="t">
<v:imagedata src="cid:image001.jpg@01D79B33.7C623FD0" o:title=" Applying Poultry Litter in Subsurface Bands" />
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</v:shape><![endif]--><![if !vml]><a href="https://www.ncat.org/novel-nutrient-management-method-applying-poultry-litter-in-subsurface-bands/"><img border="0" width="353" height="265" style="width:3.677in;height:2.7604in" src="cid:image001.jpg@01D79B33.7C623FD0" align="right" hspace="12" alt="Novel Nutrient Management Method: Applying Poultry Litter in Subsurface Bands" title="" v:shapes="Picture_x0020_6"></a><![endif]><b><i>By
Nina Prater, NCAT Sustainable Agriculture Specialist</i><o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Getting nutrients right in farming is a balancing act. When planning to apply fertilizers and soil amendments, farmers must consider their soil type, climate, the time of year, the crops they are raising, water availability, soil health, water
quality concerns, and the nuances of the many different macro- and micronutrients that plants require. The way nutrients are applied is also an important consideration. A series of research projects have been conducted at the Dale Bumpers Small Farm Research
Center in Booneville, AR, to assess a new way of applying poultry litter (the manure and bedding removed from commercial poultry houses) by inserting it into the soil. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Poultry litter is a National Organic Program (NOP) approved fertilizer and is readily available in many parts of the U.S. The litter is often surface applied, but this can lead to nutrient loss through nitrogen volatilization or surface
runoff. A novel technology has been developed to reduce nutrient loss from poultry litter. Named the “Subsurfer,” it is an implement pulled behind a tractor that inserts poultry litter into the soil in bands and reduces nutrient losses to the air, soil, and
water by over 70%. The Subsurfer was initially developed for use in pastures, but researchers have been conducting studies to determine best practices for its use in organic cropping systems. While not yet commercially available, the results of the studies
suggest that it is a promising technology that can help solve nutrient-loss issues while maintaining productivity and improving both crop quality and soil health. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Dr. Amanda Ashworth, Research Soil Scientist with USDA’s Agriculture Research Service (ARS) Poultry Production and Product Safety Research Unit, has conducted research to determine the optimal crop row distance from the poultry litter bands
for the greatest crop yield and quality. Planting directly into the litter would damage the plants, so the litter has to be inserted to the side of the plant row. But what distance is best for different crops? <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><o:p> </o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>How Litter is Applied <o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The ARS Subsurfer is pulled behind a tractor, inserting the litter approximately 4 inches beneath the soil surface, with wheels that close the soil up over the litter after it is inserted. The litter must have a moisture content of 35%
or less. A seeder can be attached to the Subsurfer so that the fertilizing and seeding can be done in one pass. In these research plots, a GPS was used to ensure accurate spacing of seeds and litter bands. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><img width="741" height="180" style="width:7.7187in;height:1.875in" id="Picture_x0020_5" src="cid:image002.jpg@01D79B33.7C623FD0"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">An additional finding of the research was that the crop quality was improved with the use of the Subsurfer, even as compared to plots that were fertilized with urea. Dr. Ashworth found the additional nutrients contained in poultry litter
led to this improved quality. The liming properties of the poultry litter, as well as additional macro- and micronutrients it contains, provide a more complete “diet” to the crop in ways that urea, which only supplies N, could not.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">There is potential for the Subsurfer to help with nutrient management on small to medium-sized farms, organic and conventional alike. The equipment can only cover approximately 20 to 30 acres in one day, so it is not likely to work well
on farms in the thousands of acres, but for smaller-scale operations, it could provide a way to fertilize efficiently.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><o:p> </o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>Citations<o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shape id="Picture_x0020_4" o:spid="_x0000_s1026" type="#_x0000_t75" alt="A tractor pulling the subsurfer attachment across a field." style='position:absolute;margin-left:248.8pt;margin-top:700.95pt;width:300pt;height:225pt;z-index:-251657216;visibility:visible;mso-wrap-style:square;mso-wrap-distance-left:9pt;mso-wrap-distance-top:0;mso-wrap-distance-right:9pt;mso-wrap-distance-bottom:0;mso-position-horizontal:right;mso-position-horizontal-relative:text;mso-position-vertical:absolute;mso-position-vertical-relative:text'>
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</v:shape><![endif]--><![if !vml]><img width="400" height="300" style="width:4.1666in;height:3.125in" src="cid:image004.jpg@01D79B33.7C623FD0" align="right" hspace="12" alt="A tractor pulling the subsurfer attachment across a field." v:shapes="Picture_x0020_4"><![endif]>Ashworth,
A.J., D.H. Pote, T.R. Way, and D.B. Watts. <a href="https://acsess.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/agj2.20186"><b>Effect of seeding distance from subsurface banded poultry litter on corn yield and leaf greenness</b></a>. Agronomy Journal. 2020; 112:1679–1689.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Ashworth, A.J., C. Nieman, T.C. Adams, J. Franco, and P.R. Owens. Subsurface banded poultry litter distance influence on the multifunctionally of edamame (Glycine max Edamame’) yield and leaf greenness. Pending Publication.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i>Photos courtesy USDA ARS.</i><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><o:p> </o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>Related ATTRA Resources<o:p></o:p></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://attra.ncat.org/blog-47-meet-the-subsurfer/"><b>Meet The Subsurfer: ATTRA Blog</b></a><br>
<a href="https://attra.ncat.org/episode-180-meet-the-subsurfer/"><b>Meet The Subsurfer: ATTRA Podcast</b></a><br>
<a href="https://attra.ncat.org/product/arsenic-in-poultry-litter-organic-regulations/"><b>Arsenic In Poultry Litter: Organic Regulations</b></a><br>
<a href="https://attra.ncat.org/product/sweet-corn-organic-production/"><b>Sweet Corn: Organic Production</b></a><br>
<a href="https://attra.ncat.org/product/edamame-vegetable-soybean/"><b>Edamame: Vegetable Soybean</b></a><br>
<a href="https://attra.ncat.org/product/nutrient-management-plan-590-for-organic-systems/"><b>Nutrient Management Plan (590) for Organic Systems</b></a><br>
<a href="https://attra.ncat.org/product/soil-management-national-organic-program-regulations/"><b>Soil Management: National Organic Program Regulations</b></a><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><o:p> </o:p></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i>The information contained in this blog is also available as a downloadable fact sheet <a href="https://www.ncat.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/ARS_Subsurfer081121.pdf"><b><span style="font-style:normal">here</span></b></a>. This factsheet
is produced by the National Center for Appropriate Technology through the ATTRA Sustainable Agriculture program, under a cooperative agreement with USDA Rural Development. This factsheet was also made possible in part by funding from the Arkansas Department
of Agriculture, Specialty Crop Grant AM180100XXXXG157.</i><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">* * * <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Best regards,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Robyn<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Robyn Metzger<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Program Specialist/Armed to Farm Coordinator<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">National Center for Appropriate Technology<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">479-442-9824<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://www.ncat.org/"><span style="color:windowtext">www.ncat.org</span></a><u><o:p></o:p></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><i><span style="font-size:9.0pt;color:#2E74B5;border:none windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in;background:white">NCAT’s mission:
</span></i></b><i><span style="font-size:9.0pt;color:#2E74B5;border:none windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in;background:white">Helping</span></i><i><span style="font-size:9.0pt;color:#2E74B5;background:white"> people by championing small-scale, local</span></i><i><span style="font-size:9.0pt;color:#2E74B5">
<span style="background:white">and sustainable solutions <br>
that reduce poverty, promote</span></span></i><i> </i><i><span style="font-size:9.0pt;color:#2E74B5;background:white">healthy communities, and protect natural resources.</span></i><i><o:p></o:p></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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