Reproduced from Journal of Environmental Quality. Published by ASA, CSSA, and SSSA. All copyrights reserved. Phosphorus Runoff from Incorporated and Surface-Applied Liquid Swine Manure and Phosphorus Fertilizer I. C. Daverede,* A. N. Kravchenko, R. G. Hoeft, E. D. Nafziger, D. G. Bullock, J. J. Warren, and L. C. Gonzini ABSTRACT as drinking, fishing, and recreation (Foy and Withers, 1995). The transport of P occurs in dissolved and partic- Excessive fertilization with organic and/or inorganic P amendments ulate forms. Particulate phosphorus (PP) encompasses to cropland increases the potential risk of P loss to surface waters. all solid-phase forms and includes P sorbed by soil parti- The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of soil test P cles and organic matter eroded during runoff. While level, source, and application method of P amendments on P in runoff following soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.]. The treatments consisted dissolved P is, for the most part, immediately available of two rates of swine (Sus scrofa domestica) liquid manure surface- for biological uptake, PP can provide a long-term source applied and injected, 54 kg P ha -1 triple superphosphate (TSP) sur- of P for aquatic plant growth. Algal-available P repre- face-applied and incorporated, and a control with and without chisel- sents the dissolved phase and the amount of PP that is plowing. Rainfall simulations were conducted one month (1MO) and potentially available for algal uptake (Sharpley et al., six months (6MO) after P amendment application for 2 yr. Soil injec- 1991). tion of swine manure compared with surface application resulted in The main factors controlling P movement in surface runoff P concentration decreases of 93, 82, and 94%, and P load runoff are transport (runoff and erosion) and source decreases of 99, 94, and 99% for dissolved reactive phosphorus (DRP), factors (surface soil P content and method, rate, and total phosphorus (TP), and algal-available phosphorus (AAP), respec- timing of fertilizer and animal manure applications) tively. Incorporation of TSP also reduced P concentration in runoff significantly. Runoff P concentration and load from incorporated (Sharpley et al., 1993). High rates of P applied either amendments did not differ from the control. Factors most strongly as a fertilizer or manure, particularly if it is left on the related to P in runoff from the incorporated treatments included Bray soil surface, will exacerbate the potential for movement P1 soil extraction value for DRP concentration, and Bray P1 and of DRP from fields (Baker and Laflen, 1982; Mueller sediment content in runoff for AAP and TP concentration and load. et al., 1984). Incorporation of P materials either through Injecting manure and chisel-plowing inorganic fertilizer reduced run- tillage or through injection will generally reduce the off P losses, decreased runoff volumes, and increased the time to potential for DRP runoff (Eghball and Gilley, 1999; runoff, thus minimizing the potential risk of surface water contamina- Withers et al., 2001; Tabbara, 2003). On the other hand, tion. After incorporating the P amendments, controlling erosion is tillage operations may increase the potential for TP loss, the main target to minimize TP losses from agricultural soils. especially on highly erosive sites. Eghball and Gilley (1999) found that runoff DRP and AAP concentrations were greater for no-till than disked treatments during I ntensive livestock farming enterprises that concen- two consecutive simulated rainfall events on wheat trate large numbers of animals indoors, particularly (Triticum aestivum L.) residue plots with a 6% slope. non-ruminants, have emerged as a result of improve- In contrast, concentrations of TP and PP were greater ments in animal housing and the success of crop produc- for the disked treatments compared with the no-till tion on cash-crop farms (Beegle et al., 2000). The cost plots. Cox and Hendricks (2000) reported a more than of transporting low-density manure more than short threefold increase in TP concentration in runoff from distances from livestock farms to cash-crop farms ex- conventionally tilled compared with no-till soils for a ceeds its nutrient value. Therefore, most animal waste wide range of soil P levels on 2 to 6% slopes. is land-applied near the animal production facility. The Runoff transport of P from surface-applied manure dominant geology, soils, and topography of the local increases with the application rate. Edwards and Daniel area are often not considered before manure application (1993) observed that DRP and TP concentration in run- (Sharpley et al., 1994). Continued inputs of fertilizer off from fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.) plots was and manure in excess of crop P requirements have led directly related to swine slurry application rate. Tabbara to a buildup of soil P levels, which are of environmental (2003) also found a proportional increase in TP, PP, rather than agronomic concern (Sharpley et al., 1994). AAP, and DRP concentration and load in runoff from Phosphorus transported by surface runoff to streams fallow soils when surface-applied liquid swine manure and lakes often accelerates eutrophication, thus affect- rates were doubled. ing the usage of water resources for many purposes such Phosphorus losses from treatments that compare in- organic versus organic amendments tend to vary among I.C. Daverede, R.G. Hoeft, E.D. Nafziger, D.G. Bullock, J.J. Warren, different experiments. Eghball and Gilley (1999) ob- and L.C. Gonzini, Department of Crop Sciences, 1102 South Goodwin served that the concentrations of DRP and AAP in Avenue, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL 61801. A.N. Kravchenko, Department of Crop and Soil Sciences, Michigan State University, Abbreviations: AAP, algal-available phosphorus; DRP, dissolved re- East Lansing, MI 48824-1325. Received 28 Oct. 2003. *Corresponding active phosphorus; HM, high manure rate; LM, low manure rate; author (daverede@uiuc.edu). 1MO, first rainfall simulation (one month after treatment application); 6MO, second rainfall simulation (six months after treatment applica- Published in J. Environ. Qual. 33:1535–1544 (2004).  ASA, CSSA, SSSA tion); PP, particulate phosphorus; TP, total phosphorus; TSP, triple su- perphosphate. 677 S. Segoe Rd., Madison, WI 53711 USA 1535