Investigating the Impact of Broiler Litter Application Method and Biochar on Phosphorus Leaching
摘要
The major objectives of this study were to examine the effectiveness of different application methods (surface vs subsurface) of broiler litter and pine wood pristine biochar on the leaching of dissolved reactive phosphorus (DRP) via preferential flows in no-till pasture fields located in Alabama, USA. Intact undisturbed soil cores (15 soil cores having dimensions of 150 mm inner diameter and 500 mm length) were used for column-based successive rainfall simulation experiments. Treatments were surface-applied broiler litter, subsurface-banded broiler litter, surface-applied broiler litter + biochar, subsurface-banded broiler litter + biochar, and control (no biochar and no broiler litter). For each treatment, three simulations (simulation 1 (0th day), simulation 2 (5th day), and simulation 3 (10th day)) were performed. The bromide breakthrough curves provided evidence of preferential flow through all soil columns. Treated columns leached significantly (p < 0.05) greater amounts of dissolved reactive phosphorus (DRP) than control columns. However, DRP leaching was higher in simulation 1 (p < 0.05) than in simulations 2 and 3 in all treated columns except subsurface broiler litter treatment. Additionally, DRP leaching consistently decreased with successive rainfall events in all treatments. Among different application methods, either broiler litter alone or along with pristine biochar, the subsurface application method proved to be more effective than surface broadcasting in controlling DRP losses.