Effect of soil amendment with alfalfa pellets and glycerol on nutrition and growth of wheat
Date
2008-02-28
Authors
Qian, P.
Schoenau, J.J.
King, T.
Fatteicher, C.
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Poster Presentation
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Abstract
Two pot experiments were carried out under controlled environment conditions in the
laboratory. One was to assess the ability of alfalfa pellets to supply plant available N as an organic fertilizer. The other was to investigate the impact of applying glycerol on crop growth and soil characteristics. In the first experiment 4 different rates of two types of alfalfa pellets were tested by comparing with urea. In the glycerol addition experiment, four different rates of glycerol were tested. Wheat biomass yield, N and P uptake were measured in both experiments. Soil organic C, available N and P were also measured in the glycerol experiment. Results from the alfalfa pellet experiment showed that application of alfalfa pellets lead to a significant wheat biomass yield response and an increase in N and P uptake, even at the lowest application rates. Glycerol addition increased wheat yield biomass and N uptake at low and medium
rates (100 and 1000 kg /ha) but resulted in reduced yield at the highest rate (10,000 kg/ha). The yield reductions at the highest rates were believed to be associated with N immobilization. In general, negative impacts on wheat growth were observed only at higher rates. Higher rates of glycerol added to the soil led to an increase in soil organic C concentration and a decrease in soil extractable nitrogen and phosphorus. Future experiments with glycerol addition will evaluate the effect of combination of glycerol with commercial fertilizer urea, and its effects on microbial respiration.
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Keywords
yield, uptake, soil N and P availability, soil organic C
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Soils and Crops Workshop