Electromagnetic survey of cornfield with repeated manure applications
- Agricultural Research Service, Clay Center, NE (United States). Meat Animal Research Center
Waste management sites are subject to nutrient buildup from storage, treatment, and repeated application of manure. Methods are needed to quickly assess a site of field location to survey nutrient levels and estimate risk potential. Electromagnetic (EM) conductivity methods have been shown to be sensitive to areas of high nutrient levels and offer promise to provide field assessments. In this report, high density electromagnetic field mapping is described as a method to isolate and detect areas of nutrient buildup in a cornfield receiving waste management research treatments. Various manure and compost rates have been applied to this research field for replacement of commercial fertilizer with the treatment assignments remaining identical over a 4-yr period. Electromagnetic conductivity measurements were able to differentiate the N check treatment (commercial application rate) vs manure applied at the recommended P rate, compost applied at the P rate, and compost applied at the N rate. The N check treatment and the manure applied at the N rate treatment resulted in nearly identical mean values for EM readings and were not statistically distinguishable. Analysis of soil cores randomly located within each treatment were compared to EM readings at the same locations. The Pearson correlation coefficients revealed strong correlations for all constituents except NH{sub 4}. Treatment effects were significant for all soil constituents except NH{sub 4} and water content.
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE
- OSTI ID:
- 305437
- Journal Information:
- Journal of Environmental Quality, Vol. 27, Issue 6; Other Information: PBD: Nov-Dec 1998
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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