Effects of narrow grass hedges on nutrient transport from land application areas

John E. Gilley, Bahman Eghball, David B. Marx

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contribution

Abstract

The placement of stiff-stemmed grass hedges on the contour along a hill slope has been shown to decrease runoff nutrient transport. This study was conducted to measure the effectiveness of a narrow grass hedge in reducing runoff nutrient transport from plots with a range of soil nutrient values. Composted beef cattle manure was applied at dry weights of 0, 68, 105, 142, and 178 Mg ha-1 to a silty clay loam soil and then incorporated by disking. Soil samples were collected 243 days later for analysis of water-soluble phosphorus (WSP), Bray and Kurtz No. 1 phosphorus (Bray-1 P), NO3-N and NH4-N. Three 30-min simulated rainfall events, separated by 24-hour intervals, were then applied. The transport of dissolved phosphorus (DP), total P (TP), NO3-N, NH4-N, total nitrogen (TN), runoff, and soil erosion were measured from 0.75 m wide × 4.0 m long plots. Compost application rate was found to significantly affect WSP, Bray-1 P, and NO3-N content of the soil. The transport of DP, TP, NO3-N, NH4-N, TN, runoff and soil erosion was reduced significantly on the plots with a grass hedge. Mean runoff on the hedge and no-hedge treatments was 17 and 29 mm, respectively, and soil erosion rates were 0.12 and 1.48 Mg ha-1. Compost application rate significantly affected the transport of DP, TP, and NO3-N in runoff. The experimental results indicate that stiff-stemmed grass hedges, planted at selected down slope intervals, can significantly reduce the transport of nutrients in runoff from areas with a range of soil nutrient values.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Title of host publicationAmerican Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers Annual International Meeting 2008, ASABE 2008
PublisherAmerican Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers
Pages312-326
Number of pages15
ISBN (Print)9781605605364
StatePublished - 2008
EventAmerican Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers Annual International Meeting 2008 - Providence, RI, United States
Duration: Jun 29 2008Jul 2 2008

Publication series

NameAmerican Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers Annual International Meeting 2008, ASABE 2008
Volume1

Conference

ConferenceAmerican Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers Annual International Meeting 2008
Country/TerritoryUnited States
CityProvidence, RI
Period6/29/087/2/08

Keywords

  • Grass filters
  • Land application
  • Manure management
  • Manure runoff
  • Nitrogen movement
  • Nutrient losses
  • Phosphorus
  • Runoff
  • Sediment detention
  • Water quality

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General Agricultural and Biological Sciences

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