Nutrient Management with
Organo Mineral Fertiliser
Authors: Keith Chaney, Grace Smith and Charles Murray
Harper Adams University
Meeting: International Conference on Biochars, Composts, and Digestates
Venue: Bari, Italy
Date: 18th October 2013
Aim
• To evaluate the yield response of agricultural crops to
the application of Organo Mineral Fertiliser (OMF).
• To investigate the application of OMF on the level of
potentially toxic elements PTE’s in the soil.
• To investigate the application of OMF on earthworm
populations.
• To determine the spread patterns of OMF in
agricultural fertiliser applicators (spinning disc
machines).
2
Todays presentation will include
• Yield data from 2010-2013 growing seasons
• The heavy metal content of soil following application
of OMF for 5 years
• How the number of earthworms are affected
• Results from spreader tests using OMF granules
Crops
•
•
•
•
Winter wheat
Winter oats
Spring barley
Grass
Location of experimental sites in the UK
Location of the field
experiments in North Wales
Location of the plot experiments
at Broxton, Cheshire
Harper Adams University
Broxton, Cheshire, UK site prior to harvest 2011
Three year winter wheat data
12
Grain Yield (t/ha)
10
8
Conventional
6
OMF
4
No significant
difference in yield
2
0
2009/2010
2010/2011
2011/2012
Winter oats 2011/12
8
7
Grain Yield (t/ha)
6
5
4
3
2
1
0
Conventional
No significant difference in grain yield
OMF
Spring barley 2013
5
4.5
Grain Yield (t/ha)
4
3.5
3
Yield significantly
higher using
conventional fertilisers
P=0.002
2.5
2
1.5
1
0.5
0
Conventional
OMF
Grass cut for silage 2011
harvest 2011
Broxton, Cheshire, UK
Three year grass yield data from experimental plots
2nd Cut
Mean fresh yield (t/ha)
45
40
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
Conventional
20
18
16
14
12
10
8
6
4
2
0
Conventional
OMF
OMF
3rd Cut
Mean fresh yield (t/ha)
Mean fresh yield (t/ha)
1st Cut
10
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
0
No significant
difference in
grass yield
Conventional
OMF
Grass yield data from field experiments 2012
2nd cut silage at Rhuddlan, North Wales
30
30
25
25
Grass Fresh yield (t/ha)
Grass Fresh Yield (t/ha)
2nd cut silage at Cwm, North Wales
20
15
10
5
20
15
10
5
0
0
Conventional
OMF
Conventional
No significant difference in grass yield
OMF
Potentially Toxic Elements (PTE’s) in Soil
2007-2011
0-30cm Depth
45
2007/2008 conventional
40
2011 conventional
35
2007/2008 OMF
mg/kg dry soil
30
2011 OMF
25
There was a very
small, but statistically
significant decline in
the level of nickel and
mercury
20
15
10
5
0
pH
Copper
Zinc
Nickel
Cadmium
Lead
Chromium Mercury
Potentially Toxic Elements (PTE’s) in Soil
2007-2011
0-30cm Depth
0.18
0.16
0.14
mg/kg of dry soil
0.12
2007/2008 Conventional
0.1
2011 Conventional
0.08
2007/2008 OMF
2011 OMF
0.06
0.04
0.02
0
Cadmium
Mercury
Potentially Toxic Elements (PTE’s) in Soil
18
2007-2011
0-30cm Depth
16
Percentage of permitable level
14
12
2007/2008 conventional
10
2011 conventional
2007/2008 OMF
8
2011 OMF
6
4
2
0
pH
Copper
Zinc
Nickel
Cadmium
Lead
Chromium
OMF and Earthworms
Earthworm numbers
2011 and 2012
Number of earthworms/m2
Grassland 2011
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
Conventional
Arable 2012
160
120
140
100
120
Number of earthworms/m2
Number of earthworms/m2
140
80
60
40
20
0
Conventional
OMF
OMF
Grassland 2012
100
80
60
40
20
0
Conventional
OMF
Agricultural Fertiliser Spreader Tests
Kuhn Axis
KRM ExTrend
Spreader test results
Granules - General Feedback
• Consistent size
• Suitable strength for spreading
• Will spread to 24m
• Acceptable spread patterns
• Low bulk density
• Spreading in the wind might be difficult.
• Unlikely to spread further than 24m
Spread patterns for Organo Mineral Fertiliser (OMF)
Kuhn Axis
CV% = 7.93
KRM ExTrend
CV% = 10.8
Conclusions
OMF gave similar yields to conventional fertiliser when
applied to cereal and grassland crops
Application of OMF on the same soil for 5 years had very
little effect on the level of PTE’s
Application of OMF on the same soil for 5 years did not
affect earthworm numbers.
OMF can be spread accurately with twin spinning disc
fertiliser spreaders up to a bout width of 24 metres